Toss the brown bag

Variety of colorful ingredients packs healthful lunches for picky kids

Every night before bed, Sue Patterson packs her 10-year-old daughter a lunch that resembles a work of art.

Picture a heart-shaped roast beef sandwich nestled into a Hello Kitty container with colorful cups of dried fruit, olives, organic cheese and yogurt-covered pretzels. Or a pink Japanese-style bento box with a California sushi roll, shelled edamame, red grapes and kiwis cut into cute fan shapes.

Making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich would be easier. But Patterson says she's a big believer in eating a variety of healthful, organic food, so spending 15 to 20 minutes preparing Emmy's lunch is no big deal.

"It's totally worth it so she can have a good, high-quality lunch every day," Patterson says.

Not all nutritious lunches have to be Pinterest-worthy. With a little planning and a refrigerator full of convenient kid-approved foods, parents can send their children back to school with a midday meal that's as fun as it is wholesome.

Gary Hild, executive chef at the Culinary Center of Kansas City in Overland Park, Kan., says a great lunch begins with great ingredients.

"A sandwich is fine," he says, "but be sure to be a good label reader."

The chef recommends bread that says "100 percent whole wheat" on the label, mayonnaise made with olive oil and sliced turkey or chicken that's free of fillers such as gelatin.

Swap sandwich bread for a whole-wheat wrap and you can add extra vegetables (think shredded carrots, romaine lettuce and sliced bell peppers).

With kids, "You want to emphasize eating the rainbow," Hild says.

In other words, skip the white bread and potato chips and reach for blueberries, green spinach and red cherry tomatoes.

The only downside: Cutting up fresh fruits and vegetables can be time-consuming. Hild offers this solution: Shop at the salad bar of your grocery store for sliced vegetables, fruits, even protein like hard-cooked eggs and chicken.

"Everything's already cut," the chef says, "so it saves a lot of time, money and waste."

If your kids are picky eaters, get them involved in making their lunches, says Lily Siebert, education and outreach assistant at the Merc Co-Op in Lawrence, Kan.

MORE LUNCH TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS

• Invest in a compartmentalized lunchbox, such as a Japanese-style bento box. They eliminate the need for disposable plastic bags, and "they're automatically portion controlled," mom Sue Patterson says.

• Get into the habit of making too much dinner so you'll have leftovers to pack for lunch, advises J.M. Hirsch in his book Beating the Lunch Box Blues (Rachael Ray Books/Atria 2013).

• Make sure food is ready to eat -- for example, peel oranges and shell pistachios. That way, "kids will be much more apt to eat all the food," chef Hild says.

• Jazz up peanut butter and jelly sandwiches by experimenting with different types of bread and surprise fillings, such as coconut flakes, Siebert says.

• Don't be afraid of the cold -- pastas and whole grain salads taste great cold or at room temperature, Hirsch writes in Beating the Lunch Box Blues.

Two quick and easy recipes from Hirsch: Bake an egg in a muffin cup with a slice of deli ham to make a portable and protein-rich lunch entree. You can also fill frozen mini phyllo cups with yogurt and fruit -- they'll thaw by lunchtime.

• Let kids pick out fruit at the store. Siebert recommends pluots, a cross between plums and apricots. "I tell kids how cool it is to find new things to like," she says.

• Entree-style salads topped with cooked shrimp and a whole grain such as barley make for a nutrient-packed, filling and cost-effective lunch, Hild says.

• Another lunch idea from Beating the Lunch Box Blues: Skip the sandwich and pack a snackable spread of crackers, cheese, deli meat, hummus, peanut butter, jam and fruit.

This fun alternative to the basic sandwich can also be made with hummus and shredded carrots.

Chicken Salad Roll-Ups

1 cup chopped cooked chicken

2 ribs celery, diced

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread

In a bowl, combine the chicken, celery, mayonnaise, Dijon, lemon juice and salt and toss to mix well.

Using a rolling pin, roll the bread to 1/4 inch thick.

Spread 1/4 cup of the chicken salad mixture on each slice of bread and roll it up.

