Like most parents, I find school lunches to be one more thing to check off the list in the morning. Trying to make them quick and nutritious can be a serious task. But “serious” is something we all need to stay away from when preparing our little ones’ lunch. Whether adding food color to dips or cutting sandwiches into shapes, there are plenty of ways to make lunches far from boring. Follow these simple ideas to creating enjoyable and healthy meals for your kids.
Choose fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables hit the jackpot when it comes to nutrition. They’re packed with vitamins and fiber. It’s recommended to eat four to five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Six baby carrots and one medium orange are each one serving. Keep in mind that sauces, hummus and dips are a great way to get picky eaters to eat their veggies and fruits.
Know your food facts
Kids need quality food to stay focused and engaged throughout the day. Healthy fats are essential to staying healthy, feeling satisfied and feeling full longer. Try to buy products that are GMO free (genetically modified organisms) and organic; and stay away from high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils and “fat-free” products.
Whole grains versus refined grains
“Grains” include breads, cereals, rice and pasta. Whole grains are better than refined grains. What’s the difference? Brown rice is a whole grain, but white rice is not. Likewise, whole-wheat bread contains whole grains, whereas regular white bread does not. Look for 100% whole wheat in the ingredient panel and try to choose other healthy grains like spelt, quinoa, buckwheat and whole-wheat couscous.
Drinks count too
Avoid juice drinks and sodas, and try to stick with water, milk or veggie drinks. If fruit juice is a must, mix half water and half juice. Sugar is an energy drainer and only provides empty calories. Make each food and drink count.
Mix it up
Keep their taste buds from getting bored and try something new. Eating different kinds of foods gives their bodies a variety of nutrients. Keep it balanced by making sure that their lunch consists of grains, fruits, vegetables, protein and dairy.
Butterfly Garden
What you’ll need:
Cheese slices
Red pepper
Deviled egg
Clementine
Green leaf lettuce
Baby carrots
Black and green olives
Strawberries
Circular lunch container
How to make it:
Make your child’s favorite sandwich and cut into a butterfly shape. Use cheese and red pepper cutouts to decorate the wings. Use a red pepper strip for the butterfly’s body. Add a deviled egg to the garden as a “tulip.” Fill the box with a background of green lettuce, arranging the butterfly and flowers on top. Use clementine segments, baby carrots, black and green olives and strawberries as fill-ins for the garden.
Egg Salad Pinwheels
What you’ll need:
2 pieces of bread
4 hard-boiled eggs
¼ cup of raisins
¼ cup of chopped celery
2 tablespoon mayonnaise
How to make it:
Combine chopped hard-boiled eggs, raisins, celery and mayonnaise. Trim the crust from a slice of bread and press bread to flatten. Spread with a layer of egg salad, then roll and secure with a toothpick. Note: Make pinwheels with tuna salad or sunflower butter, jelly and mashed banana.
Pizza Pinwheels
What you’ll need:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup diced black olives
¼ cup diced green pepper
¼ cup canned diced, Italian-style tomatoes, drained
½ cup fake pepperoni
3 flour tortillas
How to make it:
Combine the cream cheese, yogurt, oregano and garlic powder. Stir until creamy. Stir in the shredded cheeses. Spread the cheese mixture evenly on the tortillas. Sprinkle the olives, green peppers and tomatoes over the cheese mixture. Top each tortilla with a layer of fake pepperoni. Gently roll the tortillas up tightly, making sure everything stays inside. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Take off the plastic wrap and cut each tortilla into 8 pinwheels. Serve with toothpicks if desired. Makes 24 pinwheels.
Spaghetti Faces
What you’ll need:
8 ounces spaghetti, cooked and drained
4 eggs, slightly beaten
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1½ cups pasta sauce (optional)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces)
For the face (optional)
Red bell pepper, black olives and broccoli
How to make it:
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Grease 12 muffin pan cups; set aside. In large bowl, combine spaghetti, eggs, Parmesan cheese and pepper. Evenly press into muffin cups to form a “crust.” Top each cup with pasta sauce, then mozzarella cheese. Bake 15 minutes or until bubbling. Let stand 5 minutes before serving as an after school treat.
Lucia Schnitzer and her husband, Ken, own Luci’s Healthy Marketplace in Phoenix. The local coffee shop and marketplace opened in 2009 in Lucia’s honor after her successful battle with breast cancer. She successfully manages her career, her growing family (four children), her personal well-being and the countless demands of the day.
