photo: ebay.comWell, come on and belly up to the lunch box!! I sent out the call, and you delivered. Some of the greatest lunch-making tips landed here; and I, and my children's taste buds, thank you.
Here is the rundown on what my readers suggested for packing in some flavourful punch to school lunch boxes everywhere:
Don't super-size me!! Young kids like their food in bite-size pieces: Cut sandwiches in four triangles. Spread a wheat tortilla with tuna salad or peanut butter, roll and slice in bite size pieces. Never send a large piece of fruit! It just gets pitched. In a baggie or small plastic container, place some pineapple chunks or grapes (cut in half for safety)or a handful of raisins.
Alternatives to sandwiches: Try mini pizzas made on English muffins or pita bread. Cook a whole batch then freeze them in individual bags, so all you have to do is grab a bag out of the freezer, pop it in the lunch box and it's defrosted by lunch. Try salsa twists: make some scone dough, roll it out into separate circles about 15 cm big, spread some salsa on, sprinkle with cheese and parsley, roll up, give it a bit of a twist and bake. Plan on two for a lunch. Offer up a ploughman's lunch: give them a hard-boiled egg, chopped up sausage from the night before, leftover potato and some cheese and carrot sticks and a mini bread roll all packed in the one lunchbox.
Break out the thermos: Steam a hot dog and put it in a thermos, wrap a bun and put in the condiments and you've got a great lunch.Pack sliced cheese with crackers, apples, and grapes. Put cereal in a bowl thermos and provide a juice box or water bottle for drink and they just add the milk they get from school. Of course, the hot lunches in a thermos (soups and the like) are always good.
Cold lunches can be hot: What about croissants for lunch? Cucumber sandwiches, honey and butter, cream cheese on a bagel...think outside the box (the lunch box, that is!)
Pasta anyone?? Instead of the same old sandwich every day, try packing cold pasta salads. You can add cheese, meat, tomatoes...whatever they like!
Squishy=yucky: Pack sandwiches, spreads and toppings in different containers. Ditto with salad dressings salads. This ensures the salad nothing gets soggy before lunch time. Soggy sandwiches are so not cool!!
Appetizers are appetizing: cheese & crackers ,cubes of cold chicken or turkey breast chopped fruit, cut veggies, baked tortilla chips, etc., and "fun foods"... usually something pretty healthy but sweeter for dessert like a mini muffin. We all know how nibbles lead to nibbling...
Bentos anyone?? Bentos are Japanese lunch boxes, and the idea is to have a lunch that covers all the basic food groups, while appealing to our senses. It's great for kids and adults who love opening their lunches and seeing things all nice and neat and pretty. They really don't take all that long to put together. Most of them can be packed the night before. Thanks for the link, Melanie!
Get out the can-opener: Canned turkey, with a little added mayonnaise and some sliced, green grapes mixed in tastes great on fresh, baked bread or even croissants. My own kids love canned, sockeye salmon on whole wheat bread. The tiniest dollop of mayonnaise added, makes for a healthy sandwich.
Wrap it up: Sandwiches don't always need a loaf of bread. Try making sandwiches using tortilla/fajita wraps. There are many varieties (flavoured) in your grocery store, and they can make even the dullest sandwich filling a little more exciting! For example, take a wrap and spread cream cheese, salsa and a bit of shredded cheddar on it - roll it,slice it, wrap it and you're done!!! Toss in a baggie of carrot sticks and celery, and you have happy children!!!
For the nouveau gourmet... Cucumber sandwiches are not just for ladies who lunch! Try taking cream cheese, slices of cucumber, salt, pepper and, of course, cut all crusts off. What about "make your own sushi"??You can purchase the kits from Wal-Mart in the ethnic foods aisle (omit the raw fish, and substitute with fresh veggies). I'm open to new ideas...but I just know my own kids will balk at this one!! Perhaps this will appeal to the teen-aged girl??
Leftovers anyone?? Cold pizza, sloppy joes in a thermos, soup, spaghetti with meat sauce (again, in a thermos), cold chicken... Add an ice pack to keep left-over meat fresh and safe.
Healthy snacks fuel the brain: Ants on a log (celery with almond butter or cream cheese and raisins), yogourt tubes (frozen - they will thaw by lunch time), cheese strings, fresh blueberries or strawberries in a container, orange boats, applesauce, oatmeal cookies, granola with yogourt and berries, breakfast bars, veggies with dip, and of course, any piece of fruit.
A treat now and again won't hurt them: If three-quarters of their lunch is healthy, then a little treat will be a nice surprise, without sacrificing nutrition. I like surprising my kids with a little piece of chocolate, a stick of gum, cookie, or a small bag of chips. If you starve them of all treats, you just might discover that the healthy snacks you pack them return home largely untouched or traded for junk. All things in moderation...Things to definitely avoid though, are fruit leathers (real and fake), lollipops, marshmallows, pepperoni sticks, and sticky candy that will sit for hours in your children's teeth.
Don't forget the love: Many of you mentioned including a short, sweet note for your little ones (and big ones, if you think they wouldn't disown you). This brought back a memory for me. When my eldest started his first year of elementary school, I included a little note saying I Love You, and put in some Star Wars stickers for him. When he returned from school, he had a note from his teacher for me, telling me that when he opened his lunch box and saw the surprises, he exclaimed, "My Mummy's the BEST!!" She thought it was sweet, and that I should know just what it meant to him. I still have that note, and I still appreciate her sharing his reaction...letting me know that what I did with love, really meant a lot to my little boy. So, pack a little love in those lunchboxes, too!
For more great lunch box ideas, check out these great blogs:
Hillbilly Housewife...thanks Suzanne!!
****When all else fails, take a look at this mum's amazing and lovingly prepared lunches. I found her when googling school lunches. Several of you also pointed me to her site, and we all shared our awe at her devotion to the lunch-making process. Not only are her lunches truly inspiring, but also supremely guilt-inducing!!!!
************************************** Thanks to all who contributed their ideas. All of the pointers came from them, and you can find their more detailed tips here.
