The
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.Lunch Bag
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Darlene Booth
R.H.N. |
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| ..... As a child, back to school time was always met with a mix of excitement and sadness as the freedom of the long summer days faded into the routine of textbooks and teachers. The initial thrill of shopping for new school clothes and new supplies was in part a short lived ritual that served to break summer’s hold on me and open my mind |
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sprouts, pickles, lettuce and chopped or shredded veggies.
2. Pasta salad is another great packable. You can dress it up with any number of cooked or fresh veggies, ham, chicken, cheese and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil or your favorite dressing.
3. Plan for lunches when you make dinner. An |
| to the inevitable reality of yet another school year and a countless number of lunch bag let downs. It seems the standard lunch in my family always consisted of the same thing; a piece of fruit, a few cookies and a sandwich. Even now, a whiff of an egg salad or tuna sandwich will instantly take me back to my |
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can be served with a dipping sauce. Leftover soups, pastas, stews or casseroles can be reheated and packed in a thermos.
4. Hummus and other dips can be placed in a container. Cut up veggies and some tortilla chips or crackers are essential accompaniments to dip in it.
5. Mini quiches are easy to eat |
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Barbie lunchbox and the lunch rooms of yore.
..... As a parent I drew on this early childhood experience and tried to keep the lunch bag interesting and lively for my kids. The way I used to see it is that if I was bored with the fare I was packing for them, they must be just as bored to open the bag! It worked for me anyway! The challenge always was to find that perfect balance of nutrition and something that would hold their interest without always resorting to the sandwich fare.
..... A healthy diet should be low in sugar, fat and junk and processed foods. A trip to the supermarket always has me shaking my head when I see the prepackaged convenience lunches that are on the market. Not only are they extremely costly in comparison to a home grown meal, they are also inferior in their nutritional contribution. A well nourished child will be more alert and able to concentrate on their studies more so than when the brain is fueled by inferior fodder.
..... Growing children need to graze throughout the day. 3 meals and a couple healthy snacks is a good guideline to follow. Children today often put in some long days with commuting, sports and other extracurricular activities. Their feed bag should be well equipped to support their busy schedule. With an ice pack and small wide mouth thermos there is opportunity to create not only a nutritious lunch but an interesting experience as well.
..... Here are some suggestions to keep it lively;
1. Tortillas are wonderful vehicles to wrap things in. Spread hummus, cream cheese, mashed avocado or any number of your favorite fillings on it and fill it up with |
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and can be made with a number of delicious herbs and vegetables.
6. A Quesadilla is a fast easy treat as well. You can include cheese, chicken, chopped vegetables in a number of combos. Let it cool before packing and send along a small container of salsa.
7. Let’s not forget Ants on a Log. It is a classic. Peanut butter or cream cheese spread on celery topped with plump raisins. This crunchy snack never fails to please even the oldest of us!
8. Instead of high sugar cookies try making your own trail mixes, muffins, homemade energy bars or dried fruits or fruit leathers for snacking. [A small food dehydrator can open up a whole new dining experience for those who eat on the run.
9. Small containers of yogurt or cottage cheese with some cut up fruit offer variety as well.
..... Be creative and mindful that while always striving for the best for your children, sometimes there are things that are out of your control. There was a period when my daughter’s lunch bag would leave full of healthy food and come home with the remnants of processed goodies. On explanation she offered her healthy lunches to one of the other kids who was always asking for trades. It seems that the other child craved the wholesome food I had packed. My daughter also found out that the bright shiny wrappers were not all that great either!
..... Good Health to You! |
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