If the prospect of 10 months of school lunches has got you down, here are a few tips that should see you through the year.
These ideas were culled from ”The Creative Lunch Box” by Coleen and Bob Simmons (Bristol Publishing Enterprises, $7.95) and ”Making Bag Lunches, Snacks and Desserts Using the Dietary Guidelines” available by mail only. Send a $2.50 check or money order payable to Superintendent of Documents to Consumer Information Center, Dept. 70, Pueblo, Colo. 81009. Be sure to specify Item No. 173-V on your envelope.
– Wrap garnishes separately and add them just before lunch time. Try it with lettuce and spinach leaves, cucumbers, alfalfa sprouts and shredded carrots.
– Prepare and freeze sandwiches the night before to help keep other food chilled and sandwiches fresh. But don`t freeze sandwiches containing mayonnaise, salad dressing or hard cooked eggs.
– Use ice packs in lunch boxes if there is no refrigeration available.
– To keep food hot, pour boiling water into vacuum bottles and let sit for five minutes before dumping it out and adding food. For cold foods, pour ice water into the bottle for five minutes.
– Freeze fruit in single-serving size plastic bags. It will provide a healthful dessert and help keep the entire lunch chilled. The fruit will be defrosted by lunch time.
– Use natural cheeses such as Swiss and cheddar-they`re generally lower in sodium than processed cheeses, cheese foods and cheese spreads.
– Go easy on condiments that are high in sodium such as catsup, mustard and tartar sauce.
– Send the all-time favorite, hot macaroni and cheese, in a vacuum bottle.
– Send a vacuum bottle filled with hot chocolate and a separate package of marshmallows on cold winter days.
– Spread a mini pita pocket with peanut butter and fill with grated carrots and raisins.
– Use cookie cutters to cut bread into fancy shapes.
– Use a nut bread with a cheese spread instead of white or wheat bread.
– Fill pieces of celery with peanut butter, placing a row of raisins or whole peanuts down the center. –
