This is my favorite approach to cooking in general. Take a recipe (or lunch) you love and eat regularly, then mix in (or top it with) something unexpected. Maybe that's adding crumbled bacon or toasted coconut flakes to your PB&J; giving tuna salad a banh mi-style twist with quick-pickled veggies, cilantro and Sriracha mayo; or topping salads and grain bowls with croutons that taste like pizza, tacos or Buffalo wings.

10. Whip up a sauce.

Sauce makes everything better; it can do wonders to perk up even the drabbest lunches! My favorite choices are green tahini, pesto, chimichurri and tomatillo sauce since they are bursting with flavor.

11. Swap the sliced sandwich bread for a good crusty roll.

If sandwiches are your jam, give your bread an upgrade. Not only is a crusty roll totally tasty, but it's also less likely to get soggy than sliced sandwich bread.

12. Switch up your sandwich spread.

Swap out your usual mayo or mustard for a swipe of hummus, pesto, olive tapenade, rose harissa or aioli, and your go-to turkey and cheese instantly tastes a lot more exciting.

13. Add a swipe of good butter to your sandwich.

You know what else your sandwich needs? Butter! Preferably good-quality, salted butter. I'm a former skeptic turned big believer. Not only does it help prevent soggy bread, but the fat also adds an extra-special richness to sandwiches.

14. Season the greens in your salad.

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