Tip: If you have younger kids, you can secure the roll-ups by gently putting a rubber band around them.

Makes 4 roll-ups.

Nutrition information: Each roll-up contains approximately 130 calories, 10 g protein, 5 g fat, 14 g carbohydrate, 18 mg cholesterol, 352 mg sodium and 2 g fiber.

Recipe adapted from Weelicious Lunches by Catherine McCord

These sweet, sushi-style snacks pack a protein punch. Use whole-wheat tortillas for extra fiber.

Banana Dog Bites

2 tortillas (any variety will work)

1/4 cup nut or seed butter such as peanut, almond or sunflower butter

2 bananas, peeled

Place one tortilla on a flat surface and spread 2 tablespoons of peanut butter on the tortilla to coat it evenly. (If your tortillas are stiff, you can put them in the microwave between 2 pieces of moist paper towel and heat for 15 to 20 seconds, or until softened.) Place 1 whole banana near the edge of the tortilla and roll it up. Slice the banana dog into 1/2-inch rounds.

Repeat to make a second banana dog and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 267 calories, 8 g protein, 11 g fat, 37 g carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 248 mg sodium and 3 g fiber.

Recipe adapted from Weelicious Lunches by Catherine McCord

This recipe calls for corn, edamame and red bell pepper, but you can swap in any combination of vegetables you or your kids like.

Rainbows and Butterflies Pasta Salad

8 ounces bowtie pasta, preferably whole grain

3 tablespoons PLUS 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided use

1 cup corn kernels, thawed if frozen

1 cup shelled edamame, thawed if frozen

1 medium red bell pepper, diced

2 medium carrots, shredded

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Salt and ground black pepper

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and toss with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil to prevent sticking; let cool.

In a large bowl, toss the cooled pasta with the corn, edamame, bell pepper and carrots. Drizzle with the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and toss to coat. Add the parmesan and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information: Each serving (prepared with whole-grain pasta) contains approximately 415 calories, 16 g protein, 16 g fat, 57 g carbohydrate, 5 mg cholesterol, 137 mg sodium and 8 g fiber.

Recipe adapted from Foodnetwork.com

Siebert demonstrates this recipe for kids who take cooking classes at the Merc Co-Op. She also packs it for lunch.

Red Quinoa Salad With Black Beans and Avocado

For the salad:

1 cup red quinoa

2 cups water

1/2 cup finely minced red onion

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed

1 fresh avocado, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup minced cilantro

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

2 tablespoons light tasting oil, such as safflower, canola or soybean oil

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Rinse quinoa well, then put it in a saucepan with 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all water is absorbed (about 15 minutes). The quinoa is done when the grain appears soft and the red becomes translucent. The germ ring will be visible along the outside edge of the grain. Allow to cool to room temperature.

While quinoa is cooking, mix dressing ingredients together. Toss cooked quinoa with onion, black beans, avocado and cilantro. Add dressing and toss until evenly distributed. Serve at room temperature.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 267 calories, 9 g protein, 12 g fat, 34 g carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 279 mg sodium and 7 g fiber.

Recipe adapted from the Merc Co-Op in Lawrence

Cutting crispy treats into heart shapes makes them fun to look at and eat. Have leftover pieces? Just roll them into balls.

Heart Crispy Treats

4 cups organic crispy brown rice cereal

1 cup freeze-dried raspberries or strawberries (can be found at most health food stores)

1 cup brown rice syrup

1 cup smooth peanut butter (or any nut or seed butter)

In a large bowl, combine the brown rice cereal and the freeze-dried fruit.

In a large saucepan, heat brown rice syrup and peanut butter over low heat and whisk until melted and combined, about 2 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and pour over rice crisps in a large bowl. Stir with a plastic spatula until completely combined. Pour into a greased 8-by-8-inch pan and press down to flatten the top. Cool for 5 minutes and then use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut into hearts.

Makes 14 (2-inch) hearts.

Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 231 calories, 5 g protein, 10 g fat, 34 g carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 170 mg sodium and 4 g fiber.

Recipe adapted from Weelicious.com

Food on 09/03/2014

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