Lunchbox Tips

We promised some tips on packing your kids (or yourself!) a healthy lunchbox, and we didn’t forget. See below for some ideas on making healthy eating easy & delicious throughout the week. Of course, if you can get any of your ingredients from a local farmer’s market, even better! We promise they’ll taste fantastic, plus you’ll feel great about supporting the community.

 

  1. Leftovers – Always cook a little extra dinner? Portion it out the next day for school lunch. If you made a sauce, try putting it in a sandwich; if you made a casserole, stick a small portion in the lunchbox. There’s always a way to adapt delicious leftovers into lunch.
  2. Hummus – Nothing says healthy lunch of snack like this dippable dish. The best part is that you can make a big batch on Sunday night, and use it throughout the week.
  3. Charcuterie – May sound too fancy for lunch, but we don’t think it has to be. Most of us have cheese & deli meats hanging out in our fridge, so when you’re tired of a sandwich, just roll up those ham pieces and pack them with a few slices of cheese, several grapes or olives, and a handful of nuts.
  4. Healthy Sweets – Sometimes we just need that afternoon pick me up, and want that easy to get candy bar or doughnut. Instead, try making a batch of healthy sweets on Sunday afternoon, and pack one as a backup in your bag for those sluggish hours.
  5. Salad – Want something lighter for lunch? Pack whatever greens you’ve got in a mason jar with whatever proteins and veggies are in your fridge. Add a little olive oil & balsamic, or your favorite dressing, and you’ve got salad in a jar – quick and easy (and healthy) lunch fix.
  6. Market Finds – Make a trip out of visiting your local farmer’s market this Saturday. You’ll find plenty of delicious veggies to pack for lunch, and you’ll support local agriculture at the same time! Look for small peppers, radishes, cucumbers, beans, and anything else you can simply wash and stick in your lunchbox.

30 Days?!

This March, Recipe for Success Foundation will host its second-annual VegOut! 30 Ways in 30 Days Challenge, motivating folks to eat 30 different vegetables in 30 days during National Nutrition Month. Bustling schedules and picky palettes can make the task of nourishing a family an uphill battle, so how do you get your brood to eat 30 different vegetables period, much less within one month?

Houston mom Amy Anton has a plan.

AmyAnton-Fam

30 Ways in 30 what!?! There is no way I can do it again this year. I have three boys who will eat some veggies, but certainly not 30, and we have school, and homework, and lacrosse… and busy lives!

But this is important.

OK, breathe, and make a plan of attack.

March is busy with sports and we have a whole week off at spring break, during which we will be eating out a lot. I think I will frontload to get as many veggies as I can in during the first two weeks. That way, I can relax and we can have fun with the Challenge in the second half of the month. After all, it’s “an easy, delicious food adventure”, it’s supposed to be fun!

So, what to start with? Salads. Remember, salad dressing can be a friend, and if I make a yummy dressing or grate in some parmesan, they will usually eat it all. Possibilities are endless there. If I am really in a pinch, I can run to the salad bar and load up on already chopped goodies.

Then, I can alternate with a huge pan of roasted veggies – squash, zucchini, cauliflower and bell peppers. Just toss with some olive oil and a roast in a 375 degree oven, and there’s four more to add to the Veggie Log.

Add my oldest child’s favorite, Kale Caesar, to the list, maybe even with sliced radishes, and we’re on our way! Stay tuned for Ashton’s recipe for Kale Caesar. It’s a keeper!

How will YOU tackle the 2014 VegOut! Challenge? Tell us in the comments!