Toward a better lunchbox
Lent invites culinary promises of all sorts. Renouncing chocolate is probably tops, followed by weeknight booze and fried food or soda. For me, the pledge this year is about composing a better school lunchbox for my children.
Kids or no kids, keeping lunch creative is the bane of a busy person’s existence, and it’s especially challenging if you eliminate the ability to warm something up. So, I spent time last week recommitting to packing lunch boxes with interesting, diverse and healthy ingredients.
Ideas follow below, but if there’s one takeaway I’d like to impart, it’s this: commit to substituting one of those packaged, processed items in yours or your children’s lunch boxes for something fresh. The standard lunch is often comprised of a sandwich along with packaged sides that are so easy to purchase and pack they’ve crowded out whole fruits and carrot sticks. I know the reality of the morning rush, but wouldn’t it be great to simply eliminate that sweet or salty side for an apple, pear or banana or bag of grapes or cut vegetables? That’s my personal pledge.
Meanwhile, branch out with these simple ideas and remember that presentation can make a huge difference.
Dip this. Process canned butter or lima beans in a food processor with lemon juice, a crushed garlic clove, and fresh herbs like chopped parsley, mint, or basil. Finish with a little olive oil and water until you reach desired consistency. Serve bean dip with sliced celery stick, carrot and cucumber.
Get nutty. Nutella and peanut butter both come in single serving packages. Pack along with whole grain sandwich rounds and toppers like sliced strawberries or bananas.
Stuff it. Load a sliced peach or plum with mascarpone cheese blended with honey, vanilla extract and cinnamon.
Lunch muffins. Carrot and pineapple, cheddar and sausage, blueberry muffins are all flavors that have worked well for me. The trick is to find a few standbys, bake several batches at once and freeze them. You can successfully pack lots of nutrients in muffins while making them taste great. Whole wheat pastry flour usually works as an equivalent substitute for white flour.
New Spread. Southerners love pimiento cheese, but kids aren’t always crazy about it. In principle, however, it can work. Combine light mayo and grated cheddar and spread it on whole grain bread.
Maggie Heyn Richardson’s work has appeared in Eating Well, WRKF and on the national public radio program, On Point. She writes about food and wine for 225, and is currently working on a book about Louisiana foodways. Follow her on Twitter, @mhrwriter, and email your comments to [email protected].
