Wraps are a common choice for a lunch main course because they are widely available at cafes, cafeterias and delis, less greasy than other fast-food options like burgers and pizza, and easy to make at home. Whether you're sick of your usual lunch wrap or you're trying to expand the lunch menu at a cafe or restaurant you own, stretch your lunch horizons to encompass ethnic dishes, warm dishes and tortilla alternatives.
Sandwiches
Chow down on a classic sandwich rather than a lunch wrap if you find yourself with a hankering for good old-fashioned bread. The advantage of switching from a wrap to a sandwich for lunch is that it isn't a big of leap -- virtually any variety of wrap can be converted to a sandwich simply by placing its contents between two slices of bread rather than in a flour tortilla. Try a hearty, big-taste bread like rye, whole wheat or even sprouted grain to up the flavor and nutritional value of your lunch. Or make over your usual wrap filling. Turn plain tuna into a fancy yet healthy tuna salad with flavorful additions like dill, green onion and yogurt.
Tacos or Burritos
Take your taste buds to Mexico by enjoying tacos or burritos for lunch instead of a wrap. Like wraps, they are hand-held with an outer layer and a variety of inner materials. But while wraps tend to be cold and have a soft exterior, tacos are hot and can have a crunchy or a soft exterior, depending on whether you select a hard shell or a tortilla. The beans, cheese or meat filling typically found in tacos and burritos is packed with protein that can fuel your brain throughout the afternoon. If you're dodging carbs, skip the tortilla or taco shell altogether and make another traditional Mexican dish, such as beef with green chile.
Deluxe Salads
Make a deluxe salad instead of a wrap if you get frustrated with the messiness of a wrap or if you don't derive pleasure from the wrap and would rather not "spend" the calories on it. Salads can be based on legumes or grains, like a Greek-inspired tabbouleh salad with feta cheese, olives, capers and cherry tomatoes, or they can use fresh vegetables or fruit as a base. Try a simple yet energy-rich salad of spinach, sliced strawberries, candied walnuts and balsamic vinaigrette dressing with hard-boiled eggs on the side.
Soup
Slurp down soup for lunch rather than a wrap if you are transitioning into a chilly season that just begs for a tummy-warming midday meal, or if you are trying to minimize your carbohydrate intake. For example, for a light and low-carb lunch, eat a colorful and nutritious chilled gazpacho soup. For a hearty winter meal, feast on a homemade chicken noodle soup with wide noodles, extra veggies and big chunks of tender white-meat chicken.
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