8 Helpful Hints For Packing the Best Brown-Bag Lunch

Be creative! Try not to make the same thing every day. If you have a sandwich on Monday, bring a salad on Tuesday or combine the two and make a wrap. Variety is the key to not getting stuck in a peanut-butter-and-jelly rut.

Skip the processed foods (like single-serving packs of chips) and opt for fresh ingredients when it comes to the snacks, like chopped fruit in a mason jar, vegetable sticks with hummus, and cheese.

Nuts (or trail mix) and popcorn are great for snacking.

Avoid sogginess by packing food items in different containers or by perfectly layering the ingredients of a salad inside a mason jar. Mason jars (unlike Tupperware) are easier to transport in your bag and won't leak.

Make sandwiches more exciting with interesting condiments. Rather than using the standard mustard and mayo, slather on pesto or tapenade.

Turn last night's leftovers into lunch or a whole new dish. If you had steak and potatoes for dinner, throw slices of steak and chopped potato into a pita with mint, tomatoes, and store-bought hummus. Have chicken and veggies? Toss leftover chicken and veggies with cooked pasta, herbs, and crumbly cheese to make a hearty pasta salad.

It's nice to finish lunch with a little something sweet. A piece of chocolate or a cookie bar are delightful ideas.

When all else fails, avocado toast guarantees a happy lunch.