Back to School Lunches!

Well it's that time of year again.  Summer is coming to an end and many of you have already sent your kids back to school.  I hope in spite of the summers dreadful heat, your family got to spend lots of quality time together and outdoors. 

Now that the kids are back in school how can you be sure they're getting the proper nutrition?  How can you be sure when you pack their lunches they're staying fresh until thelunch hour comes around? Today I'm going to share with you a few fun and simple ideas to send off in your child's lunch box along with helpful tips to keep their food safe until they eat it.

First of all remember anything you eat at home for dinner can be packed for lunch the next day, and stay cold or warm with the proper lunch containers.  In fact, many schools now have microwaves that the children can use to reheat their food.  Here's a quick video which shares the best thermos recommendations through the research of Good Housekeeping Magazine.

What to pack up? (If you'd like to know how to make any of the recommendations below  just ask me and I'll create a step by step video for everyone to view).

• Quesadillas - can make a healthy lunch.  Make them in the morning and pack up right away or the night before and store in the refrigerator until ready to take off for school.  Fill with chicken, beef, veggies, salsa and cheese and it becomes a healthy meal and one that your children will love.  Slice it into wedges and they'll be one happy camper. What about wraps, filled with turkey, chicken or fish and rolled with veggies?


• Soups - can be stored in a themos and are perfect on those cold winter days.  Stick with vegetable soups, chili, or those with nutritional ingredients.  Avoid heavy creamy soups or foods which can tire them, making learning after lunch difficult.


• Sandwiches - an all time favorite of children is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole wheat bread.  Use fun cookie cutters to make eating a fun experience.  All PB&J ingredients can be kept at room temperature without any harm of bacteria growth.  If making other sandwiches be sure to have a good insulated cooler to keep foods safe until lunchtime.  Like the link noted here, the Bento lunch boxes have separate compartments.  So if your kids are funny about their foods touching, this solves that issue.


• Fresh fruit -  always a perfect snack or side that can be stored at room temperature as well. Or what about a fruit salsa with some graham crackers to dip them in?  This is yummy!


• Leftovers - pack up last nights lasagna, pasta, meatloaf, quiche, grilled chicken or chicken fingers with their favorite dip and fresh veggies. 


• Vietnamese Vegetarian Summer Rolls - my favorite lunch and perfect when on the go.  Check out my instructional video here and use your favorite ingredients.  Have the kids help and it will become their favorite lunch of choice or after school snack. 

You'd be surrprised how easy it is to come up with healthy alternatives to your child's meal.  Toss in dessert or have them get it at school.  So long as the bulk of their meal is well balanced an occasional treat from the schools freezer is fine.  At least I think so.  Just keep in mind your child's dietary needs if they have any, and be sure not to load them up on carbs or sugar that will slow them down for the rest of the day.

Don't forget to check out my healthful tips for packing school lunches and yours.  Keeping foods at the proper temperature will avoid any spread of bacteria and illness. Click here for video tips to avoid food borne illnessness.

I know you're sad that the kids have gone back to school but do your best to enjoy that time during their school hours to exercise and eat right.

Note: If you'd like to learn how to make a particular dish listed above please let me know and I will do my best to create a step by step video for all to view.

Brown Bag lunches

Well it's hard to believe that summer is coming to an end. For many of you, your children have started back to school or they'll be heading out very soon. My daughter leaves for her sophmore year up in Boston tomorrow. As always, I'll miss her and shed a few tears before she goes, which I've already managed to do.

However, not everyone is sending their children off to college, many of you have grown children or none at all. For those with kids still living at home that you send off to school with a lunch bag, I have a few tips that I hope you'll find helpful.

When you send your kids to school with a lunch bag, how can you be sure that the food will stay fresh and cold by the time they sit down to eat it at noon?

Here are a few tips that might insure the freshness of their brown bag lunch.

If packing a juice box for lunch, put the box in the frezzer the night before. When you pack it in the morning it will be frozen keeping the rest of their lunch fresh. By lunch time the juice box will be very cold but thawed and perfect for drinking.

Use an insulated lunch bag

Purchase a mini ice brick - these stay colder longer keeping food fresh and free of any bacteria developing

Freeze bread slices cut in half before making sandwiches. The food remains cold and doesn't get soggy.

Food should not be left out at room temperature more than 2 hours (1 hour if the temperature is above 90 °F).

So before you send your son or daughter off to school with a lunch bag, make sure you've insulated it or added something cold to the bag to keep the food fresh until lunchtime. Not taking the time could cause your child to get very ill. It only takes a minute. Don't forget.