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How to Make Creative and Delicious Bag Lunches. Tired of eating ho-hum, overpriced takeout
for lunch? Try some of these inspired homemade options. You will need Casserole ingredients
Sandwich ingredients and bread Burrito-size tortillas Leftovers Cream cheese or cheddar
Beans Salsa ¾ c. white wine ½ tsp. cornstarch ¼ lb. grated fondue cheese ½ garlic clove
Pre-cut vegetables Baguette chunks Casserole dish Microwave-safe food containers Aluminum
foil A bento box A stainless-steel thermos A medium saucepan An insulated lunch bag A
long fork An insulated ice bag (optional) and agua fresca ingredients (optional). Lunches
kept at room temperature can spoil. Pack your lunch with an insulated ice bag, or keep it
refrigerated until you’re ready to eat. Step 1. On Sunday, bake lasagna, mac-and-cheese,
or another hearty casserole. Pack individual portions in containers and reheat at lunchtime.
Make sure your lunch container is microwave-safe. Some plastic containers leach harmful chemicals
when microwaved. Step 2. Take the boring out of a basic sandwich with spreads like hummus,
pesto, or olive tapenade and pita or naan instead of the usual sliced loaf. Liven up
fillings by adding grapes and walnuts to chicken salad or dressing tuna salad with olive oil
and a hint of balsamic vinegar instead of mayo. Step 3. Reuse leftovers and make them
more portable by wrapping them up in a tortilla. Or, concoct a quesadilla by combining equal
parts cream cheese or cheddar, black beans, and salsa, spreading the mixture on a tortilla,
and folding the tortilla in half. Wrap in foil and heat it in a toaster oven at lunch,
or eat it cold. Complement your tortilla with an _agua fresca_: Combine water, blended melon
or mango, and sugar to taste, and pour into an insulated thermos. Step 4. Buy a Japanese
bento box or pack a plastic container according to bento-box guidelines: Three parts grain,
like rice or pasta, one part protein, and two parts fruits and vegetables. Even though
the boxes originated in Japan, the rules apply for any cuisine. Pack the bento box—or any
lunch container—without any gaps so that food won’t slide around in transit. Step
5. Try a French twist. Prepare cheese fondue by combining white wine, cornstarch, fondue
cheese, and garlic in a medium saucepan. Once the mixture melts, remove the garlic and pour
the cheese into a thermos that has been preheated in boiling water for 10 minutes. It will keep
in an insulated lunch bag for several hours. Bring along vegetables and baguette chunks,
and use a long fork to dip them into the cheese. Did you know In 2001, an unused 1954 Superman
lunch box sold in an auction for $11,500.