Creative Ideas for Simple and Healthy School Lunches
Charlie's mom turned his turkey wrap into faux sushi, and Olivia's roasted veggie sandwich arrived in the shape of a unicorn. You're considering an MFA just to keep up.
That's why we asked Kelly Anderson, owner of The Lunch Bunch, a menu consultant for schools, for tips on packing quick, simple, and healthy midday meals.
Kicked-Up Corn Bread
Start with a boxed mix low in sugar. Replace the vegetable oil with olive oil. Add an extra egg for increased protein and some goodies for flavor (our kids' faves include Mexican with blacks beans, fresh corn, and salsa or Mediterranean with chicken, feta, and rosemary). Bake your concoction in a muffin tin. And voila! A week's worth of ready-to-pack mini meals.
It's like Buttah
Premade peanut butter is chockful of sugar and preservatives. To make your own healthy alternative, simply toss a handful of nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, sunflowers seeds) in the food processor with your choice of sweetener (agave, Stevia, organic honey). Blend in a dash of olive oil and sea salt, then package into individual serving containers. Send with a different dipper (carrots, celery, pita bread) every day of the week.
Parfait Party
Skip sugary, artificially flavored grocery store yogurt in favor of the all-natural Greek variety. Layer yogurt in a clear container with whole-grain cereal or granola, fresh fruit, organic jam, or even a little dulce de leche. When your kid opens his lunch bag, he'll think Mom forgot the main attraction and remembered only dessert.
Now that's a work of art.
Find more creative recipes online at lunchbunchbistro.com.
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