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Wednesday, August 22, 2001
Beyond the brown bag
Keep kids' interest in lunch with cubed foods, bakery breads and creative packaging
By Leanne Libby
Caller-Times

Paul Iverson/Caller-Times

If you’re one of the estimated 45 percent of Americans who packs a lunch at least once a week, you know there are only so many peanut butter and jelly sandwiches a person can take. Investing a little time in the kitchen can pay big dividends at lunch-time for a fraction of the cost of eating out.

   Maybe you've decided to save money by taking your lunch to work. Or your kids hate the stuff that's scooped up in the lunch line.
   If you're one of the estimated 45 percent of Americans who packs a lunch at least once a week, you know there are only so many peanut butter and jelly sandwiches a person can take. If you're staring into the fridge and pantry every night wondering what you can stand to put in your lunch bag for the next day, help is here.
   Investing a little time in the kitchen can pay big dividends at lunch-time for a fraction of the cost of eating out. Brown-bagging it can also be a great way to trim down or at least healthy it up.
   Kids' stuff
   Shasta Robertson, personal chef and mother of two, said variety is key to a pleasing portable lunch.
   "You can only eat ham and cheese so many times," she said. "You need to make complete meals that aren't full of sugar and will keep your interest."
   Robertson suggests trying different kinds of breads and loading sandwiches with new kinds of vegetables. Children love marbled breads, she said. Also, dust off those cookie cutters and make sandwiches into tempting shapes, Robertson advises.
   Robertson's children aren't quite in pre-school yet, but already they've developed a taste for what she calls "antipasto meals."
   "They love anything cubed, such as cheese, meats, even bread," she said. "Kids also love dips. It's a great way to get them to eat vegetables."
   For Pamela Fuentes, owner of Small Planet Delicatessen & Bakery, and mother of two daughters, ages 7 and 9, successful sack lunches are all in the packaging.
   "One hates how PB&J comes out of the bag at lunchtime," she said. "She'll only take it if it's in a box. And those little snack bags are awesome. Just right for small snacks. Of course, the best things invented are those (disposable) containers. What you made for dinner last night you can take to work the next day."
   Nutritious and delicious
   Cheryl Tegarden, a clinical dietician at Driscoll Children's Hospital, said selecting four to five items for a sack lunch should ensure your mid-day meal is making a dent in getting all the nutrients you need.
   "Remember, you can accent a sandwich with lettuce and tomato or you can get your vegetables with finger foods, such as carrots and celery," she said. "Fruit can be a nice way to end a meal with a sweet taste."
   Tegarden doesn't forbid sweets; she just cautions moderation. Those watching their waistline or sugar intake, however, can get a sweet fix without resorting to a candy bar by trying animal cookies or graham crackers.
   Food safety can be a sack lunch liability, Tegarden said, noting that students may be placing lunch bags in lockers for hours before they eat, and adults may have long commutes.
   "Watch things you are mixing together," she said. "Things that need refrigeration, like tuna, eggs and mayonnaise need safe food handling."
   Small gel or ice packs can keep foods safe, Tegarden said, as can frozen juice or water bottles. Those without access to a refrigerator might want to pack worry-free items like cheese, canned meat or fish.
   Keeping reusable lunch bags sanitary is also important. A weekly soap-and-water wash is fine unless there's been a spill or other occasion for food to come in contact with the bag during the week, in which case it should be cleaned that evening.Those having a hard time stomaching healthy lunches should think of non-food ways to make this meal more special, she suggested.
   "Put some kinds of nice surprise in there," Tegarden said. "Kids love to find a sticker. Adults would enjoy a love note. Even decorating a paper napkin helps. It's important that eating should be about pleasure and enjoyment. We need to stop multi-tasking at meals."
   Lunch lessons
   Judy Beeman, co-owner of Beeman's Coffee Bar, admits she streamlines her life by encouraging her 13-year-old son to go through the lunch line at school. If he doesn't like what he sees, however, he knows his mom, who makes breakfasts and lunches for a living, will send something over. No matter how picky her customers might be, she's heard it all at home.
   "He will eat raw oysters, but not vegetables," Beeman sighed. "And our special breads get stuck in his braces, so it has to be plain wheat bread."
   LOW-CARB CRUNCHY TUNA
   Dijon dressing:
   ½ cup real mayonnaise
   2 tablespoons dijon
   2 tablespoons lime juice
   Wisk together and set aside.
   1 large can albacore tuna, drained
   1 medium jicama, diced
   1 bunch celery, sliced
   1 bunch cilantro, chopped
   Combine and toss with dijon dressing. Serve as a sandwich or simply with sliced tomato.
   Yield: 2 salads or 4 sandwiches
   Source: Pamela Fuentes
   QUICK CHICKEN SALAD
   3 cups white and dark meat chicken, diced
   1 cup mayonnaise, or enough to moisten salad mixture
   2 tablespoons brown sugar
   2 tablespoons lemon juice
   1 teaspoon McCormick's Salad Supreme
   Combine and serve in a sandwich, adding vegetables as desired, such as lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles.
   Yield: 9 sandwiches
   Source: Judy Beeman
   BLACK-BOTTOM CUPCAKES
   Cream cheese filling:
   8 ounces cream cheese, softened
   1 egg
   1/3 cup sugar
   1/8 teaspoon salt
   Blend together. Fold in 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips. Set aside. (Makes enough for 2 batches cupcakes.)
   Cupcakes
   Prepare 1 box chocolate cake mix according to package directions, or:
   1 ½ cups flour
   1 cup sugar
   ¼ cup cocoa
   1 teaspoon baking soda
   ½ teaspoon salt
   1 cup water
   1/3 cup vegetable oil
   1 tablespoon white vinegar
   1 teaspoon vanilla
   Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tins. Combine dry ingredients and mix well. Add remaining ingredients and blend. Fill liners three-quarters full with batter. Drop 1 heaping tablespoon of cream cheese filling on the center of each cupcake. (Filling will fall into center of cupcake.) Bake for 35-40 minutes.
   Yield: 1 ½ dozen cupcakes
   Source: Judy Beeman
   ANTIPASTO SALAD
   12 pepperoni slices
   4 pepperoni peppers
   8 cherry tomatoes
   1 pound mozzarella cheese cubed
   1 green pepper seeded, julienne
   1 red pepper seeded and julienne
   4 slices rosemary occasion bread
   1 cup vinaigrette
   Toss everything except the bread together and serve. Or place tossed ingredients in a container and serve the dressing in a small bowl for dipping.
   Yield: 4 servings
   Source: Shasta Robertson
   A SLICE OF HEAVEN
   1 slice angel food cake
   ¼ cup strawberries, sliced
   1 tablespoon balsamic vinaigrette
   2 teaspoons sugar
   Combine strawberries, sugar and vinegar and store in plastic container. Wrap the cake separately. When ready for dessert, simply pour fruit mix over cake for a fresh dessert away from home.
   Yield: 1 serving
   Source: Shasta Robertson


Contact Leanne Libby at 886-3615 or libbyl@caller.com

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