Healthy, Fun and Creative Lunches for Back to School

Banana Dog in a Bun
Ingredients

1 hot dog bun (whole wheat, if possible)
1 tbsp. peanut butter or cream cheese
1 tbsp. strawberry or other jam or honey
1 whole banana
raisins, shredded coconut or chopped peanuts
Instructions

1. Spread one inner surface of a split hot dog bun with peanut butter or cream cheese. Spread the other side with jam or honey. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in your child's lunch bag. Also, pack a whole banana (in the peel) and a small container of toppings, such as raisins, coconut, peanuts or whatever else you can think of.
2. At lunchtime, your child can peel the banana and place it in the bun, sprinkle on the toppings and eat.

BLT Wraps
Ingredients

1 pound thick sliced bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
4 Large flour tortillas
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 tomato, diced
Instructions

1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, and set aside.
2. Place 1 tortilla on a microwave-safe plate. Sprinkle tortilla with 1/4 cup cheese. Cook in microwave 1 to 2 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Immediately top with 1/4 of the bacon, lettuce, and tomato. Fold sides of tortilla over, then roll up. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Cut each wrap in half before serving.
* Recipe serves 4

Peanut Butter and Apple Sandwich
Ingredients

2 slices whole wheat bread
1 tablespoon peanut butter, or to taste
1 small apple - peeled, cored and shredded
Instructions

1. Spread a thin layer of peanut butter onto one side of each slice of bread. Place shredded apple onto the peanut butter, and place the other peanut buttered side of bread on top. California Veggie Wrap
Ingredients

1 tbsp. spreadable cream cheese
1 large flour tortilla, regular or flavored
2 tbsp. shredded carrot
2 tbsp. thinly sliced red or yellow pepper
2 tbsp. chopped red onion
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 avocado, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup baby spinach leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Spread cream cheese over the tortilla to within 1/2 inch of the edges.
2. Arrange all the filling ingredients in a row along the center one-third of the tortilla. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Roll the tortilla up as tightly as possible to enclose the filling without tearing the tortilla. Cut in half crosswise and eat immediately, or wrap both halves in plastic wrap to pack into a lunch bag.

Italian Turkey Wrap
Ingredients

1 large flour tortilla, regular or flavored
1 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 oz. sliced deli turkey
1 tbsp. chopped red onion
1/4 cup baby spinach leaves
1 oz. sliced Provolone, Swiss or Cheddar cheese
2 thin slices tomato
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions

1. In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese. Spread over tortilla to within 1/2 inch of the edges. Top with sliced turkey, red onion, spinach, sliced cheese and tomato slices, layered in the order listed in a row along the center one-third of the tortilla. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Roll the tortilla up tightly to enclose the filling, then cut in half crosswise. Eat immediately or wrap both halves in plastic wrap and pack in a lunch bag.

Chicken Sandwich
Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons mustard (Dejon for stronger palets)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
8 slices garlic and rosemary focaccia bread
Instructions

1. Sprinkle pepper on one side of each chicken cutlet. Heat oil in a large skillet; brown garlic in oil, then add chicken, pepper-side-down. Saute chicken until cooked through and juices run clear, about 12 to 15 minutes.
2. In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, mustard and rosemary. Mix together and spread mixture on 4 slices focaccia bread. Place 1 chicken cutlet on each of these slices, then top each with another bread slice.

*Recipe serves 4

Smoked Turkey Torilla Wraps
Ingredients

10 whole wheat flour tortillas
10 slices smoked turkey, cut into thin strips

1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Salsa
Instructions

1. Heat flour tortillas in a large skillet over medium heat, until slightly browned.
2. In each tortilla arrange turkey strips topped with avocado, sour cream and cheese. Fold up and serve with salsa. *Recipe makes 10 wraps


Triple Decker BLT
Ingredients

2 slices white bread
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 lettuce leaves
1 tomato, thinly sliced
3 slices turkey bacon
3 slices Cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Toast the bread slices.
2. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on each slice. Layer bottom slice with lettuce, tomato, turkey bacon, and cheese. Spread another thin layer of mayonnaise on the cheese; repeat layers twice. Top with second slice of bread. Heat in microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute, or until cheese is melted.

