Brown Bag lunches aren’t just for kids. Adults need healthy, convenient and affordable lunch ideas too!

These simple brown bag lunches are healthier alternatives to your standard ham and cheese on white. So go on, put some zest back into your lunch hour and try something different today!

1. Tomato and Cucumber Salad: Thinly slice a couple tomatoes and half a cucumber. Drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and add a couple splashes of red wine vinegar. Season with a little sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with whole-wheat pita bread and add an apple for dessert.

2. Tuna lettuce wraps: To prepare the tuna salad, mix together 1 small can of tuna with some light mayo. Add some chopped celery and a few cherry tomato halves. Season with salt and pepper. When your ready to eat, wrap some tuna salad inside a few romaine lettuce leaves. These make an excellent low-carb sandwich alternative. Follow with a low-fat yogurt and a handful of your favorite berries to satisfy your sweet craving!

3. Deviled eggs: Hard boil some eggs and allow to cool before peeling. Halve the eggs and scoop out the yolks. Mix yolks with a tablespoon of mayo, a little curry powder and some salt and pepper. Add the mixture back into the center of each egg white and sprinkle with a little cayenne pepper. These can be prepared in advance and chilled over night for best results. Add some fruit to the bag and you’ve got yourself an excellent high protein, low calorie lunch!

4. Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad: Cook a couple handfuls of whole-wheat Penne pasta and allow to cool. Add a tablespoon of pesto sauce to the penne, some thinly sliced chicken breast, sun-dried tomatoes and a few chunks of buffalo mozzarella. Season to taste and chill over night. Bring along a low-calorie protein or granola bar.

5. Turkey Avocado Sandwich: A new take on an old favorite, this turkey sandwich comes on 100% whole-wheat bread. Spread a little mustard or low-fat mayo on both slices of bread. Top one side with romaine lettuce, fresh bean sprouts, sliced tomato, red onion and sliced avocado. Finally, place a couple slices of fresh, thinly sliced roast turkey on the other side, close sandwich and cut in half. Grab a handful of almonds to add to the bag for a healthy snack!

6. Chicken Noodle Soup: Brighten up any cold, rainy day with this classic soup recipe. Prepare ahead of time and freeze individual portions for convenience. Simply fry a small onion in a small amount of oil until soft. Add some chopped carrots and celery to the pan and cook until slightly soft. Add the vegetables to a large pan and pour in a large can of low-sodium chicken stock, herbs and a handful of egg noodles. Bring to a boil then simmer until noodles are al dente  and veg is soft.  Lastly add some slices of rotisserie chicken and simmer for 5 minutes.

7. Hummus Wrap: Place a lettuce leaf in the center of a whole-wheat tortilla wrap. Top  the lettuce with a tablespoon of fresh, chilled hummus and add some sliced red peppers and cucumber. Roll and cut in half. Add a small bag of  sweet potato chips and an apple and you’re brown-bag ready and out the door!