Lovin' Lunch again...

Now that the kids are going back to school, it’s time to start making lunches again. My kids have been taking lunch from home for years. It’s economical and much more nutritious than what they would choose at school. Over the years I have found it’s really important to include your children from a young age in the process of making lunch, including shopping for their main ingredients.

When Alex and Anthony were little, we would go grocery shopping together. I would always include them in the choices for our family. In the produce section, I would ask them which pepper looked better or ask them which head of lettuce felt heavier. (If the lettuce head feels heavier than it looks, then it’s a better, fresher head.) I would ask on every visit if there was a new fruit or vegetable they would like to try. Yes, this may seem like a lot of time, work and extra thinking, but it works and it’s worth it, especially long term. They took their “jobs” seriously and really thought about what I was asking. No, they weren’t interested, but I told them it was our “job” and sometimes you don’t always like your job. A life lesson and chore combined. Multi-tasking at its best.

Now that my boys are older, the time I took with them when they were younger is really paying off. First off, they know how to update the grocery list with specifics when we run out of things, including toilet paper and household cleaners because they know what we buy. They also can give me preferences for foods each week because they are familiar with grocery store and variety that is available. And one of my favorite perks is that now if we go grocery shopping, I split the list and give each boy things to shop for with coupons and everything. If the three of us go, we can get the shopping done in one-third of the time that it would’ve taken just me alone. And now that Alex is driving, he often will go to the store and pick up stuff for us, making educated, healthy and economical choices. I, also, feel a little more confident about sending him to college;-)

It’s never too late to start this process and yes, it can be tedious, time-consuming and tiresome…to start, but “you reap, what you sow”. In addition to all the benefits listed above, I got an unexpected benefit. My children have become more adventurous eaters. They are more willing to try new things, so consequently I have more options to pack for them for lunch.

My first recommendation would be to invest in a really good, camping thermos for each child. (Label it so no one can take the other ones thermos. And if a child loses one, you’ll know exactly who the culprit is;-) All through elementary and middle school, my children did not have access to a microwave to heat up any lunches they brought, so the thermos solves this problem really well. In the mornings, I would heat up what they were bringing, place in the thermos and it would stay hot until lunch. I have listed below some ideas for lunches.

My next suggestion would be incorporating some meatless lunches because it’s a good way to get protein and vegetables in their diet with little to no saturated fat. My kids are big protein and carbohydrate eaters so limiting their protein and increasing their vegetable intake became a big part of my job.

Lunch suggestions:

Homemade soup: When you make a big pot of soup, freeze some in individual portions for future lunches. Soup can keep in the freezer up to 6 months.

Macaroni and cheese: I make a very simple homemade Mac-n- cheese with freeze-dried cheddar cheese powder from King Arthur flour. I use the recipe on the bag and then add some extras to make it more homemade. I’ll include that recipe in a later blog. But, in the meantime, try the stove top recipe on the freeze-dried cheddar bag. I guarantee your kids will love it. It’s really cheesy;-) You can find it at: www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/vermont-cheese-powder-8-oz.

Casseroles: Some casseroles, like lasagna, are very well suited to a thermos, but some kids do not like the aesthetics. Some casseroles do not look appealing in a thermos. My older boy didn’t mind, but the younger did. Try it and get their opinions. Make sure you ask why they did or didn’t like it.

Quiches and Frittatas: Below is my recipe for a potato and egg frittata that can be eaten hot, warm or cold and is a delicious (take a swig;-) lunch. Just about any kind of quiches can be eaten hot or cold. I’ve listed a basic quiche recipe below. Quiches also serve as an excellent, quick breakfast. Same with the frittata;-)

Meatloaf: Cold meatloaf sandwiches with ketchup on Italian bread. Need I say more?

Vegetable-based sandwiches: I used cream cheese, roasted red peppers and hummus in place of or in addition to meat on sandwiches. Anthony enjoys hummus and pita for lunch. Alex likes a roasted red pepper sandwich. Below are some suggested, flexible recipes. Also, do not be afraid to add pickled vegetables to any type of “sub” sandwich, such as pickled peppers, mushrooms and olives. My older boy and husband love pickled veggies on their sandwiches.
Adding vegetables to traditional sandwiches: Once when I was out of lettuce, I substituted sliced cucumber and shredded carrots. Much to my surprise I got pretty good reviews and an A for creativity. Now, I add them all the time and some others like raw zucchini and celery. They add crunch and freshness without changing the flavor of a traditional sandwich all that much. And instead of mayonnaise, I use ranch dressing or Caesar dressing, periodically.

Sandwich breads: Try making different breads with your kids, like savory zucchini bread and use it for traditional sandwiches. Or try tortillas, flatbreads and roll ups.

Sushi: Sushi??? Yes. Try a vegetable sushi for your child. When both boys were younger they would eat pretty much any type of sushi as long as I put cream cheese in it. Now they like sushi with raw tuna, salmon and anything cooked. I DO NOT send raw fish to school! Cross-contamination, food-borne illness, need I say more. I usually don’t make the roll, but sometimes, if I’m feeling brave and I have the time I will. Often, I purchase the rolls from a local sushi place. Because they are all vegetable and cream cheese, the price is relatively reasonable and worth it because they are eating healthy. Also, if you have a child, who enjoys fish, a California roll keeps well in an insulated lunch box. To introduce my kids to sushi, I would make what I called “Kid Sushi”. (Recipe listed below). Then we gradually worked our way up to real sushi.
REMEMBER: A child has to see a dish more than 20 times before they will be able to accept it as “normal”. It may take longer. I ate sushi by myself for 7 years before my husband felt “brave” enough to try it. His curiosity got the better of him. For 7 years, he watched me fuss and fawn over sushi while they ate something else that I prepared for the rest of them. Finally decided to try it himself because he “had to see what all the fuss was about”. Kids are the same way. You must set the example.

