Eco Child’s Play

So now that you have everything you need to send your child off to school with a greener lunch, what do you put into that eco friendly lunchbox?  There are cookbooks out there focusing entirely on kids lunches.  (Try Vegan Lunch Box.)  Or, you can come up with fun ideas on your own.  Here are a few suggestions and recipes to get you started…

Wraps- If you kids are getting tired of the same old sandwiches, try layering their favorite sandwich fillings onto a whole wheat tortilla.  Roll it up and cut into bite size pinwheels.

Soup- During the winter months heat soup and pour it into a thermos, don’t forget to include a spoon!

• » See also: Grow Your Own Tree Hugger: 101 Activities to Teach Your Child How to Live Green
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Fruit- Clementines are great lunchbox additions, and easy to peel too.

Put cut up fresh fruit into a small container with a tight fitting lid.  If you’re going to include sliced apple, toss the slices with a little squeeze of lemon juice to keep them from browning.

Homemade fruit leathers are easy to make, a fun way to eat healthy, and much better than commercial fruit roll ups:

• Start with whatever clean fresh and organic fruit you wish to use, apricots, peaches, berries, pears, apples, etc.  Use a single fruit, or mix and match to create fun flavors.  If you’re using apricots or peaches, make sure to remove the pits and then chop the fruit.  For apples or pears, remove the peel and core, then chop.
• In a large saucepan, add the fruit and 1/2 cup water for every 4 cups of fruit.  Bring to a simmer, cover and leave on low for about 15 minutes, or until the fruit is soft all the way through.  Mash with a potato masher.   At this point you can taste the mixture and decide if you want to add a little sweetener.  Organic cane sugar is great, agave nectar is a fine addition too.  Now add a small squeeze of lemon juice, and if you’re using apples, a dash of cinnamon is nice.
• Simmer for 10 minutes more to dissolve the sugar and thicken the mixture.
• Carefully pour the mixture into a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth.
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat, and spread the fruit mixture to about 1/8 inch thickness.
• Put into a 140 degree oven, and leave until mixture is dry and leathery.  (8-12 hours, or overnight.)  If you have a food dehydrator you can use that instead.  When the leather is done, let cool then cut into strips with a pizza cutter.  Tightly roll up each strip.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.

Vegetables- Cut up raw veggies with a small container of dip is great way to include things like carrots, celery, and broccoli into lunches.  Hummus and salad dressings are great dip options.

Beverages- Make sure to use reusable drink containers instead of disposable drink boxes or pouches.  My son prefers to drink water, we fill his water bottle halfway and then freeze it,  this way the bottle keeps everything in the lunchbox cool.  By lunchtime the ice is melted, and the water is nice and cold.  (Don’t use a stainless steel bottle for this, look for a BPA free plastic one instead.)

Dessert- Make sure to include a special little treat in your child’s lunchbox.  A small square of dark chocolate, a small homemade cookie, something for them to look forward to at the end of their meal.  (Or devour at the beginning of it!)

Homemade granola is great to include in lunches.  It’s delicious sprinkled over cut up fruit, or if you add a few chocolate chips, it can be a yummy finger food for dessert:

• Use organic ingredients as much as possible… 3 1/2 cups rolled oats, 1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut, 3/4 cup mixed nuts and seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, almonds, walnuts, and pecans are all great additions), 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 cup or less of brown sugar, 1/4 cup canola oil, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract… mix all and spread onto a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake 20-30 minutes at 375 degrees until golden brown.  Make sure to stir every 10 minutes.
• After the granola is done, remove from the oven and let cool completely before adding 2 cups of dried fruit such as raisins, cranberries, chopped dates, or cherries.  If you want to add a handful of dark chocolate chips, do that now as well.
• Store in an airtight container.

Get creative with your children’s lunches, and make sure to include a wide variety of foods.  If they open their lunchboxes and find a fun array of appetizing options, they’ll be more likely to eat what you’ve packed for them.  And, they just may become the envy of other kids, who will in turn go home and beg their parents to make fun healthy lunches for them too!

Image credit: elasticcamel on flickr creative commons.

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