$9 Box Lunch Day Recipe

Prepare vegetables

Wash lettuce leaves and pat dry. Rinse tomato and slice into 12 thin slices (two per sandwich).

Split rolls

Using a serrated knife, carefully split each sandwich roll horizontally, keeping one side attached if preferred so the sandwich holds together.

Assemble sandwiches

Evenly spread 1 teaspoon mayonnaise on the bottom half and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard on the top half of each roll. On each bottom half, place 4 slices of deli turkey, then 1 Swiss cheese slice (fold if needed), one lettuce leaf, and 2 tomato slices. Season lightly with a small sprinkle of salt and a pinch of black pepper. Close sandwiches and press gently.

Wrap each sandwich in parchment or place directly in the lunch box compartment. Keep refrigerated until packing.

Prepare vegetables

Wash and thoroughly dry the mixed greens. Peel (if desired) and thinly slice the cucumber. Halve cherry tomatoes if large. Add shredded carrot.

Portion salad

Divide mixed greens and prepared vegetables evenly into the salad compartment of each box (about 2 cups per box).

Make vinaigrette

In a bowl or pitcher, whisk together 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar and 1/6 tablespoon honey (per serving equivalent). Season with a small pinch of salt and pepper. Scale up by multiplying to make enough for 6 portions (6 T olive oil, 3 T vinegar, 1 T honey, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper).

Pour 2 oz of vinaigrette into each individual container, seal, and place alongside the salad in the box to keep greens crisp.

Place one individual bag of potato chips into the appropriate compartment of each box. Select firm, unbruised apples or pears; if packing the fruit whole, place one whole fruit in each box in its compartment. If desired, slice fruit and pack with a small squeeze of lemon to prevent browning, but whole fruit is recommended for ease and freshness.

Place one cookie in a small sealed bag or wax paper sleeve and position it in the dessert compartment of each box to keep it separate from moist items.

Gather napkins and disposable cutlery sets and tuck them into each box. Close and fully seal each box. Label boxes if needed (e.g., 'Turkey & Swiss'). Keep refrigerated at 40°F (4°C) or below until delivery or pick-up. For the event time window (11:00 AM - 04:00 PM), pack near the start to maintain freshness and deliver within 3–4 hours of packing when kept chilled or on an insulated carrier with ice packs.

Estimate: This recipe yields 6 complete box lunches. Adjust ingredient quantities proportionally for more boxes.