Most parents want to pack healthier lunches for their kids, but a lot of us don’t have the time or resources — or we’re flat out of ideas.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against school lunch, but I think most of them are far too high in fat, sodium, and simple carbohydrates. With childhood obesity rates triple what they were two decades ago, we don’t need another source of unhealthy food in our kids’ lives.
The best way to make sure your kids get a healthy lunch is to make it for them, or give them the tools and direction to make it themselves. I found a few ideas on LaptopLunches.com: Make extra servings of dinner for lunches the next day. Try different sandwich fillings: new cheeses, cold meats, grilled vegetables, chicken or tuna salad. Make the sandwiches on whole grain bread, tortillas, or pita bread. Print out the web site’s chart of healthy food choices and post it on your refrigerator and bring a copy to the grocery store.
What are the best food choices? The renowned pediatrician Dr. Spock said, “Our understanding of nutrition has grown enormously in recent years. Not so long ago, we thought of vegetables, grains, and beans as nothing more than side dishes, and favored meat and dairy products without much worry about the fat and cholesterol our children were getting. All that has changed. We now know that vegetables, grains, beans, and fruits should be at center stage.”
When making this hearty pasta salad with younger chefs, let them measure and pour the dressing ingredients into the food processor. Make sure all little hands are accounted for before starting the machine. Kids can also help grate the Parmesan, using a grater or Microplane (my kid’s favorite). Real Parmesan cheese (the rind is stamped with “Parmigiano-Reggiano”) is easier to grate than other soft cheeses. Sprinkle the Parmesan on the salad and enjoy!
Bridget O’Boyle teaches kids and adults to cook at Cooks of Crocus Hill.
Pasta with sun-dried tomatoes
Adapted from Ina Garten
½ pound fusilli (spiral pasta), Barilla Plus recommended (lots of whole grains and protein)
kosher salt
good olive oil
1 pound ripe tomatoes, medium diced
¾ pound good black olives, pitted and diced
1 pound fresh mozzarella, medium diced
6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
For the dressing
5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
6 Tbsp. good olive oil
1 garlic clove, diced
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup packed basil leaves, julienned (chopped thinly)
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil for 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package (Barilla Plus needs to cook a bit longer than white pasta). Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth. Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and basil, toss well.
This salad sits well, so you can make it early in the day. Add the Parmesan and basil just before serving.
