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Hard to believe it, but summer is drawing to an end. After a very steamy June and July, August came in gently and served as a nice and easy transition to fall. And the beginning of a new school year.
So now there’s a choice: brown bag it or go with hot lunch. A recent article warns parents that packed lunches are rarely cooled properly, even those with freezer inserts in them. That brings an increased risk of bacteria that can sicken children. Please, if you follow any of these ideas for lunch treats, be sure the food is cooled sufficiently to be healthy and safe.
That said, how many PBJ sandwiches were in your lunch going to school? How about tuna? Or that sandwich meat that was cut so thin it was almost flavorless on the bread? Or … heaven forbid … bologna?
With so many healthy choices available today, why would any parent subject their children to five days of boring sandwiches for lunch? Let’s get creative and healthy for a while.
Let’s think homemade as well. You know those pricey pre-packaged lunches of cheese, meat and crackers? Or even cold pizza or tacos? You can do all that yourself, buy in bulk and save money while choosing what ingredients go into the lunch box.
For instance, you can pack half a dozen low-salt light crackers, some small squares of reduced-fat cheese and then squares of turkey breast or chicken breast or low-fat ham. Divide them up in separate plastic containers or even find a Japanese bento box with separated sections to keep the wet foods apart from the dry. Or go ahead and buy one of the store-bought snack packages and save the packaging to reuse for your own student. Keep it refrigerated properly while the child waits for lunch so no bacteria forms.
You can do tacos by cutting soft tortilla rounds into smaller circles, or if hard tacos are preferred, use round tortilla chips. Put salsa in one compartment and shredded cheese in another and you have a taco lunch.
With pizza you can buy a prepared pizza crust and cut it into small pieces. Pack six of them in one bag, a bit of pizza sauce in a container and some pepperoni rounds in a third container. A bit of low-fat mozzarella cheese for topping, and everyone will be happy.
If inclined, include a treat sized mini candy bar or a single serving bag of M&Ms.
Another easy lunch is a quesadilla. Two soft taco shells, some cheese, some shredded chicken will make a tasty meal. Arrange the ingredients sandwich style, heat it up in a toaster oven, cut into quarters and include some salsa in a plastic container. As good cold as it is hot, and better than bologna.
If you want to switch things up, prepare some vegetable or fruit kabobs. Slice cucumbers and sweet peppers and arrange them on a toothpick, with a few baby carrots added along the way. Or make a kabob out of grape halves, pineapple slices and apple slices. Use your imagination and whatever fruits or vegetables are in season and other kids will be envious. Be sure to stress toothpick safety with the young person before sending the lunch with them.
If you add a yogurt dip for the fruit or some hummus for the vegetables, the other kids will be even more envious.
If you have lunch meat and don’t want to slap it between a couple of pieces of bread, you can make pinwheels if you use a soft tortilla round. Spread a thin layer of low-fat cream cheese (neufatchel is even lower in fat), place the meat on top of that and then put veggies or a pickle on that. Roll it up tight and then cut off half-inch slabs, keeping them together with toothpicks. Fun and tasty and healthy.
If you insist on bread and sandwich meat, be creative. Mix pieces of wheat and white bread, slap on the meat and cheese, and then use cookie cutters to make creative shapes. You can even make them seasonal to holidays.
Instead of just sending a hard-boiled egg for lunch, try fish eggs. This way the kids will get protein and have an enjoyable lunch.
Start by hard boiling a dozen eggs. Slice the eggs in half as you would devilled eggs and remove the yolks, placing them in a bowl. Mash the yolks with a fork or potato masher and add a can of drained tuna or salmon. Mix in a quarter cup of mayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt and two minced green onions. Using a spoon, fill the egg halves equally with the fish and yolk mixture. Tasty and healthy, filled with protein.
The limits of lunch are only what you make them. Get creative, help your child eat healthy and enjoy the new school year.n
Rich Adams is a dedicated foodie, writer and former editor of The Cheboygan Daily Tribune. He can be reached at
rrileyadams@gmail.com
Hard to believe it, but summer is drawing to an end. After a very steamy June and July, August came in gently and served as a nice and easy transition to fall. And the beginning of a new school year.
