I'm so tired of the generic lunches I'm used to sending. Any fresh lunch ideas for the new school year?
Fern B. emailed us at expert@sweetspot.ca, and our nutrition expert, Lianne Phillipson-Webb answered;
This is one area that often needs inspiration to avoid getting in a rut. How about lunches that not only make your life easier, but also give your child a tasty and nutritious midday meal?
Coming up with new and exciting ways to dress up a sandwich can be challenging every morning, so start to think about lunch the night before while you are making dinner. Leftovers are great for lunch.
When you are meal-planning for the week (also a great idea to avoid the dreaded 5pm ‘what am I going to do for dinner’ panic), think about what you can reinvent. For example, a roasted chicken or a few extra cooked chicken breasts that can be sliced and put into a sandwich or better yet, a wrap, with avocado, tomato and basil pesto. Another favourite leftover of my family’s is lasagna. I now make a big one so that my family can eat it for dinner and I still have enough for my children's lunch the next day. I heat it up and put into their thermos wrapped in foil so that they can pull it out and have a little ‘plate’ to eat it off of at the lunch table.
How about something new that you might not have tried before? Quinoa (kee-ne-wa) is an ancient grain that’s high in protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins B and E. That’s sure to keep your budding Einstein going all day long. Below is a recipe for you to try out and it's usually enough for at least two meals. It’s a great accompaniment to dinner too.
If your child is running out of steam at school, remember to add protein not only at breakfast, but at lunch too. Protein [meat, fish, dairy, soy products, beans, pluses and grains (but mixed with the beans and pulses) and nuts and seeds] combined with carbohydrates, balances blood sugar levels so that energy is stable throughout the day. That’s a bonus for mood, concentration and for avoiding ‘the crash’ when they get home.
If you are sending a drink of juice, avoid the juice box situation and get one of the many eco-friendly bottles and dilute the juice you are giving. Juice is a concentrated source of sweetness and will give a boost, followed by a crash in energy (it’s a refined carbohydrate in that way). Start by adding a splash of water to juice if your child is accustomed to full strength juice and slowly work your way to at least half water, half juice. Try to change up the type of juice too –pomegranate, blueberry, pear or a super veggie juice, and avoid ones that are loaded with sugar.
Don't miss Lianne's recipe for Curried Quinoa Salad with Apricots!
Registered Nutritionist (Dip. ION and RNCP) and mother of two, Lianne Phillipson-Webb is the founder of Sprout Right, a health and nutrition service specializing in pre-conception, pre-natal and post-natal care for women and their families. Her mommy chef DVDs provide a great resource for new moms who wish to learn more about Baby’s first foods.
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