Need a quick lunch or healthy snack Idea?
If you have cream cheese, I have ideas for you! You can also incorporate bread, tortillas, and even pasta sauce into some of these. I like cream cheese, because even though it’s still a food that is higher in fat than its protein, vitamin A, and probiotics, it still holds slightly less calories than cheddar cheese (around 15% less). It is also more versatile, easily spreadable, and makes a great substitute for flour rues in soups. Here are some delicious, easy, and quick cream cheese lunch ideas.
Lunch Meat Roll-Ups
These are easy, delicious, and bread-free. All you need to do is take your favorite lunch meat and lay out some slices on a plate. Try not to tear the lunch meat as you pull it out of the packaging. Next, if your cream cheese is a bit too hard to spread, just microwave it for 10-15 seconds. Spread some cream cheese across each slice of lunch meat and roll it up. That’s it; you now have a lunch meat roll-up.
ADD VEGGIE OR PICKLE SHREDS for a nice kick! Just grate some onion, bell pepper, carrot, cucumber, pickle, radish, or whatever you think will go good with cream cheese. blend it into your cream cheese before spreading onto your lunch meat.
Tortilla Roll-Ups & Pinwheels
These are almost like the lunch meat roll-ups, but with a tortilla. These aren’t folded and rolled like a burrito. You simply just roll them in the same way as the meat rolls. For this, you will follow the same steps. Lay out your tortilla, spread your cream cheese, or blended cream cheese (pickle or veggie shreds blended in), lay down your lunchmeat (or reverse the cream cheese and lunch meat placement) and roll it up! Cut them widthwise into mouth-sized pieces; we call those pinwheels!
Toasted Cream Cheese Sandwiches!
It really is as simple as it sounds, however; there is something magical about slapping some cream cheese and lunch meat on toasted bread. The best part about this quick idea is that keto bread exists and almost anyone can try it! I find that the simplest recipes tend to be some of the most delicious.
Just toast some bread, via the toaster, oven, or frying pan. Then. spread your cream cheese and lunch meat. Add some seasoning between the cream cheese and lunch meat for a nice flavor boost or make a blended cream cheese with veggie and pickle shreds.
HAVE SOME LEFTOVER TOMATO SAUCE?
Spread some leftover tomato sauce on your toast, then add the cream cheese. If you have some pepperoni in your fridge, add some and enjoy!
Open-Face Toasted Cream Cheese Sandwiches
Do you struggle with liking sandwiches, but feel like it’s too much bread? Try an open-faced toasted sandwich! I LOVE open-faced sandwiches. I avoid beef and pork, due to skin and stomach health needs, but I do love a hot roasted chicken or turkey open-faced sandwich. Hot roast beef open-faced sandwiches, with gravy, are super delicious!
Another favorite of mine is a Toasted open-face sandwich with chicken, turkey, pepperoni, or salami, and cream cheese! Just toast a slice of bread, spread your cream cheese, and top with your selected meats. You can also replace the lunch meat with your favorite veggies.
I eat most of my protein in the morning, while opting for a lighter lunch. This allows me to feel more energetic rather than overly full and sluggish. Cream cheese and veggie sandwiches will always be a hit in my book.
Cream Cheese Boats
If you have fresh veggies laying around, they may qualify for a cream cheese boat. A cream cheese boat is any veggie safe to eat fresh, but one that can be hollowed out, or one that gives a natural shape, like celery. Examples of vegetables you can use for this include bell pepper, cucumber, whole carrots, romaine lettuce and I’m sure there’s more, but these are the main veggies I keep in stock.
All you really do is carve out a groove or cut the veggie to where it has a flat and spreadable side. Add your cream cheese and you have a cream cheese boat. I like to use carved out cucumber, bell pepper, or celery for mine.
Cream Cheese Dip
While there are a multitude of cream cheese dip recipes, including some VERY DELICIOUS baked recipes, the goal here is to be quick and easy. There are several ways to make a delicious cream cheese dip. Have some leftover chicken? Shred it into some cream cheese, dip a cracker or chip in, and enjoy!
Do I smell tacos?
If you have cumin, paprika, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder, add it to your cream cheese and stir. For some texture and added flavor, toss in some cilantro, parsley flakes, or both. A dash of lemon juice (literally just a dash) brightens up the taste. To make it even better, add any leftover chicken, beef, pork, or fish (if you’re a fish taco kind of person) and blend it well. Get your crackers or chips and enjoy.
Other Tasty Combinations
Another great combination includes garlic powder, onion powder, scallion onions, and/or parsley flakes. A dash of lemon juice will also brighten this up and make the flavors pop. When I say a dash, I mean around one half of a teaspoon or less. Adding too much will cause it to take over the taste of the dip.
This one is great for spring and summer. Add a decent amount of lemon juice to 8 oz of cream cheese (about 1-2 teaspoons). sprinkle in some onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper. This also pairs well with chicken if you have any canned or leftover chicken handy.
Do you have a Lipton (or any brand) dip/soup packet laying around? Add it to your cream cheese. The instructions on the packet will tell you to use sour cream, but cream cheese makes a great substitute. I find it to be more than a substitute; I prefer it!
All of these are modifiable!
The best part about these ideas is that you can turn them into your own. All the ingredients are interchangeable and dependent upon personal preference. Use what I have presented as a baseline and get creative. You may discover something unmentioned and delicious!
Questions or comments? Let’s Talk!
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