So now there’s a choice: brown bag it or go with hot lunch. A recent article warns parents that packed lunches are rarely cooled properly, even those with freezer inserts in them. That brings an increased risk of bacteria that can sicken children. Please, if you follow any of these ideas for lunch treats, be sure the food is cooled sufficiently to be healthy and safe.
That said, how many PBJ sandwiches were in your lunch going to school? How about tuna? Or that sandwich meat that was cut so thin it was almost flavorless on the bread? Or … heaven forbid … bologna?
With so many healthy choices available today, why would any parent subject their children to five days of boring sandwiches for lunch? Let’s get creative and healthy for a while.
Let’s think homemade as well. You know those pricey pre-packaged lunches of cheese, meat and crackers? Or even cold pizza or tacos? You can do all that yourself, buy in bulk and save money while choosing what ingredients go into the lunch box.
For instance, you can pack half a dozen low-salt light crackers, some small squares of reduced-fat cheese and then squares of turkey breast or chicken breast or low-fat ham. Divide them up in separate plastic containers or even find a Japanese bento box with separated sections to keep the wet foods apart from the dry. Or go ahead and buy one of the store-bought snack packages and save the packaging to reuse for your own student. Keep it refrigerated properly while the child waits for lunch so no bacteria forms.
You can do tacos by cutting soft tortilla rounds into smaller circles, or if hard tacos are preferred, use round tortilla chips. Put salsa in one compartment and shredded cheese in another and you have a taco lunch.
With pizza you can buy a prepared pizza crust and cut it into small pieces. Pack six of them in one bag, a bit of pizza sauce in a container and some pepperoni rounds in a third container. A bit of low-fat mozzarella cheese for topping, and everyone will be happy.
If inclined, include a treat sized mini candy bar or a single serving bag of M&Ms.
Another easy lunch is a quesadilla. Two soft taco shells, some cheese, some shredded chicken will make a tasty meal. Arrange the ingredients sandwich style, heat it up in a toaster oven, cut into quarters and include some salsa in a plastic container. As good cold as it is hot, and better than bologna.
If you want to switch things up, prepare some vegetable or fruit kabobs. Slice cucumbers and sweet peppers and arrange them on a toothpick, with a few baby carrots added along the way. Or make a kabob out of grape halves, pineapple slices and apple slices. Use your imagination and whatever fruits or vegetables are in season and other kids will be envious. Be sure to stress toothpick safety with the young person before sending the lunch with them.
If you add a yogurt dip for the fruit or some hummus for the vegetables, the other kids will be even more envious.
If you have lunch meat and don’t want to slap it between a couple of pieces of bread, you can make pinwheels if you use a soft tortilla round. Spread a thin layer of low-fat cream cheese (neufatchel is even lower in fat), place the meat on top of that and then put veggies or a pickle on that. Roll it up tight and then cut off half-inch slabs, keeping them together with toothpicks. Fun and tasty and healthy.
If you insist on bread and sandwich meat, be creative. Mix pieces of wheat and white bread, slap on the meat and cheese, and then use cookie cutters to make creative shapes. You can even make them seasonal to holidays.
Instead of just sending a hard-boiled egg for lunch, try fish eggs. This way the kids will get protein and have an enjoyable lunch.
Start by hard boiling a dozen eggs. Slice the eggs in half as you would devilled eggs and remove the yolks, placing them in a bowl. Mash the yolks with a fork or potato masher and add a can of drained tuna or salmon. Mix in a quarter cup of mayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt and two minced green onions. Using a spoon, fill the egg halves equally with the fish and yolk mixture. Tasty and healthy, filled with protein.
The limits of lunch are only what you make them. Get creative, help your child eat healthy and enjoy the new school year.n
Rich Adams is a dedicated foodie, writer and former editor of The Cheboygan Daily Tribune. He can be reached at
rrileyadams@gmail.com
