HEALTHY SNACKS AND BACK-TO-SCHOOL LUNCHES
In keeping with our HOME MATTERS theme for this month, I thought it would be important to tal k today about making healthy lunches for the back-school crowd. Again you can buy all different kinds of pre-packaged snacks and lunch foods that are usually full of preservatives, sugar, and lots of chemical names that many of us can't pronounce. Certainly we could all have more peace of mind if the majority of foods that we create for our children's lunches and snacks are homemade and designed to contain lots of vitamins, minerals and a minimum of fats and sugars.
Balanced Lunches- It is definitely important to have a balanced diet and that includes our lunches. Whole grains, fruits, vegetables and a low fat protein are usually the suggested foods to complement this thinking. It will really help if you involve the kids when you pack these lunches as well so that they may have some suggestions and if they are choosing foods they like they will most likely eat it. For example we have a grandson that if very particular about eating vegetables, yet really loves cucumbers, so for his lunch he always chooses cucumber slices for his lunch pack. Other easy-to-pack healthy lunch foods would include hard boiled eggs, grapes, carrot  sticks, cherry tomatoes, apple slices, green or red pepper sticks and of coarse the old favorite celery sticks or even a cup of organic popcorn. We can get more creative with the whole grain or protein selection like mini pitas with hummus, or a grilled cheese on whole grain bread with pesto (served cold). Try out a Bible Sandwich (pictured beside)) that includes seeds, and vegetables. One of my favorites (and the kid's favorite as well) was a pizza toast that you prepare in the oven until the cheese melts, cool and then packed away in the lunch kit..
Many schools now ban peanut butter, our old staple of many years, due to the many allergies to peanuts but have you tried the new WOW butter which is a soy base spread that tasted like peanut butter but does not contain one nut. Another alternative to peanut butter is Sunflower seed butter. Sandwiches made with these butter and jam can easily be made ahead and frozen ahead so when you pack the lunch you just pluck one out of the freezer and by lunch time if will be ready to eat and it will keep the rest of the items in the lunch cold as well. The same idea can be used for our favorite healthy smoothies that you freeze in a pre-molded cup and again just pop it into the lunch pack. All those wonderful and healthy fruits and vegetable can be disguised in these smoothie-pops and the kids love them cause they are fun to eat.
 Other wonderful protein addition to the packed lunch could be cheese triangles or squares with whole wheat woven crackers or cream cheese in a little pouch and a spreading knife to spread it on to rye crisp crackers. Another one of my children loved to find deviled eggs in his lunch. (He was no angel) Even just some plain, unsweetened yogurt (home made of coarse) in a container with a little honey or maple syrup and some fruit like blueberries on top make a great easy to prepare protein charged snack.. Hearty homemade soup like this Three Minute Chicken Soup that is thickened with white bean flour (that we milled ourselves) can be kept hot in a thermos but if the school has a microwave for the students, could be heated up quickly. Even a good healthy salad can be packed in a container with the dressing in a separate small container would make a great lunch for those that enjoy salads. My family especially likes this Japanese Cole Slaw recipe which tastes better the longer it marinates.so we make it for dinner one night and the next day we take if for lunch and it is even better.
Don't Forget Dessert.- Certainly there are lots of healthy choices for dessert for the school lunches. Whole grain muffins with lots of goodies like dried cranberries or coconut or raisins included in them are great choices and easily made away so they are ready to go, when needed. Some of my favorite muffins are these Morning Glory Muffins that make a couple of dozen at once and also can be frozen to keep for a long time. Check out some of these great healthy homemade snacks and desserts that could be included in your healthy lunch packs for school. It will be great to send the family back to school knowing they are not going to miss out on the healthy, great tasting food that you produce with love.
Gluten Free Brownies Whole Wheat Blueberry Bran Muffins
Energy Bars
Chewy Oatmeal and Chocolate Chip Granola Bars |
k today about making healthy lunches for the back-school crowd. Again you can buy all different kinds of pre-packaged snacks and lunch foods that are usually full of preservatives, sugar, and lots of chemical names that many of us can't pronounce. Certainly we could all have more peace of mind if the majority of foods that we create for our children's lunches and snacks are homemade and designed to contain lots of vitamins, minerals and a minimum of fats and sugars
sticks, cherry tomatoes, apple slices, green or red pepper sticks and of coarse the old favorite celery sticks or even a cup of organic popcorn. We can get more creative with the whole grain or protein selection like mini pitas with hummus, or a grilled cheese on whole grain bread with pesto (served cold). Try out a 
and desserts that could be included in your healthy lunch packs for school. It will be great to send the family back to school knowing they are not going to miss out on the healthy, great tasting food that you produce with love.
