Best Lunch Box Ever (34 page)

MAKES 2 SERVINGS

³
/
₄
cup unsweetened apple juice

1 medium frozen ripe banana, cut into 4 pieces

1 cup frozen raspberries

1 cup unpacked baby spinach

One 6-ounce container nonfat vanilla yogurt (about
²
/
₃
cup)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons honey, plus more if needed

Pour the apple juice into a blender, followed by the banana, raspberries, spinach, yogurt, vanilla, and honey. Blend until creamy and smooth with no chunks of fruit remaining, about 1 minute.

Pour into two cups.

MAKE AHEAD NOTES:
portable if made just before snack time and packed into to-go cups with straws.

Mom-Approved Lunch-Box Supplies

Having a well-stocked “pantry” of lunch-packing supplies not only makes the job go more smoothly, it also cuts down enormously on all those little plastic baggies. Unfortunately, all reusable containers aren't created equal. Some have lead paint, contain phthalates, BPAs, and other chemicals you don't want near your child, much less his or her food. Here are a few pointers to keep a lid on toxins in your child's lunch box: Look for lightweight stainless-steel or plastic storage containers with the numbers 2, 4, or 5, which usually appear on the bottom. Avoid products marked with a 3, 6, or 7. Some experts also recommend avoiding plastic containers with the number 1. Glass containers are excellent for home use, but banging around in a kid's lunch? Probably not a good idea. As far as water bottles go, stainless steel is ideal. You can also look for BPA-free plastic and aluminum bottles.

LUNCH BOXES

Pottery Barn Kids:
A one-stop resource for lunch-packing supplies, including a wide selection of charming lunch boxes.
www.potterybarnkids.com

LL Bean:
Good, basic, affordable lunch boxes in a variety of colors and designs.
www.llbean.com

Oré:
Insulated, laminated cotton-canvas lunch boxes shaped like a brown paper bag with colorful graphics.
www.oreoriginals.com

BENTOS

Planet Box:
Insulated lunch boxes with a compartmentalized stainless-steel insert for easy packing and cleanup.
www.planetbox.com

ECOlunchbox:
The sleek design of these stainless-steel stackables, along with the attractive carry bags, especially appeal to older kids.
www.ecolunchboxes.com

STORAGE CONTAINERS

LunchBots:
Stainless-steel containers in a rainbow of bright and charming colors.
www.lunchbots.com

Rubbermaid:
Affordable, BPA-free plastics, including Lunchblox, a line of containers that fit together like a set of blocks and include freezer packs.
www.rubbermaid.com

HOT-FOOD CONTAINERS

Thermos:
The classic container for keeping food warm during the school day, especially the sturdy 10-ounce food jar; also sells a variety of other lunch storage wares.
www.thermos.com

Kids Konserve:
Leakproof insulated food jars with colored lids; also makes sturdy stainless-steel containers.
www.kidskonserve.com

WATER BOTTLES

Klean Kanteen:
Durable stainless-steel water bottles available in a kid-friendly 12-ounce size.
www.kleankanteen.com

Camelbak:
BPA-free plastic bottles with a built-in straw makes lunchtime hydrating easy.
www.camelbak.com

REUSABLE SNACK BAGS AND SANDWICH WRAPPERS

Lunchskins:
Cute-as-a-button designs on reusable snack and sandwich bags.
www.lunchskins.com

Itzy Ritzy:
Reusable bags with stylish graphic prints that close with a zipper.
www.itzyritzy.com

Resources

I relied on a number of sources for research and inspiration in writing this book, many of which might prove useful to you as well, especially since what we know about food and nutrition changes on an ongoing basis.

NUTRIENT DATA AND DIETARY GUIDELINES

USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference,
ndb.nal.usda.gov

USDA Food and Nutrition Information Center,
fnic.nal.usda.gov

USDA Choose My Plate guidelines and tools,
www.choosemyplate.gov

Understanding Nutrition
, Eleanor Noss Whitney and Sharon Rady Rolfes (West Publishing, 2007)

FOOD AND NUTRITION INSIGHT

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
www.cdc.gov/nutrition

Center for Science in the Public Interest,
www.cspinet.org

National Institutes of Health Medline Plus,
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus

Dr. Andrew Weil,
www.drweil.com

What to Eat: An Aisle-by-Aisle Guide to Savvy Food Choices and Good Eating
, Marion Nestle (North Point Press, 2006)

The Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition
, Sheldon Margen, M.D., and the Editors of the University of California at Berkeley Wellness letter (Rebus, 1992)

FOOD SAFETY

USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service,
www.fsis.usda.gov/Home/index.asp

FDA Food Safety,
www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/default.htm

USDA Food Safety Hotline, 1-888-674-6854 or
www.AskKaren.gov

SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainable Table,
www.sustainabletable.org

Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch,
www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx

CHEMICALS, PESTICIDES, ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS

Environmental Working Group,
www.ewg.org

Natural Resources Defense Council,
www.nrdc.org

Acknowledgments

First and foremost, I'd like to thank the many lovely ladies (and a few gents) who have become part of the Mom's Kitchen Handbook community. I so appreciate you tuning in, sharing recipes, swapping stories, and participating in this effort to nourish our families with good food and heaps of love.

