The Lunch Box: Packed with Fun, Healthy Meals That Keep Them Smiling

By Kate McMillan and Sarah Putman Clegg

Disrupt the rut and please picky eaters with dozens of yummy recipes and creative ideas for kids’ lunchboxes—from a chef, caterer, and mom.

Jam-packed with clever ideas and easy recipes for delicious, healthy, kid-friendly packable meals, this solution-driven cookbook is perfect for busy parents looking for lunchtime inspirations.

From yummy recipes that make use of common ingredients, to clever ideas for packing lunches that will appeal to kids, The Lunch Box covers all the basics—recipes for sandwiches, healthy snacks, and more—and offers tried-and-true strategies from a chef-caterer mother of three. Learn how to make an easy and delicious lunch from in-the-fridge staples and leftovers; how to accommodate allergies; and how to make every lunch box a fun delight for kids. Colorful photos, ideas, and strategies will inspire you to step up your lunch-packing game, from irresistible wraps and playful sandwiches, to salads kids will actually eat, to versatile snacks that satisfy the fussiest palates and much more!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Aug 21, 2015
• ISBN: 9781681880327

Kate McMillan

Kate McMillan grew up in Houston, Texas, illustrating and writing stories in the world’s tiniest font. She studied architecture at Yale and boatbuilding in Norway before making her way to Los Angeles to start a career as a concept artist in animation. She has worked for studios including DreamWorks and Disney TV, where she gets to make up worlds every day. In her free time, she enjoys building furniture, scouring the sidewalks of LA for scraps to build said furniture, and drawing wobbly buildings that look like they might fall down.

Book preview

Kate McMillan & Sarah Putman Clegg

contents

think outside the (lunch) box

anatomy of a lunch box

stocking your kitchen

marking a special day

the sandwich board

classic turkey club

gobblers

philly cheesesteak roll

egg salad on mini bagels

tuna salad cutouts

zesty chicken salad pita pockets

fruitwiches

wrap & roll

fiesta veggie wrap

rockin’ wraps

bean & cheese burrito

chicken & rice wrap with peanut dip

pinwheels

veggie sushi rolls

the salad bar

chopped caesar salad

asian chicken salad

greek salad

creamy waldorf salad

make-your-own taco salad

orzo & grilled veggie salad

stealth side salads

peanut butter noodles with snow peas

crunchy ramen noodle salad

warm & hearty

oatmeal with toppings galore

chicken & rice soup

chili con carne

mac & cheese, all dressed up

wagon wheels with pesto & broccoli

teriyaki rice bowl

oh-so-simple fried rice

spinach & sausage frittata sticks

ham & cheese mini quiches

dips & dippers

cool dips

mexican layer dip

go-to bean dips

home-baked dippers

on the sweet side

snackarama

deviled eggs

skewer mania

pop-your-own popcorn

sweet-n-salty kettle corn

homemade granola bars

trail mix

ultimate munchie mix

nutty cereal balls

cheesy corn bread sticks

banana bread

smoothies

cooking basics

use it or lose it

index

think outside the (lunch) box

OK, we’re all living in the real world. Few parents have the time and energy to pack a new, exciting lunch for their children each day. It’s enough of a challenge getting breakfast and dinner on the table. But if you’re stuck in a lunch box rut, this book can jump-start your imagination without adding to your workload.

Some of these recipes will be much-needed additions to your weekly rotation. Others you may simply not have considered as lunchtime material, and they will help you use items already on hand in new and thrilling ways. Plus, you’ll discover some brilliant ideas about presenting lunch food so it’s more fun to pack and eat. You may be surprised at the variety of foods you can entice your child to eat by simply making them look, well, irresistible.

Another key to lunch-packing success? Preparation is everything. Investing just a little time in advance—like making a batch of egg salad on Sunday or setting out packing supplies the night before—is much more efficient than starting from scratch every day, saving you time and preventing brain drain on hectic mornings. If what goes into the lunch box is an afterthought, it’s going to taste like an afterthought. But with its smart strategies and practical ideas, The Lunch Box has come to the rescue!

anatomy of a lunch box

Thanks to the rising popularity of bento-style lunch containers, your kid’s midday meal can be nothing more involved than a varied little hodgepodge of foods. Just aim to make it a well-rounded hodgepodge: always combine a protein (think hard-boiled egg, tofu, chicken, or yogurt); a fruit and/or vegetable (such as grapes, cherry tomatoes, and carrot sticks); and an item rich in complex carbohydrates (try multigrain bread, whole-wheat pasta, or brown rice).

keep your cool

With an insulated lunch box and a chilled freezer gel pack (or frozen water bottle), perishable food can stay cold and safe to eat until lunchtime. If you are filling a thermos with a warm lunch, make sure you heat the food so that it’s piping hot; run the thermos under hot water to warm it, too.

wraps, sandwiches, or other filling foods that will fuel them up

snackable vegetables, like baby carrots, small broccoli florets, celery sticks, or edamame

an interactive element, like a dip, to keep them engaged

fruit that’s easy to transport and eat

something crunchy to munch on, from popcorn to trail mix to crackers

fruit juice, water, or milk to wash it all down

a week of lunches

monday

ham & cheese pinwheels (see recipe), grapes, hummus with cucumber spears (see recipe), cinnamon-sugar popcorn (see recipe)

tuesday

deviled eggs (see recipe), cheese & crackers, cooked edamame, halved strawberries

wednesday

turkey club (see recipe), goldfish-shaped crackers, apple slices & celery sticks with nut butter

thursday

mini quiches (see recipe), pineapple & mango skewers, mini rice cakes

friday

chili con carne (see recipe), cheesy corn bread sticks (see recipe), orange slices, yogurt-covered raisins

stocking your kitchen

Here’s a list of ingredients