Healthy lunches

The more I exercise, the more I care about what I put in my body. And the more I care about what I put in my children's bodies so that they are strong and healthy, but not neurotic.  I remember thinking my friends had crazy parents when they wouldn't eat certain foods or only ate organic.  Low and behold, I'm becoming one of them.

One of the most challenging meals to make healthy for my kids is lunch. It's challenging because sometimes they're eating at school and I don't control the menu. It's challenging because it's always time constrained. I'm trying to steer them towards eating raw fruits and veggies - albeit the sweeter veggies like carrots and peas. We eliminated high fructose corn syrup years ago and I minimize soy because it's fed to the animals that become the meat we eat. I'm also trying to limit the amount of bread.  Which makes sandwiches a real issue.

Over a recent vacation, my husband and I tried to eat lunch without eating bread or pasta for an entire week. Our favorite trick was to take a slice of cold cuts (turkey, roast beef) and put sliced avocado and tomato (for hubby) on it and roll it up. Then we brought small amounts of mustard, olive oil mayo or other healthy fat aioli to dip our cold cut rolls in.  The result - delicious and satisfying.

We're going to try this lunch with the kids. I also want to try cold grilled chicken with honey or aioli in which to dip. Hard boiled eggs are a hit too! And good news - our local grocer, Piazza's Fine Foods, is offering kosher cold cuts -

  • Turkey sliced salami
  • Turkey bologna sliced
  • Oven prepared Turkey slices
  • Chicken bologna slices
  • Turkey pastrami slices
  • Smoked Turkey breast slices

And that's enough for some real variety in our lunch options. I'm trying to give them protein, simple carbs in veggies and fruit, and nuts (as long as no one is allergic).  Same things we're trying to eat.

What are you putting in your child's lunch box for back to school?

And if you haven't already - order your kosher grass fed beef before August 24, 2010 to have it for the High Holidays!