Guest author Gwen Hawn, FACS Agent, UGA Extension Hall County
The new school year is in full swing. Have you found yourself in a rut sending the same packed lunches day after day? Figuring out creative, healthy ideas to pack for lunch can be challenging. We can get into a routine of sandwiches, chips and some fruit. A turkey sandwich, baked potato chips, and some apple slices is a great stand-by but can get a bit monotonous day after day. Here are some ideas to add some pizzaz to lunch time.
Pizza Please! (You can either send the uncooked ingredients and let your child make their own pizza or assemble and toast before packing and let your child eat it chilled.)
Whole Wheat English Muffin
2 Tbsp pizza sauce
2 Tbsp mozzarella cheese
4 turkey pepperoni slices
Slice the English muffin in half. Put half the ingredients on each half.
Taco about a party for lunch! (Pre-cook meat either the night or weekend before)
2 whole wheat tortillas or 15-20 tortillas chips
¼ cup shredded cheese
½ cup shredded lettuce
½ cup diced tomatoes
½ cup cooked, crumbled ground turkey or chicken,
seasoned when cooked with ½ tsp mild chili powder
2 Tbsp light sour cream or guacamole (optional)
Wrap the tortillas in tin foil. Pack all other items separately or in a container that has multiple sections such as a bento box. Let your child assemble the tacos at lunch. All items can be eaten cold.
Meet Me in the Mediterranean (great way to use leftover chicken)
1 Mulitgrain or Whole Wheat Pita
¼ cup grilled or baked chicken (pre-cook either the night or weekend before)
¼ cup Julienned cucumbers
¼ cup Julienned red bell peppers
¼ cup Julienned carrots
A handful of Spinach
2 Tbsp Feta cheese crumbles or a cheese of your choice
1 Tbsp Green Goddess or Ranch Salad Dressing
Cut the pita in half and fill each half with half of the ingredients. (Julienned means to cut in long, thin strips).
Tasty Thursday Pasta Twirls Salad (one serving)
1 cup cooked rotini pasta
3 Tbsp canned black beans, drained
2 Tbsp diced carrots
2 Tbsp diced cucumbers
1 Tbsp diced red bell pepper
2 Tbsp canned corn, uncooked
½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp salt
Peanut Butter, Banana Wrap up the week!
2 Tbsp smooth no-sugar added peanut butter or sunflower seed butter
1 Tsp honey
1 8-inch whole wheat flour tortilla
1 medium banana, peeled
Combine nut butter and honey and spread evenly over the tortilla. Place the banana on one edge of the tortilla, roll tightly and slice into rings.
With any of these lunches a tasty and nutritious side dish is ½-1cup of fruit. Just like the main dishes choose a variety including strawberries, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, peaches, pears, orange slices, grapes, mango or papaya slices. To complete the lunch, add a good source of dairy such as 4 oz low-fat yogurt, 4 oz low-fat pudding, 4 oz cottage cheese or a 1 oz string cheese stick.
Investing in some reuseable containers is both great for cutting back on waste for our environment as well as being useful storage to protect the food you send for a meal. Be sure to pack the lunch with the proper freezer packs to keep food at safe temperatures to promote food safety. Foods need to stay below 40 degrees to stay outside the danger zone for spoilage and bacterial growth. With just a little planning you can send fun, healthy lunches with kids to school each day.