The secret to a nutritious, fun lunch box? These cooks say it’s make-ahead dips and spreads – Winnipeg Free Press

TORONTO – Cookbook authors and expert lunch box packers Aleyda Batarse and Aviva Wittenberg say versatile make-ahead dips, spreads and sauces are among their secret weapons for back-to-school prep.

Protein-packed hummus, bean dip and labneh bolster a fingerfood-style bento that pair well with cut veggies or can jazz up a rice bowl.

Wittenberg’s 2022 book, “Lunchbox,” includes a smoky black bean dip flavoured with cumin and sweet smoked paprika. She adds instructions for homemade bagel chips that can make use of days-old bagels well-past their prime. Plain or flavoured varieties work, but consider using less salt if they are already salted, such as “everything” bagels.

Batarse’s chia-spiked strawberry jam is packed with omega-3s and contain no refined sugar. Paired with soy or seed butte