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Lunchbox Makeover: Convert Leftovers Into Creative Lunches

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Food should be fun! Not just fun to eat, but fun to make.

That's why all week we're giving you ideas to make-over your lunch box.

Molly Herrmann is co-owner of Kitchen in the Market at Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis. She found that her son AJ would try new foods as long as he got to help make them.

That's how spring rolls became part of their lunch menu.

Leftovers sound boring, but they don't need to be!

"These are the same ingredients we've used all week," Herrmann said.

The slaw and the carnitas were made ahead of time for other meals.

Then grab any extra veggies in the kitchen.

"This is great in the summer when you have your CSA and way too many vegetables to even think about and you're tired of salads, so make spring rolls," Herrmann said.

You can find the wraps at any Asian grocer. They're inexpensive and gluten free.

"Just rehydrate them in water," Herrmann said.

Then pick out what you want in each one.

"You're going to build it like a burrito. Put it in the bottom third but you want to leave edges to fold," Herrmann said.

At first the folding is a little tricky.

But AJ and I are now pros, and the result is delicious.

"You'll be surprised at what kids will eat once they get to pick what's in there. Since they made it the have more ownership over it," Herrmann said.

I think the same goes for adults!

What was really exciting to see was that all the leftovers from Wednesday were used in this recipe, but they tasted completely different than the tacos.

Friday is our last recipe and it might just be the easiest. So easy, in fact, that you can make right along with breakfast.

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