EatInEatOut Autumn 2015 | Page 14

7 ways to keep lunch safe to eat 5. Prep ahead. Make as much of the lunch the night before e.g. cutting up fruit and vegetables, putting whole grain crackers in a small container. 6. Love your leftovers. Cook extra dinner and pack for the next day’s lunch. Or transform leftovers e.g. add whole grain pasta to chili, create a stir fry wrap, or make a butter chicken pizza. 7. Pre-empt soggy sandwiches and mushy fruit. Use frozen bread, which will thaw out by lunch time. And use a small amount of mayo or hummus to mix with your filling. 8. Troubleshoot issues. If food comes home, find out why (too little time, container was hard to open, sandwich was too soggy) and solve the issue together. 9. Put your kids to work. Helping to assemble their own lunch (with some help) gives kids a sense of responsibility, ownership and valuable life skill. Over time, they will learn to pack their own lunches (bonus!). 10. Get the right gear. Reusable containers, insulated lunch bags, small ice packs, hand sanitizer are must-haves. Keep separate cutlery for school lunches. 14 WWW.EATINEATOUT.CA Mix ‘n match lunch ideas Fruits and vegetables: pepper slices, steamed broccoli and cauliflower florets, carrot and celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, radishes, baby corn, vegetable soup, apple, peach, plums, pears, kiwi, pineapple, cantaloupe chunks, fruit cup packed in water or juice, berries (fresh or frozen), pineapple. Whole grains: dinner roll, pita, tortilla, naan, chapatti, English muffin, cereal, crackers, couscous, homemade muffins, brown rice, oatmeal, barley. Protein foods: hard-boiled eggs*, cheese cubes, yogurt, milk, soy milk, edamame, cooked pieces of cold meat (chicken, beef, ham), chili, baked beans, dal, hummus, lentils, chickpeas, tuna, salmon, cheese tortellini, marinated tofu. *hardboiled eggs kept in their shells will stay fresh for a week If you’re looking for ways to make packing lunches with your child easier and healthier, get trusted advice from Registered Dietitian Carol Harrison at www.yummylunchclub.ca