School Lunch Essentials

Reentering the Routine

by Bobbie Ames | Food and Entertainment Editor

As summer begins to wind down, it’s the perfect time to kick your back-to-school preparations into high gear. Concentrate on creating tasty and healthy school lunches that nourish the kids and provide them with the energy they need for the day. To minimize morning chaos, prepare these meals the night before and be sure to include foods you know they enjoy (the last thing you want is for their lunches to end up in the trash). A great idea? Involve the kids in the process!

Getting your tweens or teens involved will also aid in their development into independent adults. Before you know it, they’ll be heading off to college and managing their own meals.

Prepare Smartly with These Efficient Lunch Tips

• Freeze a disposable water bottle the night before so it stays chilled during lunch. It also works as an ice pack to keep other items cool.

• Invest in suitable containers: a thermos for hot items, compartmentalized containers for fruits, nuts, and cheeses, and mini plastic squirt bottles for dressings and sauces.

• While slightly pricier, consider buying pre-packaged, single-serving sizes of hummus, guacamole, mozzarella, brie, carrots, apples, and ready-made salads and sandwiches, which can easily be found at any grocery store.

Revamp Your Sandwich Routine

• Mozzarella, grape tomatoes, and basil salad (chop the ingredients, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with lemon and olive oil), paired with sliced salami or prosciutto on bread.

• Hummus served with pita chips, feta cheese cubes, sliced cucumbers, carrots, and turkey breast chunks.

• Guacamole with tortilla chips, Spanish rice (combine rice, corn, black beans), and fajita chicken (leftover from dinner).

• Sliced steak (from dinner leftovers), crusty bread, provolone cheese, and arugula sandwich.

• Turkey chili packed in a thermos, served with grapes on the side.

• Soup in a thermos accompanied by crackers and cheese.

• Chef salad with a small bag of nuts.

• Greek yogurt, a mini plastic bottle of honey, granola, nuts, and fresh fruit.

For Sandwiches…

• Prevent sogginess – keep the bread and cheese/meat separate and add a mini squirt bottle with your child’s favorite condiment.

• Boost vegetable content – crisp raw veggies can enhance the flavor of a sandwich. Include a quick slaw (shredded carrots, purple cabbage, and radishes dressed with vinegar and oil) in a separate container to add to the sandwich at lunchtime.

• Enhance freshness – include peppery arugula or basil in sandwiches for a refreshing twist.