Child pleasing lunchbox recipes
By
Kay Blakley
, DeCA home economist
FORT LEE, Va. – How long is school usually in session before you start running short of good ideas to pack for lunch? For most of us, it doesn’t take long. Faced with the laundry list of limitations a school lunchbox presents it’s no wonder, either!
Don’t pack fragile items – they’ll be smashed beyond recognition long before lunchtime rolls around. Avoid foods that announce their presences with a strong aroma, because a loud chorus of, “yuk!” from fellow diners is enough to damage a young psyche for the remainder of the school year.
Do try to make it healthy, but tread carefully, especially when it comes to sweets and treats. You don’t want fellow diners to insist on sharing their high sugar, high fat treats with your child because they see his treat choice as totally too pitiful, now do you? Treats like graham crackers, animal crackers, fig bars, oatmeal raisin cookies, and gingersnaps are all healthy choices that won’t cause too much of an uproar.
Other handy tips and tricks include relying often on sturdy, healthy foods that require no refrigeration. These include whole fruits and vegetables like apples, oranges, red and green grapes, cherry or grape tomatoes, baby carrots and sugar snap peas. Canned meats and fish, as well as small cans of baked beans or spaghetti, are all appropriate lunchbox fare, and all keep well at room temperature. As do hard cheeses, breads (try to make them whole grain now and then) crackers, peanut butter, jelly, mustard and pickles.
Add these tips to our collection of lunchbox recipes and you just might make it to the end of semester before needing a new round of ideas. For delicious recipes, check out
Kay's Kitchen
.
