In case you are looking for solutions for eating good lunch, I have put together a collection of my favorite books, tools and online resources that you can use. This page is updated as new products are tested or new information becomes available. I recommend that you bookmark this page for your convenience and visit often.

~ For ordering information on some of these books and products, simply click on the book titles or product links.

Books on Kids’ Nutrition

• The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids’ Favorite Meals - Are you a frustrating parent trying to get your kid to eat vegetables? Get this book to learn how to sneak them into their food (download the Kindle version instantly).
• Red Light, Green Light, Eat Right: The Food Solution That Lets Kids Be Kids - Written by a pediatrician, this is a good read if you wish to teach your kids nutrition when they are young.
• Eat This Not That! for Kids!: Be the Leanest, Fittest Family on the Block! - This book manages to put the fun back into the discussion of kids’ nutrition. Yet it is packed with in-depth food information. Read it, and you will find just how easy it can be to choose smart foods for your kids.

Cookbooks

• The Encyclopedia of Sandwiches: Recipes, History, and Trivia for Everything Between Sliced Bread - A sandwich is a popular item in the lunch box and you may not want to keep making the “same-old” everyday.  This book gives you plenty of ideas on how to make sandwiches exciting all year.
• The Kimchi Chronicles: Korean Cooking for an American Kitchen - This book will teach you how to make a Korean meal in an American kitchen from shopping to cooking. Order this great read.

Books on Everyday Nutrition

• Eat This Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide: The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution  – This book is so much fun to read. It is packed with detailed knowledge about our foods. It also uses everyday food products from the supermarket to illustrate the information so that you can apply the knowledge right away.
• Drink This Not That!: The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution -  Like its sister book Eat This, Not That!, this is another fun nutritional book dedicated to what you drink. Again, you can quickly apply what you have learned.

Books on Meals on a Budget

• $3 Meals: Feed Your Family Delicious, Healthy Meals for Less than the Cost of a Gallon of Milk - If you are in charge of your family’s food spending, this book will teach you all the tricks and recipes to feed your family on a budget. Also available in Barnes&Nobles as Ebook

Winter Lunch Containers

• Sigg Fashion Thermal Water Bottle - Winner of Better Housekeeping thermal container test. Sigg specializes in making eco-friendly food containers and has gained quite a colt following. This beverage bottle can safely hold hot or cold beverages for up to 6 hours. That means it can handle cold drink, hot soup, coffee, hot cocoa safely. It is available as flat or ring top.
• Thermos Funtainer Food Jar – Another winner of Better Housekeeping thermal container test. This line of food jars can hold hot (not cold) food for up to 6 hours. With the wide-mouth design and fun exterior, your child’s hot lunch can be both fun and safe.
• Stanley Classic Vacuum Food Jar 17 ounce/.5 liter - I use this food jar during the cold months to carry soups and stews. It helps me shave a lot of time not having to microwave my food in a 30-minute lunch break. Just be careful. The food may still be hot enough to burn at lunch time.
• Thermos 18-Ounce Stainless-Steel Hydration Bottle, Charcoal - This has been my favorite water bottle for hiking and taking drinks to work. It keeps hot beverages hot and with a few pieces of ice, cold beverages cold for a long time.
• Zojirushi SL-JAE14 Mr. Bento Stainless Steel Lunch Jar - I use this lunch jar if I wish to eat more like home in my short lunch break. All the components can spread out to give a homey touch to your packed lunch. Available in Amazon and Target.
• Zojirushi Ms.Bento Stainless Lunch Jar - If you prefer a smaller portion for your hot lunch, this smaller design may fit your needs just fine. Available in Amazon and Target.

Kitchen Appliances and Tools

• Cuisinart GR-4N 5-in-1 Griddler - This griddler is a recent success from Cuisinart. It multi-tasks as a panini press for a quick lunch sandwich, a contact grill for meat and vegetables to add protein in your salads, and as a griddle for your weekend pancakes. It is small and powerful. Love it!
• Sanyo ECJ-E35S 3.5-Cup Micro-Computerized Rice Cooker/Steamer - It is healthier to eat brown or multigrain rice instead of the pure white variety. This multi-functional rice cooker is a must-have for that job. It is very compact and won’t take up too much counter space. I especially enjoy its thick titanium cook bowl.
• Sanyo ECJ-F50S Micro-Computerized 5-Cup Rice Cooker and Steamer - This is a slightly larger version suitable for small families. Although large enough to do a bigger job, it is still very compact.
• Magic Bullet MBR-1701 17-Piece Express Mixing Set - It took me a while to fall in love with this. Once I learned how quickly it makes home-made smoothies and pesto for pasta, I found myself using it again and again.

Lunch Stops

• Panera Bread – I like its uncomplicated menu, low prices, healthy food, relaxing interior – best of all – free WiFi.

Coupons and Savings

• Coupons.com – This website is filled with free printable grocery coupons, Internet discount codes like free shipment offers, and discount restaurant certificates. It is a must-check site before shopping.

Online Resources

• MyPlate.gov - This site provides objective information on nutrition from USDA. I visit it often to get the latest food and nutritional information for my blog.

Farmer’s Markets

• USDA’s National Farmer’s Market Search - Shopping at your local farmer’s market adds so much fun. This is the place where you can directly ask the growers questions about your food.

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