Healthy Lunches That Rock
My memory of schools lunches is bittersweet. My mom is one
of the best cooks I know, but she also had a busy nursing
career.
So, when it came to packing school lunches, she had to make it happen in record time and get us out the door. She'd make sandwiches, tuck in an apple at the bottom of the brown bag, and my brothers and I got to pick our snacks - which kept Little Debbie in business for years! There are times when my memories are fond and other times when, well, let's just say the garbage can by the front door of the school got fed well.
Surely, many busy parents today have the same dilemma of how to make a healthy lunch that kids will eat and not trash. And...how to do it with a hectic schedule. I have several suggestions that will rock your kids' lunch and give you peace of mind.
First, make sure to include your kids when planning lunches.
Find out what they like (ruling out junk food) and strike a
compromise by finding healthier alternatives to some their
favorites. For instance, substitute pita chips for potato
chips; unsalted pretzels for cheese doodles; a tasty peanut
butter and chocolate granola bar or light graham crackers for
high fat cookies.
I think leftovers make some of the best lunches. When I
travel, I always make a little extra dinner the night before so
I can pack it for my lunch on the trip. The same can apply for
kids lunches! Leftover pasta can become a pasta salad and last
night's chicken makes a delicious chicken salad. These types of
salads are also a great way to sneak in fruit and veggies into
your kid's lunch. He may turn his nose up to whole carrots or
apples, but if you dice them up and toss them in the chicken
salad, the odds that they will actually eat it are much
better.
Healthy carbohydrates should be a part of lunch so adding in whole wheat pita is a smart way to supplement their lunch.
Finally, the best way to make sure they really like it and eat it, is to have them help out and make their lunches. Not only does it help you, but gives them a sense of pride that they made their lunch themselves.
Sandwich Alternatives
Some other alternatives to the sandwich are healthy meats
and cheeses with whole wheat crackers, pita and hummus, a bagel
and light cream cheese or English muffin "pizzas" baked with an
organic jarred marinara sauce and cheese.
We all like a little something sweet after a meal, so go
with a dessert that is all-natural and low in sugar and fat.
They will feel better and you'll actually be able to understand
the ingredients.
Quick Tip: A great trick to keeping you kid's lunch fresh and cool is freezing bottles of water and putting it in their lunch. Make sure to stick it in a Ziploc or wrap it in a napkin to keep the food nice and dry. The damp napkin can be used for cleaning up after lunch.
I'll leave you with one of my special recipes that my son loves (and I think you might too!)
Kid Friendly Ahi Tuna Salad
Serves 2-3
1 can albacore tuna
1 celery rib, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
30 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 fuji apple, cored and diced
cup chopped walnuts
cup dried cranberries (optional)
6 to 8 lettuce leaves for garnish (optional)
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf
parsley
Dressing
1 tablespoons mayonaise
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Whisk together all ingredients for dressing in a medium bowl.
Add in all salad ingredients and serve on wheat toast or fresh bread.
You can also refrigerate and serve the next day.
It's no surprise Cat Cora became a world renowned chef. Her culinary aspirations began at an early age, and by 15, she had developed a business plan for her own restaurant. In 2005, she made television history on Food Network's Iron Chef America as the first and only female Iron Chef, and in 2006, she was named Executive Chef for Bon Appetit Magazine.
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Member Comments On...
Healthy Lunches That Rock
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The "ahi" recipe is misleading. The ingredients call for canned albacore, which is certainly not ahi. Ahi is usually only served slightly seared, and not cooked all the way through. Delicious, but not great for young kids, and a really bad idea for packing leftovers in an unrefrigerated school lunch.
0 |
These suggestions weren't "new" to me, but I liked the way they were presented. And the recipe for the Ahi Tuna sounds yummy, think we'll try it next week.
