Let’s be honest – packing lunches can be a drag. Whether it’s for a picky preschooler, a ravenous tween or just yourself, the daily grind of filling a lunchbox is not something many look forward to. The reality is, however, that eating fresh food prepared at home is one of the single most effective ways to improve health and overall well-being. It’s cheaper, too.
To maximize the nutritional power of meals and keep costs down, consider making homemade salad dressing or fresh hummus. This yogurt ranch is one of my most frequently requested recipes because it’s simply delicious, but it’s also considerably cheaper than store-bought and packs a hefty nutritional punch, thanks to protein-rich Greek yogurt. Deli meat is nutritionally problematic thanks to its high sodium content, even for pricey, premium brands. Roasting your own at home does take a bit of preplanning, but you’ll be rewarded with higher quality protein at a fraction of the cost. This can either be done as part of weekend meal prep or by cooking extra at dinnertime and putting those leftovers to work.
Presentation is also important. They don’t have to be Instagram-influencer perfect, but assembling thoughtful, colorful meals prevents “sad-desk lunch” and keeps kiddos coming back for more. Some favorite themes include charcuterie box (roasted chicken strips and uncured salami, marinated mozzarella, whole-grain crackers, cucumber, red peppers), whole wheat rotini with Parmesan, peas and diced chicken or ham, sliced leftover pork tenderloin with a bit of barbecue sauce and a whole-grain roll with cut veggies and fruit) and taco day (while-graine tortilla chips and cucumber slices with layer dip made with canned refried beans, Greek yogurt, mashed avocado, salsa, lettuce and shredded cheese).
To help kids (and anyone, really) build meals that will keep them full until the final bell, have them choose one from each of the following categories:
• Fresh fruit such as grapes, melon, berries, oranges or apple slices (To prevent cut apples from browning soak sliced apples in a solution of one teaspoon salt and one pint of cool water, drain and pat dry.)
• Fresh veggies such as cucumbers, cauliflower, carrots, bell peppers, broccoli, summer squash, cherry tomatoes, lettuce
• Lean protein-roasted chicken or pork (Use up those dinner leftovers!), hummus, hard-boiled eggs, falafel, beans
• Whole grain – whole grain bread and pasta, brown rice, quinoa, whole-grain corn tortillas
Yogurt ranch dip
Ingredients:
1 cup Greek-style yogurt
¼ cup prepared mayonnaise
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon each minced fresh parsley and chives
Salt and black pepper to taste
Mix all the above ingredients and chill thoroughly before serving. Keeps well for up to one week.
Hummus
Ingredients:
1 can chickpeas
1-2 cloves garlic
Juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons tahini (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Drain the chickpeas, reserving the liquid. Combine the drained chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil in a food processor. Process until smooth, adding reserved chickpea liquid as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Good morning muffins
These nutrition-packed muffins are perfect for a quick breakfast or nestled into a lunchbox. They can be baked all at once, or you can bake off as many muffins as you want each day and refrigerate the leftover batter for up to three days. The baked muffins freeze well, stored in a zip-top bag for up to a month.
Ingredients:
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup butter, melted
½ cup olive oil
4 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups whole wheat flour (I prefer King Arthur’s White Whole Wheat Flour.)
¼ cup ground flaxseed
3 cups grated carrot
1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
½ cup raisins or dried cranberries, or 2 cups fresh blueberries
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line two muffin tins with papers. This recipe makes approximately 18 muffins. (If fresh blueberries are used it will be closer to 24.).
Combine the sugar, melted butter, olive oil and eggs in a large mixing bowl and mix vigorously with a whisk or spatula until the mixture is smooth, about two minutes. Whisk together the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, flour and ground flaxseed in a separate bowl, then add this to the egg mixture. Mix until thoroughly incorporated, then add the grated carrots, walnuts and raisins or blueberries. Fold gently to combine, then scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them full. Bake the muffins for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let rest for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a rack to cool so they don’t become soggy in the muffin pan.