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Bored with the standard lunch box? Try a tiffin!

The word tiffin means "a lunch or light meal." It originated in 19th century British India when the Indian custom of eating a light midday meal became popular among the British, who traditionally had eaten an afternoon dinner instead. Tiffin is derived from the obsolete English slang word "tiffing," which meant taking a little drink or sip.

Tiffins for Better Lunches

The word tiffin also is used to describe the stackable, metal lunch boxes that carry the midday meals. Indians working for British companies didn't care for the food served at work, so the Indian wives would pack meals for their husbands in tiffins, which would be transported by delivery men to the workplace.

Not just a relic of 19th century British India, tiffins are gaining popularity in the US. The New York Times featured a story about a San Francisco-based tiffin delivery service for home-cooked Indian food, and similar businesses are popping up in major metro areas.

Benefits of a Tiffin

No matter where you have lunch--at your office, in the park, on a hiking trail, during a car trip--the reusable tiffin can tag along and help you break your brown bag habit. Tiffins are typically made from stainless steel containers that stack and clamp together, all you need are some reusable utensils and you can lunch the eco-friendly way.

Tiffins also are practical lunch boxes because they keep food separated, coming in two- and three-tier styles. There are different shapes, sizes, and accessories, allowing you to choose the setup that works best for you. Package offers often include a tiffin, small container for condiments, utensil set, and carrier bag. Check out online retailers like Happy Tiffin, ReusableBags.com, and To-Go Ware.

Healthy Lunch Ideas for Your Tiffin

Tiffins traditionally held rice, bread, dal, curry, vegetables, spicy meats, or an egg dish, but the possibilities for packing your tiffin are endless. Tiffins can hold salads, soups, veggies and dip, fruit, and yogurt.

As a general guideline, pack the heaviest food item in the bottom tier and the lighter ones on the top.

Try to pack something from each food group. Use these healthy lunch suggestions to get started:

• Main dish: Whole wheat pita with tuna salad, egg salad on whole wheat bread, chicken wrap, quinoa salad with chickpeas, falafel wrap, pasta salad
• Vegetable: Carrot sticks, celery sticks, cucumber slices, broccoli florets
• Fruit: Strawberries, orange slices, cantaloupe, grapes
• Calcium: Yogurt, cheese sticks, broccoli, kale chips, tofu, dried figs

Don't forget to pack dressing or dip in a small, reusable container. For more tiffin ideas and lunch inspiration, check out The Daily Tiffin blog.

Packing and Care

The following are some tips for packing and cleaning the tiffin:

• Tiffins can be used to warm food on the stove top or in a toaster oven, but as with any metal product, tiffins cannot be used in the microwave. Transfer contents to a ceramic dish to heat food in the microwave.
• For cold food items, place an ice pack in the middle tier, or look for an insulated tiffin carrier.
• Stainless steel tiffins are dishwasher-safe, making clean-up a breeze! Or, simply use soap and water to clean your tiffin.
• For keeping foods separated within each tier, use silicone baking cups. These can keep berries, rice, trail mix, or other small foods neatly separated in the tier, and are much more durable than a paper cupcake liner.

A tiffin is a fun and practical way to pack a lunch, but no matter what you use, you're sure to enjoy a more economical, healthier lunch by doing it yourself instead of relying on the fast food drive-through.