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Miller County Newsletters
Haley's Comment
It’s Time to Think about Creative Lunch Box Ideas
July 27, 2007
Parents are excited, and children are sad because soon school will begin. You
may have already started purchasing school supplies, and among those items
needed may be something to carry a lunch from home. Whether your children choose
a crinkly brown bag or a colorful lunch box, you can make your children a lunch
that will make their friends envious.
Make Lunches Safe
When packing your school lunches, be sure to make them safe to eat,
nutritious, and interesting. When preparing the foods at home, remember to keep
everything that touches the food clean – bowls, countertops, and hands. Since
most schools do not have facilities so your children can refrigerate their
lunch, use a frozen 100 percent fruit juice box or insulated freezer gel pack to
keep items cold in the lunch box. The fruit juice will thaw by lunch time as
well as help keep other foods cold and safe.
Make Lunches Interesting
For many children, sandwiches can always be found in the lunch box. This is
not a bad thing. Children love sandwiches. You can add variety by using
different kinds and shapes of breads. Breads made from whole-grains, such as
whole-wheat, multi-grain, rye, and pumpernickel, provide additional dietary
fiber. They also introduce a new flavor to the same old sandwich. Add shape to
the sandwich by using bagels, biscuits, rolls, tortillas, and pita pockets.
If you have elementary children, let them get creative with the bread and
cookie cutters. When our children were younger, they loved to look in their
lunch box to see what type of sandwich they had that day. They were likely to
find heart-, fish- or bear-shaped sandwiches, and on some days they would find
flower-power burgers. They would even comment that their friends could not wait
to see what type of sandwich they were having for the day.
Packing your children’s lunch doesn’t have to be time-consuming. Be creative
and think outside the box. For a new twist to the cheese sandwich, send cheese
cubes and pretzel sticks for them to make their own kebabs. Simply freeze the
cheese cubes the night before, and they will thaw by lunch time, still safe to
eat.
Make Lunches Nutritious
Add variety to the old standby - peanut butter and jelly - by replacing the jelly
with slices of fresh fruit such as bananas or apples; or make a peanut butter
and banana dog using hot dog buns as the bread. Another option would be to
spread peanut butter between raisin bread. Peanut butter, however, is high in
fat and sodium and should be used sparingly. Remember, two tablespoons of peanut
butter is the equivalent of one serving from the meat group.
Let’s not forget the other items generally placed in a lunch box. Children
think they need chips to go with a sandwich. Instead of chips, which have very
little or no nutritional value, why not send along pretzels? With pretzels, they
receive one serving from the breads group.
What about sending along some nice, crunchy, raw vegetables such as carrots,
broccoli, or cauliflower with dipping sauce? Maybe they might enjoy a crunchy
apple, pear, kiwi, fruit boat, a box of raisins, or whatever fruit might be in
season. With all the inexpensive containers these days, the options are
limitless. By adding a container of milk from the cafeteria, your child would
have a well-balanced lunch.
Let Your Children Help
To avoid the same hum-drum lunches, create variety by letting your children
help with the food shopping and preparation. Regardless of their age, if they
help prepare it, they are more likely to eat it. However, if you just turn them
loose in the kitchen to prepare their own lunch, it may not be as healthy and
well-balanced as you might like. Make preparing lunches into quality time spent
with your children. Ask them about their day, what is happening with friends,
and other questions they might not answer otherwise.
Be creative to keep your children happy and always surprised at what they
find. Don’t forget to include a cheerful note or words of encouragement. A
simple smiley face drawn on paper can brighten anyone’s day. Yes, even those
preteens and teenagers still enjoy this, although they might never admit it.
"Lunch Box Treats"
If you would like to receive your free handout, "Lunch Box Treats," which is
full of information and creative lunch ideas, contact the University of Arkansas
Cooperative Extension Service in Miller County, at 400 Laurel, Suite 215,
Texarkana, AR, call (870) 779-3609, or e-mail me at
Tried & True Tip: Be sure to clean lunch boxes daily with hot, soapy water,
and allow them to air dry overnight. Discard brown paper bags after each use.
Bacteria like to hide in warm, moist environments, and lunch boxes and bags are
the perfect site.
We appreciate your feedback!
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