Move over lunch lady. We’ve got healthy back-to-school lunches that
students will devour!! Hey – are you cringing at the thought of your kids
returning to this year’s “back-to-school secret slop” (also
affectionately known as cafeteria school lunch)? “Old is new when it
comes to lunchtime dining” says nutrition expert, Jan Pinnington. Say
goodbye to the unidentifiable mystery meat and bellow hello to fresh,
easy, colorful lunches that kids can make themselves. Jan knows. Her high school son became disenchanted with the lack of
healthy choices provided at Dutch Fork High School in Irmo, SC. So
instead, he opted to make his own lunch every day with fresh foods he
liked. He found that he could easily beat the crowded cafeteria line
and spend more time socializing with his friends, which ultimately
became an extra bonus for his culinary efforts. Packed in his lunch bag each day was a bottle of plain water, a piece of
whole fruit, a variety of cut veggies with garlic hummus, a whole grain
sandwich, and a salty snack such as almonds, cashews, or pretzels. He
also opted for the occasional sweet treat like a few Dove dark
chocolates – just to mix it up.
Make It
Studies show that empowering kids with options will help them to make
healthier choices for themselves. We’ve put together a list of ideas
that can help direct your child to make delicious and nutritious lunches
that are fast and easy…
• Make five whole grain turkey, ham, or roast beef sandwiches on Sunday
night and freeze them. Simply pack one each day for lunch. Done!
• Wrap it! Spread cream cheese on a whole grain wrap and stuff it with
your child’s favorite meats, veggies, cheese and shredded lettuce. Roll,
wrap, and pack.
• Separately pack whole lettuce leaves with your child’s choice of egg
salad, tuna salad, or quinoa salad. They can simply fill, roll and eat
at lunchtime.
• Whole grain tortilla chips and homemade bean/salsa dip takes less than 1 minute to make and tastes great.
• You can never go wrong with PB&J on whole grain bread. Cut into
fun shapes using cookie cutters and pack with carrots or celery sticks
on the side.
• Pasta salad made with fresh cut veggies and natural Ranch dressing makes a great alternative to a boring every day sandwich.
• Broccoli salad, spinach salad, chopped veggies, or mixed greens topped
with cheese, preservative-free meats, and cherry tomatoes can be tasty
and quick. Remember to pack dressing on the side.
• Make it Souper! Pack tomato, chicken noodle, or vegetable soup in an
insulated container with a side of whole grain crackers and fruit.
• Always pack two. Either two fruits, two veggies, or one of each. Let your child choose which two.
• Bottled water is the healthiest accompaniment to any meal. Resist
packing sugar-filled drinks like milk, chocolate milk, juice and soda.
Bento It
Bento is an ancient Japanese style of eating that can be traced back to
the 8th century when servants, farmers, and soldiers would pack portable
light foods and snacks into compartmentalized wooden boxes. Today’s
Bento style of eating is a fun way to pack a variety of fresh foods into
neatly organized containers. The North American version of Bento does not resemble the ancient
Japanese version at all. In fact, you can find Italian Bento,
Mediterranean Bento, MyPlate Nutrition Bento, Chinese Bento, and so much
more.
Teach It
Jan is absolutely convinced that kids learn by doing, and that is why
she has already trained more than 200 healthy cooking instructors across
the country to teach kids about nutrition and healthy meal preparation
through classes, camps, and birthday parties. Healthy Hands Cooking’s
students are empowered with hands-on participation and group learning
for kids ranging in ages from 2 to 13.
Part of Jan’s focus is on teaching kids to make their own theme-based
MyPlate healthy lunches for themselves, in partnership withBentology.net – a specialty lunch box company that provides the tool for
HHC’s Healthy Bento Lunch Cooking classes.
“That’s Amore” is one of 12 healthy Bento lunch cooking classes that is
offered in partnership between Healthy Hands Cooking and
Bentology.net. In this Italian inspired class, HHC students will learn
to make whole grain pizza spiral sandwiches (with spinach and pizza
dipping sauce), Caesar salad, and a variety of fresh sides that the kids
will prepare and chop themselves such as cherry tomatoes, olives,
sliced cucumbers, sweet peppers, cheese cubes, grapes, and more. “The
key for getting kids to eat healthier is empowering them with healthy
choices to start with” explains Jan. “We’ve got a fun and interactive
way of teaching kids to do just that”.