Behold the five winning lunches.
From Tanya: Rice noodle stir-fry made of rice vermicelli, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, zucchini, peas, and half a pound of ground turkey, cooked in a bit of soy sauce, vinegar, and Chinese cooking wine; sliced apple (pretty much the only local fruit available in Vancouver right now); a piece of banana bread (not so local, but delicious).
From Jenny: I have one preschooler, and a set of two-year-old twins, one of which who is severely disabled. Time is of the essence in our house, and so is our budget, since we fund a lot of alternative therapies for our daughter. Here is a sample of a lunch for my preschooler: There’s some celery, with a container of ranch dressing, cut up cheese, dried cranberries and other fruit, sliced apples (with fruit fresh/lemon juice so they don’t brown), and a container of black beans and ditalini pasta (his request) with parmesan cheese on top. And three mini cookies. And, as a bonus, these types of lunchboxes don’t have any waste! He also gets juice or milk, and I have yet to find a container that will work with this type of lunchbox, so it’s Horizon Organic milk for now.
From Laura: This nutritious delicious and realistic meal is not only something a student would love to eat, but also something anyone would love to eat. The turkey chili is easy to make, very low in fat and very high in fiber and protein. I make it all the time and my roommates gobble it right up. The chili contains 99% lean ground turkey, Amy’s Organic Medium Chili, canned black beans, red beans, stewed diced tomatoes, yellow corn, diced jalapeños, and is seasoned with onion, black pepper, season salt and cumin. A “Jiffy” homemade corn muffin complements the turkey chili. A snack-sized Dannon Light & Fit nonfat vanilla yogurt cools and refreshes the palate while also fortifying the immune system, and it goes great with the five fresh strawberries that are currently in season in southern California. As a thirst quencher, a carton of “No Pulp Healthy Kids” Tropicana orange juice provides calcium and vitamins A, D, and E. Four Hershey’s Kisses brand Special Dark chocolate pieces top off the meal as a tasty dessert with the added health benefits of antioxidants and lower blood pressure and cholesterol. This meal costs under $5 to prepare and can satisfy and nourish the pickiest of eaters.
