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.

Proper Hygiene When Handling Food

I received an email yesterday that had some very eye-opening, humerous, yet disgusting videos to share about how germs are passed on from one to another. Of course these are all things everyone needs to keep in mind when eating, preparing food for others and ourselves, or just protecting ourselves on a day to day basis. Here is just one of the videos regarding sneezing.

I'd love to hear your comments.

Fresh Fruit and Fresh Fruit Juices

With spring almost here I find myself purchasing more fresh fruit to store in my refrigerator and in a bowl on my kitchen table.

This morning as I was getting ready to eat an orange I thought back on all those oranges I ate as a child, never once washing the outside before slicing and devouring. In fact the way I use to eat an orange (as silly as it sounds) was to cut it in half and eat it with my teeth, then squeezing the remaining juice in my mouth. I have no idea how I learned to eat it that way but as a child that's how I enjoyed it the most. Today I slice my oranges in sections and then peel off segments and eat them.

Anyway, I got to thinking how never once did it even occur to us that the oranges or any other fruit could harbor bacteria if not washed first. So I decided I would share with you what is recommended for handling fresh fruit and those fresh fruit juice drinks we often purchase while we are out and about. Here's what I found............

Begin with clean hands. Wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and soap before and after preparing fresh produce.

Cut away any damaged or bruised areas on fresh fruits and vegetables before preparing and/or eating. Produce that looks rotten should be discarded.

All produce should be thoroughly washed before eating. This includes produce grown conventionally or organically at home, or produce that is purchased from a grocery store or farmer's market. Wash fruits and vegetables under running water just before eating, cutting or cooking.

Even if you plan to peel the produce before eating, it is still important to wash it first.
Washing fruits and vegetables with soap or detergent or using commercial produce washes is not recommended.

Scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush.
Drying produce with a clean cloth towel or paper towel may further reduce bacteria that may be present.

Keep fruits and vegetables that will be eaten raw separate from other foods such as raw meat, poultry or seafood - and from kitchen utensils used for those products.

In addition, be sure to:
Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils and counter tops with hot water and soap between the preparation of raw meat, poultry and seafood products and the preparation of produce that will not be cooked.

For added protection, kitchen sanitizers can be used on cutting boards and counter tops periodically. Try a solution of one teaspoon of chlorine bleach to one quart of water. If you use plastic or other non-porous cutting boards, run them through the dishwasher after use.

Fruit and Vegetable Juices

Most of the juices sold in the United States are processed (for example, "pasteurized") to kill harmful bacteria. But when fruits and vegetables are fresh-squeezed and left untreated, harmful bacteria from the inside or the outside of the produce can become a part of the finished product.
Some grocery stores, health food stores, cider mills, and farm markets sell packages and containers of juice that was made on site and has not been pasteurized or otherwise treated to kill harmful bacteria.

These untreated products should be kept in the refrigerated section of the store or on ice, and must have the following warning on the label regarding people who are at risk for foodborne illness:
WARNING: This product has not been pasteurized and therefore may contain harmful bacteria that can cause serious illness in children, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems.

Juices that are fresh squeezed and sold by the glass - such as at farm markets, at roadside stands, or in some restaurants or juice bars - may not be pasteurized or otherwise treated to ensure safety. Warning labels are not required for these products.

If you or someone in your family is at risk for foodborne illness, and you cannot determine if a juice has been processed to destroy harmful bacteria, either don't drink it or bring it to a boil to kill any harmful bacteria that may be present.

Those at risk for foodborne illness should not drink unpasteurized juice unless it is brought to a boil first.

I know last night I wrote about food safety for your pets and today it's about fruit but it's always important to stay informed for the safety of yourself, your children and the elderly. Hopefully I've made some of you aware of something you didn't already know about.