How to Survive the School Year’s 200 Lunches

Tonight’s leftovers are tomorrow’s lunch

Double your child’s favourite mac and cheese recipe, chili or another slow-cooked dish, and fill a previously warmed-up wide-mouth insulated bottle. Do the same when preparing vegetable soup, and sprinkle with Cheddar or Mozzarella cheese. Soup is the perfect side dish for a sandwich, adding cheer and warming up little hearts.

Making a tasty sandwich is child’s play

Chop leftover cooked chicken, ham, or hard-boiled eggs in a food processor. Add Cottage cheese or cream cheese, a little chopped green onion, pickles and mustard, to taste. Cut a small multigrain bun in half, add filling and top with crisp lettuce leaves. Vary your recipe by using different types of cheese, condiments, lettuce and bread (or cut the sandwich into different shapes) to get a delicious new sandwich every time. Discover Triple Cheese Checkerboard Sandwiches.

Ah! Strawberries and raspberries!

When fruits are in season and ripe, they are simply divine, whether enjoyed whole, sliced, pureed or in a fruit salad. Transform fruit into a delectable dessert by adding a touch of yogurt. Discover Honeyed Yogourt Fruit Salad.

Dips that make a difference

Include dips once in a while as they are a clever way to encourage youngsters to eat more vegetables. Making one your kids will love is easy! Mix equal parts sour cream and plain yogurt. Add herbs to taste, lime or lemon zest, and a pinch of salt and pepper. This creamy dip makes the perfect accompaniment to seasonal vegetables of varied colours and textures, served whole, or cut into sticks or other fun shapes. Success guaranteed!

A touch of sweetness

A touch of sweetness is often a welcome ending to a meal. Why not take advantage of this to include nutritious foods? Apple sauce and cookies, vanilla yogurt, fruit salad, a homemade muffin... the possibilities are endless! Discover Cranberry Flax Muffins and have fun preparing them with the whole family.

What about drinks?

Water and milk are better choices with meals and snacks. According to the Canadian Paediatric Society, juice, even if it is 100% pure, should be limited to 125 mL to 250 mL (1/2 to 1 cup) per day for children. To make lunches more interesting, you can also alternate between milk, chocolate milk, and various flavours of drinkable yogurt—a perfect finishing touch for the lunch box, and children couldn't be happier!

Add an ice pack to your child’s lunch box to ensure lunch box foods stay cool until they are consumed.

Prepare lunch and spend time as a family

Why not encourage children to participate in preparing their lunches? In addition to increasing their autonomy in the kitchen, they will develop their own individual tastes and preferences. In the end, they will be proud of having made their own lunches, and will enjoy their meals even more because they made it.

Comments

• Ann Conrad

  August 16th, 2010
  

  I am an RD, and am struggling to find materials for low literacy clients. Do you have any? Right now I am looking for healthy snacks and lunches for children, but the moms do not read or speak English. Help!