The Latest Lunchtime Fad Is In The Bag (NAPSA)—Brown bags are poised to become one of the hottest accessories, with adults carrying more than 8.5 billion brown bag lunches a year, accord- - s a ing to the NPD Group. Brown-bagging can save you hundreds of dollars a year. It may also trim your waist. Brown-bag lunches tend to be smaller in size and lowerin calories. As for what’s in those brown bags—sandwiches are the number one choice. To put more bang into your brown bag, here are a few sandwich-savvy suggestions: Toss chopped nuts or halved grapes into chicken or tuna Let kids help assemble their own lunches. They’re morelikely to eat whatthey’ve created. One popular sandwichis shapedlike a star. You Are a Star Sandwich Makes 1 sandwich salad. Add jarred roasted peppers, sprouts or sun-dried tomatoes to a turkey or roast beef 2 slices Nature’s Own Whitewheat Bread peanut sauce, pesto, barbecue sauce or spicy mustard instead of 1 slice low-fat luncheon meat (such as baked ham sandwich. Spread chutney, Asian mayo. Prevent soggy bread by pack- ing moist ingredients, such as tomato slices, pickles or roasted peppers, separately. Tuck a lettuce leaf or a bit of grated carrots inside sandwiches for extra crunch andfiber. Change the bread along with the fillings. In addition to wholegrain sandwich breads, try bagels, English muffins, sandwich rolls andtortillas. Whole-grain breads, such as Nature’s Own premium specialty breads from Flowers Foods, can be a great source of dietary fiber and will help keep your hunger at bay the rest of the day. For example, Whitewheat has the taste, texture and appearance of classic white bread and the nutrition of whole wheat bread. Consider this star sandwich: Catsup or mustard (optional) or light bologna) 1 slice reduced-fat cheese Spread 1 side of each bread slice with catsup or mustard,if desired. Layer meat and cheese between bread slices. Place sandwich on cutting board. Center a 3%- to 4-inch, metal, star- shaped cookie cutter over top of sandwich. Press down firmly to cut through all layers and form star-shaped sandwich.If necessary, trim around bottom edge of cookie cutter with paring knife to form clean edges. Refrigerate sandwich scrapsin a plastic sandwich bag—they make a tasty after-school snack. Tip: Get creative with shaped sandwiches. Surprise your kids with other simple shapes, such as hearts and teddy bears, and look for more sandwich recipes at www.naturesownbread.com.
