Boxed in on Lunch?

Case scenario. You've turned over a new leaf to fix your child healthy lunches to take to school rather than them shoveling in whatever is handed out in the cafeteria. Here they come, bounding down the stairs in anticipation, or not, of their first day. You're standing there with a big smile, handing out their lunches, and ready to load them up for the big drop off. Suddenly you hear it................
"Ewwwww, what's that?!" "Yuchhhh...MOM!" Words that can take a parent down to ground zero and make them feel that your loving endeavor is in vain. So much for the rest of the school year of you envisioning them licking their little chops with delight at the thought of your culinary efforts. At this point many parents give in to the televised demands that lure our children into thinking a certain brand of potato chips is just way too cool not to have.

So now what do you do? You dig your heels in and realize you're the one in authority here. Not the manufacture of the junk foods or your children, but you the parent. If not, then we will continue on our downhill slope to unhealthy children in this country. Anyone would have to be living under a rock not to realize that obesity and apathy run rampart among our American children, and we, the ones who buy the food, are the only ones who can do anything about it.

These days, there is no excuse for not eating healthy. That isn't to say one needs to be extreme and run out to the health food stores to do their grocery shopping. But little things such as changing from white bread to wheat makes a valuable difference in not only your child's health, but in teaching them what to choose as an adult. Children who grow up on white bread always seem to stick with that throughout their adult lives. I've observed this time and time again, and it's a very hard thing to get them to change this unhealthy habit. Taking just a bit of effort to shop at more than the 'everything under one roof' store can benefit you greatly. All types of wheat breads can be found at the local bread stores for quite a bit of savings rather than the high prices at the food market chains. Buy several loafs and freeze them to have on hand when making lunch for your child. A little hint to remember when buying bread. Don't fall for the 'wheat bread' label which only contains brown coloring to fool the consumer into thinking they're getting a whole wheat product. Take a few moments to read the product wrapper and make sure it says "100% whole wheat" or "whole grain". You need to be assured that you're getting the best product for your child and your money.

When my kid's were growing up, their lunches were always an adventure to friends sitting with them. No one was quite sure what they'd pull out of their lunchboxes, but more times than not, there was a trade involved. Now, on my children's part, I wasn't always pleased with this trading, however it did tell me something. While my children were at times willing to give up what they were accustomed to eating in trade for a novelty item, what was in their bag was appealing to others. So, the wrinkled noses of disapproval in the morning wasn't always the case when they saw that their friends liked it. I think it's just in a child's makeup to give us parents a hard time about eating healthy. But if you stick to your guns, it pays off in so many valuable ways.

Fun items, such as sandwiches cut out in odd shapes with homemade cheese fillings seemed to be a favorite trade when they were little. G.O.R.P. (good old raisins and peanuts) was another. While making the GORP, I was sure to toss in a tad of something unexpected. Like M&M's or Gummy Bears. I learned with kids, if you lighten up and do the unexpected with the little things, you keep their attention far longer in the big things. Another favorite was peanut butter sandwiched in cinnamon graham crackers. Not only is it a protein, but it makes it even more complete with the 6 gram of protein graham cracker. Again, shop around for the best product at the best value. Big Lots is a great place to pick up these items for decent prices.

Then there is the colder weather lunches like soups or spaghetti in a thermos. These two dishes are ideal to 'hide' what your children don't necessarily like, but you know is good for them. For instance, half whole wheat and half regular pasta in the spaghetti is very well hidden by the tomato sauce, and brown rice in the soup rather than white will taste even better, and they don't even know they're eating it! A few bread sticks or their favorite crackers, along with a container of cut up fruit and a surprise cookie makes a filling lunch. And you know you're providing them with something nutritional that will carry them through the afternoon's school work.

By the time they get home, our hooked-on-tech kids are hungry all over again with no real plan to work off the snacks they are about to devour. And chances are, they'll be heading to the pantry hoping for chips, soda, and empty calorie snacks which destroy all the good you did in that great packed lunch . Logic says don't let these 'junk snacks' be in the house, and you won't have to worry about your kids eating them. Sounds simple enough, but I know how easy is it to fall prey to these cheap 'fillers' at the grocery store when money and ideas are running out. There seems to be endless amounts of obstacle course displays making parents give in to their temptations. All those healthy and adorable smiles hanging on their product must mean they're good for us. After all, the FDA has approved them and made sure these foods are nutritional and free of anything that could harm our children. Hogwash! If you believe that, well you know about the ocean front property in Arizona.

In writing this, I do realize there are many parents who are working and absolutely worn out by the time they get everything done at the end of the day, and getting up in the mornings to be inventive with their child's lunch is the last thing they feel like doing. Bless your hearts. You simply feel like you don't have a choice in allowing your child to eat the cafeteria foods. It takes all you have just to get by with your time and money. My advice to you is to stay on your own level. Don't try to do something you cannot. Stay within your means and do what you can. If that means only making your child a lunch one or two days a week, then so be it. Better to do what you can, than to feel inadequate. Just make sure that lunch is the best you can do. Make it as natural and pure as your money allows. Then you'll know you've done the right thing within your capabilities. But there's more you can do that doesn't take much time or money. Pick up the phone and talk to your school Superintendent, the principle of the school your child attends, and other parents. Tell them you are concerned about what is being served locally in the school cafeterias to our children every day. Eric Schlosser's 'Fast Food Nation', explains how our government manages to serve a school lunch for less than a dollar per child. A dollar per child! This is a travesty that again, only the parents can demand a change in. And if enough get involved, it could be a major national movement on the part of parents rather than waiting for government funding.

So, in conclusion, and until your child's school redesigns their menus to include healthier foods, here's a few suggested lunch box and after school treats. Just remember, keep it simple and don't get radical in your changes. Sometimes just the presentation being different will make them smile, but stick to variations of foods you know your kids already like.

Sandwich Kabob

* bread
* cheese
* lunch meat (If you're a non-meat eater like me, sub seasonal fruit. It's unexpected and the kids love it!)
* grape tomatoes
* lettuce
* pickles
* olives (black or green)

Choose from the list above and cut in cubes. Slide the cubes onto a skewer with any other foods your child likes.

Wrap in foil (no more plastic!) and set out a side of mayo, salad dressing, or mustard for dipping.

Chickpea Nuggets
(Anyone who was appalled at Jamie Oliver's episode where he put chicken carcass into a blender and shaped it into chicken nuggets will welcome this recipe.)

* 1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
* 1/2 onion
* Parsley (fresh is best, but if not, dried will do)
* 1 clove garlic
* 1 egg
* 1 tsp cumin (optional)
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 dash pepper
* 1 tsp lemon juice
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 1 TBL olive oil

Mash drained beans into bowl using a pastry blender or fork. Place onion, parsley, and garlic in a food processor. Transfer to bowl with beans and blend. In a separate bowl combine remaining ingredients. Mix with bean dip, and slowly pour in 1 cup bread crumbs, mixing enough bread crumbs until your dough just loses the 'stickiness'. Shape into 'chicken' nuggets and either bake or fry. Don't use too much oil in frying them, but enough to make them crunchy. My own preference is to place them in a cast iron pan with a small amount of olive oil. Dip in Sweet/Sour sauce, ketchup, or their favorite salad dressing.

Have a wonderful school year!
Always~
Cha