Let's Eat: Spice up your kids lunch

• School Lunches

Shortly school will be in session and kids will be faced with various options for lunch. Photo by Matt Suoja

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Shortly school will be in session and kids will be faced with various options for lunch. Here are some quick ideas and recipes to get rid of the school lunch blues.

Tips for kids lunches:

- Chop up some vegetables in fun shapes and pack them in your kid’s lunch instead of a candy bar or chips. Use some low-fat ranch dressing for dip.

- Use a variety of breads. Instead of using plain “Wonder Bread” try a bagel or some pita bread.

- If chips are a must, give them baked ones. Try making your own tortilla chips and serve with some fresh salsa.

- Work with what you have at home.

For instance, if you had a turkey dinner the night before, pack them a turkey sandwich. That turkey has less sodium, compared with the deli-style found at your local grocers.

-If sweets are a must with a child, try making a trail mix with dried fruits and nuts. If you sprinkle some M&M’s in the bag, they will think they are eating junk food.

Rue’s Fruit Bars

Ingredients:

2/3 cup almonds, coarsely chopped

1 cup pitted dates or figs

1/4 cup dried apricots

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons orange juice

Directions:

Add almonds to food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add dates, apricots, oil, and orange juice. Pulse in food processor until a sticky paste is formed. Remove mixture from processor and place on a piece of wax paper. Cover with another piece of wax paper. Using a rolling pin, roll the mixture to about 1/4-inch thick. Cut into bars. Place bars on lightly greased jelly pan and bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove bars and flip over. Return to oven and bake another 5 to 10 minutes until lightly brown. Makes one dozen bars.

- Adapted from materials prepared by Terry Traub, R.D.H., B.S., author of Food to Some, Poison to Others: The Food Allergy Detection Program (Frederick Fell Publishers, July 2008). Copyright 2008, Terry Traub, all rights reserved, used with permission.

Penny’s Granola

Ingredients:

4 cups oats

1/2 cup pistachio nuts, shelled, chopped

1/2 cup slivered or raw almonds, chopped

2 tablespoons cinnamon

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2/3 cup coconut

1/3 cup olive oil

1 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup dried cherries or dried apricots, chopped

Directions:

Mix ingredients together in large bowl. Spoon onto a lightly greased jelly roll. Place into a preheated oven of 350 degrees. Cook for 25 minutes, stirring every five minutes. Cook up to five to seven minutes more, depending on your oven, until dry. Store the granola in a container with a tight lid. Makes six cups.

- Adapted from materials prepared by Terry Traub, R.D.H., B.S., author of Food to Some, Poison to Others: The Food Allergy Detection Program (Frederick Fell Publishers, July 2008). Copyright 2008, Terry Traub, all rights reserved, used with permission.

Lunch wrap

Ingredients:

2 to 3 slices deli meat (preferably ham, roast beef

or turkey)

1 slice cheese

1 tablespoon ranch dressing

1 flour tortilla

Directions:

Spread ranch on tortilla. Place sliced meats and cheese on top. Roll up, enjoy. Serves one.

- Recipe courtesy of Jana Peterson of the Duluth Budgeteer News

Power Sandwich

Ingredients:

1 banana

1 whole wheat hot dog bun or slice of bread

2 tablespoons peanut butter (or to taste)

Honey (optional)

Directions:

Spread peanut butter on bread or hot dog bun.

Place peeled and sliced (down the middle) banana inside.

Drizzle honey. Serves one.

- Recipe courtesy of Jana Peterson of the Duluth Budgeteer News

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