Dear Alison,
Do you have any ideas for Preschool-age friendly lunches? I am also interested in any books or publications which might help me to come up with new ideas for kid-friendly lunches. -Mary, Marshfield, Ma
There are so many great resources out there to help us come up with simple and nutritious lunches for preschoolers. However, I know how easy it is to get stuck in a rut. One way to make it easy on yourself is to come up with two weeks’ worth of lunch menus and then repeat that menu for two or three months before changing it up a bit.
When coming up with your own menu, remember that you want a carbohydrate (whole grain preferably), a protein (meat, cheese, bean/legume), and a fruit and/or vegetable. (In HNN most recent article on lunches, It’s Lunchtime…Again!, there are more ideas for each category.) This needn’t be fancy, as this age group generally prefers things pretty bland/plain.
Here are a few sample menus:
Black bean and cheese quesadilla’s with veggie sticks and melon
Protein: black beans and cheese
Carbohydrate: whole wheat tortilla
Fruit and Veggies: cut up carrots, celery, red peppers and melon
Cheesy Chicken Noodles with steamed broccoli (or substitute carrots, peas & corn)
Protein: Cheese and chicken
Carbohydrate: Whole wheat rotini noodles (spiral)
Fruit and Veggie: Broccoli and pears
Cook chicken breasts and shred or dice, toss with hot noodles, shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, or parmesan) and steamed broccoli. Add a touch of butter if it’s too dry.
Health Nut Nation’s most recent recipe, Creamy Caribbean Rice and Beans also makes a fantastic lunch! Add some cut up fruit and veggies on the side and you’ve got a nutritious and simple meal in a matter of minutes.
Links to many more ideas
Whole Foods has a great list of recipes, that are very nicely organized
Kraft Foods is a great resource for kid-friendly recipes. The recipes are very brand specific but usually can be easily adapted to healthier choices. I receive their free Food & Family magazine but you can also view it online.
I have heard really good things about Jessica Seinfeld’s cookbook, Deceptively Delicious. I did thumb through it myself, (and plan to review it for all of you in the near future) and think it might be a great resource for you as the recipes are simple, nutritious and kid-friendly.
Hope this helps!
Your partner in health,
Alison
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