While it may take more time and creativity at the start, it is well-worth it. The good news is it becomes easier as time goes on. Also, now that my boys are in high school and middle school, they are preparing their own lunches. They helped when they were younger so now they can do it themselves. Plus, they prepare exactly what they are feeling like and they are not dictated by my whims. It’s a win-win. Now sometimes, the older boy will take cold pizza, purchased or homemade…and that is okay! It’s about variety and moderation. Plus, he feels like he’s “getting away with something” or “rebelling” and is less likely to rebel in other ways. I can live with that. I can lose a battle here and there, as long as I win the war;-) Mangia!

Anthony’s Ultimate Veggie Sandwich
2 slices of any type of bread (I suggest a vegetable-based roll-up, savory zucchini bread or bagel. Toasting the bread or bagel add another pleasing texture to the sandwich and limits the sogginess factor. You really can’t “toast” a roll up, but you can sort of toast it like a tortilla in a non-stick frying pan. No oil necessary.)
Roasted red peppers (store bought or roasted yourself- the latter is very easy and economical)
2 oz of cream cheese or hummus
A couple slices of red onion
Baby spinach leaves
Tomato slices
Spread cream cheese (or hummus) on bread of choice. Top with roasted peppers, some red onion, some spinach leaves and tomato slices. Enjoy. This can be made the night before, but it’s better if it’s made in the morning before they go off to school. The fresher the better;-)

Alex’s Italian Veggie Sub
Alex eats this especially on days when he has a swim meet. Swim meet days are meatless (No meat on the days of meets;-). He still gets all his calories and energy. It’s like a “Dagwood” sandwich without the meat.
Italian sub bread, split down the middle
Red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil to taste on the bread (flavored oils work well here,too)
2 oz provolone cheese
2 oz asiago cheese (fontina works well here too)
Pickled peppers ,Pickled mushrooms (optional),Tomato slices, Lettuce leaves, Red onion slices, Sliced olives, Cucumber slices, Shredded carrots, Raw, thinly, sliced zucchini
Assemble all the ingredients or just the ones you like on the bread. Serve or wrap for lunch.

Potato and Egg Frittata
3 medium potatoes, peeled (or leftover baked or boiled potatoes or leftover French fries)
1 onion, chopped (optional)
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
8 large eggs, beaten
2 Tablespoons of water
½ cup of fresh, chopped parsley
Boil potatoes until cooked, about 10 minutes. Pour them into a colander and allow to drain. When cool enough pat them dry with a paper towel and either slice or cube. (I have used leftover baked or boiled potatoes or leftover French fries with tremendous success.)
Pour oil into large skillet over medium heat until oil sizzles when a piece of potato is added. Add onion and potatoes and sauté until until potatoes are browned, about 10 minutes.
Beat the eggs with water, parsley, salt and pepper. Pour the eggs over the onion and potato mixture. Keep the heat on medium and cover, cooking for additional 7 minutes or until eggs mostly set. Then place your pan under the broiler set to high, uncovered, 4-6 minutes, setting and slightly browning the top of the frittata.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Flip frittata on to plate. (The bottom will now be the top.) Slice and serve for breakfast, lunch or dinner. You can also add shredded zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, spinach or beet tops to this frittata. Experiment with the vegetables your family likes.

Basic Quiche
3 eggs, beaten (you can replace 1 egg with ¼ C of egg beaters)
1 cup ½ and ½ ( you can use fat-free ½ and ½ or evaporated skim milk plus 2 Tablespoons of water)
6 oz of your choice of meat
1 cup of vegetables sautéed (optional)
1 ½ Cup of shredded cheese of your choice
Sprinkle of freshly, ground nutmeg
1 frozen, deep dish pie shell (or homemade if you have the time)
Par-bake pie shell by covering whole shell with aluminum foil and topping with ½ lb of lentils. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. (Save lentils after baking for all par-baking). Remove shell and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Uncover the shell (it will be lightly browned) and add the meat and/or vegetables of your choice. Then add the cheese. ( If you’re just doing a cheese quiche, then up the quantity to 2 Cups).
Mix eggs and ½ and ½ well until thoroughly incorporated. Pour into pie shell over cheese. Top with freshly, grated nutmeg. (Freshly grated nutmeg will make a difference here. Use a microplane to grate it. Yum!)
Cover the edges of the crust of the pie shell to prevent over-browning and bake for 50 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Serve hot, warm or cold. The individual quiche slices can be heated up for 1 minute in the microwave for breakfast, too.

Kid Sushi this is a big hit with my nieces and nephews. And its fun to make;-) A great lunch dessert!
Make 1 recipe of Rice Krispies treats in a 15 x 10 jelly roll pan. When slicing the treats, slice in small, rectangular shapes.
Top each slice with a “Swedish fish “ candy. Serve when cooled. A fun and unique dessert and great way to introduce kids to sushi.

Pearl of Wisdom for Today: NEVER be afraid to experiment and be creative! While baking is a science, cooking is an art.