Article by: Chef Justin Ward
When I know I have a busy week coming up, my first thought is to make a hands-off roast or braise, which I’ll then use as many ways as I can in the week ahead. This can mean a pork shoulder roast, a pot roast in the slow cooker, or even a roasted turkey. Once you’ve got your protein squared away—all of which are much healthier than processed lunch meats—you can use it to make stuffed baked sweet potatoes, tacos, mini pot pies, and salads.
I also like repurposing dinner leftovers as lunch. At the beginning of the week, try making a big batch of cooked grains. Quinoa and barley are great, but experiment with different varieties, like wheat berries, which are plump and have a satisfying bite. Once you have the grains, you can scoop them into a container and add leftover meat, roasted veggies, or salad fixings from dinner, then top it all with a little oil and vinegar, salad dressing, or salsa, and call it a day.
Some tips for making lunchbox meals fun for kids:
- Mix and cut fresh fruit into bite sized pieces. Fruit presented this way is more likely to be eaten than a whole piece. Toss the fruit with a little lemon juice to preserve its bright color. Add a dip such as fat-free yogurt mixed with a little honey or peanut butter, or a fat-free cream cheese with a little honey and sugar mixed in. All of these are delicious.
- Involve your kids in the preparation of their lunch. Kids learn about food production, nutrition, balance, and portion size while doing this. But even more important, they will take ownership of the food and likely eat more of it. This also allows for bragging rights and conversation in the lunchroom with friends.
- Avoid soggy. Keep liquids and condiments like vinaigrettes, dressings, mayo, and mustard separate from items such as bread that can absorb the moisture and make for a really soggy sandwich. By putting on their own condiments at school, kids “build” their food and personalize it.
- Go for color. We are all attracted to color in our foods, so make sure to incorporate color in your meal preparation.
Opt for healthier flavor enhancers. Choose healthier vinaigrettes, dressings, citrus and fat free condiments rather than using mayo to eliminate the saturated fats! - Variety is the spice of life. Stay away from last night’s leftovers in today’s lunch box. At least wait a full day and reinvent the leftover into something else. Keep the meals creative and different.
- Pasta is versatile. Chilled pasta salads make great sides with unlimited variations. Make sure to use whole grain pastas, chickpea pastas, brown rice pastas, and veggie pastas.
- Avoid processed white bread for the sandwiches. With great tasting fillings the kids won’t care that they’re eating a healthy bread…heck…they won’t even notice.
Chef Justin Ward is an assistant professor of culinary arts at the CIA and is a 1988 graduate of the college.