Saturday, August 20, 2011

Lunch Munch

Is summer seriously almost over? It has literally flown by. The kids are back to school, some already, some this week, and us parents are preparing, mentally and physically for the school year to begin. Food is at the top of my list: packing lunches, healthy after school snacks, quick evening meals. I have been reading a lot of food blogs with some great ideas.
I love this idea of adding a secret note onto a banana with a toothpick!  Cutefoodforkids.
Here are some more lunch box ideas I borrowed from Wendelonia. I am just becoming aware of Bento Boxes, and I am very intrigued and hoping to make packing lunches for the kids more enjoyable for all of us!


Carbohydrates

  • whole grain crackers
  • pretzel sticks
  • mini-muffins
  • goldfish crackers, cheddar bunnies or other snack crackers
  • pretzel thins
  • bagel chips
  • mini-rice cakes or rice crackers
  • cooked ball of rice
  • leftover pasta or pasta salad — toss with some chopped veggies and vinaigrette or a little olive oil, garlic salt and parmesan.
  • granola bars
  • banana bread, zucchini bread, or other quick breads
  • cereal bars
  • dry cereal
  • mini-bagels
  • hot dog buns, hamburger buns or dinner rolls
  • garlic toast
  • pita bread — I usually toast these so they don’t get soggy. Mini pitas are fun or you can cut a big one into wedges.
  • leftover pancakes or toaster waffles — mini-waffles go over especially well.
Dairy
  • yogurt
  • cheese cubes
  • cheese slices
  • cottage cheese
  • string cheese, Laughing Cow, Babybel or other small single-serving cheeses

Vegetables

  • carrot sticks
  • sugar snap peas
  • red bell pepper strips
  • cucumber slices
  • celery sticks
  • grape tomatoes
  • steamed green beans
  • steamed broccoli spears
  • frozen peas — run them quickly under warm water to start them thawing
  • frozen corn
 Protein
  • leftover meat from dinner cut into chunks — you can send almost anything: roast chicken, pork roast, chicken legs and carne asada leftover from tacos are all things my kids have enjoyed.
  • chicken or turkey sausage with bbq sauce or catsup for dipping
  • deli meats — turkey, ham, salami
  • beans
  • peanut butter “sandwiches” made with crackers or graham crackers
  • taquitos with salsa for dipping
  • baked tofu
  • quesadillas
  • mini-burritos
  • mini-pizzas — top mini-pitas with sauce, cheese and pepperoni
  • hard boiled eggs

Here are a few slow cooker recipes that I have tried and have been huge hits with the kids and the husband.
Chicken Tortilla Soup 
Seasoned Delicious Pork Chops
Chicken Stroganoff