Even when my life no longer revolved around the school year for some reason September and the end of summer continued to make me feel as IF I were starting school where possibilities for a fresh start seemed endless. As a Classic, my mind drifts toward practical fresh starts like lunches, i.e., whether more exciting packed lunches exist beyond bologna and mayonnaise — one of the staples from my childhood. The mere thought of this sandwich makes me a bit queasy so this week we’re featuring some ideas to spruce up your lunch routine in school or fully graduated.

What’s horrible about being such a creature of habit is that if I wasn’t writing PixieTips, I’d have probably made my son bologna sandwiches for school on his first day. But, researching these tips forced me to realize there are endless possibilities for lunch. This knowledge would come naturally to a Fun, Organic Freedom or Smart Freedom but it was a revelation to me — and probably to some Smart Structures and a few Organic Structures as well.

I got today’s recipe from allrecipes.com. It’s basically a bagel and cream cheese with vegetables. Not exactly rocket science, but I never would’ve thought of it so it might as well be. The mom who created it wisely points out that you can substitute her vegetable ideas for those you know you or your kid likes.

School Lunch Bagel Sandwich

Time to prepare: 15 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon herb and garlic flavored cream cheese
  • 1 multigrain bagel, split and toasted
  • 2 thin slices Cheddar cheese
  • 2 slices dill pickle
  • 1/4 cup shredded carrot
  • 1 leaf lettuce

Directions
Spread the cream cheese on the toasted bagel. Layer the Cheddar cheese, pickle slices, carrot, and lettuce onto one half of the bagel, then top with the remaining bagel half. Cut the sandwich in half and wrap with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place the sandwich in a lunch bag with an ice pack.

Nutrition Facts

  • calories: 474
  • total fat: 16g
  • cholesterol: 44mg