Best Lunch Box Ever (5 page)

4 thin slices English cucumber

1 thin slice sharp Cheddar cheese, large enough to cover the bagel

Slice the bagel in thirds horizontally, reserving the middle slice for another use (see Bagels Slim Down, below).

Using a fork, mash the avocado onto the bottom half of the bagel. Sprinkle with the salt and top with the sunflower seeds and bean sprouts, pressing them gently into the avocado so they don't fall off. Lay the cucumber over the sprouts, followed by the cheese. Cap with the remaining bagel top.

Cut in half. Wrap well or store in a snug container.

MAKE-AHEAD NOTES:
can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator, but best made the morning before school.

I'VE NEVER BEEN ONE
to cut the crusts from my kids' bread. “It's a waste,” I hear myself saying, just as my own mother did when I was little. Tea sandwiches, such as this delicate, flavorful, smoked salmon one, are the exception, since going crustless is part of the charm. You can always save the crusts for making bread crumbs or feeding birds.

MAKES 1 SANDWICH

2 slices black or pumpernickel bread

2 tablespoons whipped cream cheese

2 teaspoons capers, drained

2 thin slices smoked salmon

6 thin slices English cucumber

1 teaspoon minced fresh dill (optional)

Cut the crusts off the bread. Spread both bread slices with cream cheese. Scatter the capers over the cream cheese on one bread slice. Lay the smoked salmon over the capers, followed by the cucumber. Sprinkle with the dill (if using) and top with the remaining bread slice.

Cut diagonally into quarters. Wrap well or store in a snug container.

MAKE-AHEAD NOTES:
can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator, but best made the morning before school.

CANNED SALMON,
chicken, or tuna can all be used for this savory sandwich. You can even turn it into egg salad by replacing the fish or chicken with two chopped hard-boiled eggs along with a generous pinch of salt. I opt for light mayo in most of my cooking, but nothing quite satisfies like the full-fat version in this sandwich.

MAKES 2 SANDWICHES

One 5-ounce can water-packed wild salmon (without skin and bones), chicken, or tuna
(see A Tuna Tutorial, page 84)
, drained

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1 tablespoon minced fresh dill (optional)

2 teaspoons capers, drained

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon nonfat plain yogurt

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

4 slices soft whole-wheat bread

2 large crunchy lettuce leaves

In a medium bowl, combine the salmon, celery, dill (if using), capers, onion, lemon juice, yogurt, and mayonnaise.

Divide the salmon mixture between two of the bread slices, followed by the lettuce. Top with the remaining two bread slices.

Cut each sandwich in half. Wrap well or store in snug containers.

MAKE-AHEAD NOTES:
the filling can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator; assemble the sandwiches the morning before school.

WITH JUST THREE CORE INGREDIENTS
—prosciutto, arugula, and balsamic vinegar—this is our family's favorite quick fix for a picnic. Prosciutto is dry-cured Italian ham that is packed with flavor, so a little goes a long way in a sandwich. The arugula, brightened up with the addition of balsamic vinegar, adds a dose of beta-carotene and vitamin C to the mix. If tomatoes are in season, tucking a few slices in the center makes a nice addition.

MAKES 1 SANDWICH

2 thin slices prosciutto

One 4-inch piece baguette, preferably whole-wheat, sliced in half horizontally