To my girlfriends who support and inspire me every day, including Suzanne Bergeron, you always keep me grounded and help me remember that not every home cook has a Japanese mandolin or collection of exotic salts. Alison Eastwood, my fellow dietitian and longtime friend, you read and edited
every
page despite three little ones underfoot. Alyssa Ure, the design talent behind my blog, you always keep me on my toes in the pretty department. Leigh Oshirak, you have gone way beyond the call of duty to help out a friend. I will absorb every ounce of professional brilliance you are willing to throw my way.

To my three stalwart recipe testers and their children: Claire Bobrow, Jane MacKay, and Pam Rupright, you always received my recipes with enthusiasm and gave me honest feedback and delicious ideas. I'm also grateful to the handful of other recipe testers who pitched in.

To Kate Haisch, my nutrition intern. I so appreciate your research and feedback, and I love that you managed to do it all with a baby on your hip.

To Sara Catalan, who kept me company in the kitchen, tested my recipes, and kept an eye on my brood as I worked to pull this project together.

To Carole Bidnick, my agent. I'm so very grateful for you, who took on my tiny project and never made me feel less important than any of your big-name clients. I always feel like you are in my corner.

To the team that brought this book to life: Bill LeBlond at Chronicle Books, you seemed to know I had something to offer long before I knew it myself. Amy Treadwell, my editor, you gently walked me through this first book with such patience. Jennifer Martiné, fab photographer, you were so warm, welcoming, and fun to work with. To all the other folks at Chronicle: Alice Chau in design, Doug Ogan and Claire Fletcher in managing editorial, Jane Tunks in copy editing, Tera Killip in production, and the publicity duo of Peter Perez and David Hawk.

To Marion Nestle, I will never forget being summoned by the dean of the NYU nutrition department and told I had talent as a writer. It was just the boost of confidence (and connections) I needed to send me on my way as a food writer, a career I love.

Much gratitude to Sarah Copeland, mom, cookbook author, and friend, you inspired my whole Mom's Kitchen Handbook journey just by being your lovely and talented self.

To all the wonderful cooks in my family who've taught me what I know, most especially my fabulous parents, my megatalented siblings, and all my beloved aunties. A special thanks to my sister-in-law Alison Sullivan, pastry chef extraordinaire, whose fingerprints are all over my desserts.

And of course, to my hubby, Joe (a.k.a. “Mr. Mom's Kitchen”): my number-one fan, enthusiastic diner, and always willing unpaid editor. Thank goodness one of us knows their way around a grammar rulebook. I love you.

Saving the best for last, I'm most especially grateful to my three spectacular daughters—Isabelle, Rosie, and Virginia—without whom I would never know how to write a lunch-box book. You are the best critics, taste testers, and cheerleaders I could hope for. I'm one lucky mom.

Index

Agave nectar,
18

Almonds, Cocoa-Dusted,
122

Apples

    Apple and Sunflower Butter Dunk,
44

    Crispy Applewiches,
142

    Juice Box Applesauce,
98

    Peanut Butter Pinwheels,
62

    Where's Waldorf?,
55

Asian Lunch-Box Slaw,
56

Avocados

    BLT Roll-Ups,
64

    Guacamole and Crunchy Crudités,
103

    Hippie-Dippie Bagel Sandwich,
31

    Kiddie Cobb Salad,
50

Bacon

    BLT Roll-Ups,
64

Bagel Sandwich, Hippie-Dippie,
31

Bananas

    Cashew Butter Banana Roll,
44

    Creamy Banana Shake,
147

    frozen, in smoothies,
147

    Raspberry Sneak,
148

BBQ on a Bun,
86

Beans

    cooking dried,
81

    Creamy Black Bean Soup,
79

    Easy Cheesy Thermos Beans,
80

    Sweetie Pie Quesadilla,
68

    Takeaway Taco Salad,
52

Beef

    Asian Lunch-Box Slaw,
56

    BBQ on a Bun,
86