Brown Bag Bean Burritos
Ingredients

1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 cup salsa
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
8 (10-inch) flour tortillas
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions

1. Rinse beans in cold water, drain well.
2. Combine beans, salsa, cumin and chili powder in large pan. Cook over medium-high heat for about ten minutes, mashing beans slightly with back of wooden spoon. Stir occasionally, adding a little water if mixture looks too dry.
3. Spoon bean mixture into tortillas. Top with cheese. Fold each tortilla into an envelope shape, ensuring both ends are tucked in. Eat warm or wrap in plastic to take for lunch.
*recipe makes 8 burritos

Baked Ham and Cheese Quesadillas
Ingredients


4 large flour tortillas
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
8 oz. deli ham, roughly chopped
1/2 cup diced tomato
2 green onions, sliced
salsa on the side (for dipping)
Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
2. Working with one tortilla at a time, place it on a plate and brush one side lightly with some of the oil. Turn it over and, on half of the surface, sprinkle with one-quarter of the cheese, one-quarter of the chopped ham, one-quarter of the diced tomato and one-quarter of the green onions. Fold in half to cover the filling, press down firmly and place on a large cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling ingredients.
3. Place filled tortillas in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, turning over and pressing down on the quesadillas after 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before cutting into wedges and serving.
4. If you're packing these quesadillas in a lunch bag, let them cool completely, then wrap in foil or plastic wrap. They can be made the night before and refrigerated. Spoon some salsa into a small container for dipping the quesadilla wedges at lunchtime. *Recipe makes 4 quesadillas


Lunch Box Taco Salad
Ingredients

2 cups shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce
1/4 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup canned kidney or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup tortilla chips
Instructions

1. In a plastic container big enough to use as a bowl for the finished salad, toss together lettuce and tomato. In a small plastic container with a tight-fitting lid, stir together beans and salsa. Pack shredded cheese and sour cream in separate plastic containers. Finally, pack tortilla chips in a zip-top plastic bag.
2. OK, you've got all the components. Now what? At lunchtime, open the container of lettuce. Dump bean mixture on top, add a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Finally, crumble tortilla chips on top and lunch is served!

Alphabet Pasta Salad
Ingredients
1 cup uncooked alphabet pasta
1 oz. Cheddar cheese finely grated
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp mayonnaise
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp dill
1/8 tsp garlic salt
pinch of pepper

Instructions
1. Cook pasta in salted water according to package instructions.
2. Drain, run under cold water and drain again.
3. Mix in remaining ingredients. Chill until ready to serve.


Snack Ideas
Ants on a Log
Banana and Peanut Butter Wraps
Juicy Fruit Salad
Peanut Butter Bread
Rice Krispies Treats with Real Strawberries
Lunch Time Tips

For home-packed lunches:

~Avoid the morning rush by preparing lunch the night before and chilling it in the refrigerator.

~Put slices of tomatoes in a separate bag or container so they don't make sandwiches soggy.

~Instead potato or corn chips, pack a healthier alternative like veggie chips, bagel rounds, or baked tortilla crisps.

~Round out the meal with kid-sized veggies—baby carrots, celery sticks, or broccoli florets—and a low-fat or fat-free dip.

~Low-fat, high fiber mini muffins make a great dessert alternative to cupcakes or high-fat cookies.

~Use a cookie cutter to transform a plain square sandwich into something unique.

~Turn a container of low-fat yogurt into a complete meal by sending along some stir-ins like granola, trail mix, unsalted chopped nuts, or whole grain cereal.

~Consider alternatives to sandwich bread like burger buns, pita rounds, soft tortillas, and large lettuce leaves (for a no-sog wrap for savory fillings).

For school cafeteria lunches:

~Look over the cafeteria menu with your child ahead of time. Try to agree on items your child like and that are healthy. ~Early in the school year, try to arrange to have lunch with your child at the cafeteria. Use this as an opportunity to model your own healthy food choices.

~Ask the school's parent-teacher group to arrange a presentation by the food service department. Express your interest in ensuring that healthy food choices be offered in school cafeterias and vending machines.