Packing a healthy homemade school lunch for your child

There are some great recipes out there for things you could make for your child's lunch. Occasionally we may actually have time to whip up a batch of something fabulous but most of the time we just don't. Working moms are already accomplishing a lot to get a healthy dinner on the table. So I want to discuss quick, easy, and healthy lunches that we can feel good about sending with our children to school. Still much better than the tasteless processed and frozen foods served in school cafeterias today.

One of my boys has always been quite picky. He is so much like his dad in his food preferences. He loves meat, and he loves his sweets. Sadly I can't help but think that David's love of meat and sugar contributed greatly to his cancer. These things create an acidic body, and cancer thrives there. We want to create an alkaline body with a variety of healthy foods. I have encountered a certain mentality about healthy eating that it's okay to let the kids have what they want since they are young. It seems that most people think healthy eating is something that you begin at a certain age when you are starting to be concerned about illness and disease. Yes, many of our generation never gave much thought to what we were eating. We didn't know as much about what causes cancer, and we certainly didn't know about the things that were being added to or sprayed on our food. Knowing what I do now about how much what we eat affects us, of course I only want to give my children foods that will ensure that they  hopefully never have to deal with cancer.

That being said, kids do like certain things and working moms do want the lunches to be affordable and easy. I am going to list a few ideas for children who have no dietary restrictions due to lifestyle choices or allergies. Most lunch boxes today are insulated with ice packs and so it is easy to take things that need to stay cool. 

The good old sandwich is the first thing that comes to mind. Most kids like sandwiches. I have found organic nut butters to be a delicious and healthy protein. Whether it is peanut, almond, or hazelnut, a good nut butter with no added sugar, or sweetened naturally with pure maple syrup or honey, is delicious on a good organic bread such as Ezekiel. Whole grain breads are loaded with fiber and nutrient rich. There are many great choices. One of the best things you can do for your child is to never buy white bread again. 

When buying sandwich meats our family loves Sara Lee all natural, low sodium, hormone free, nitrate and nitrite free turkey. Cooking some organic chicken at home and making chopped chicken is very good for sandwiches too. Swiss cheese is the best sliced cheese you can purchase. It is the lowest in sodium and contains substantial amounts of Vit A, protein and calcium while also remaining low in fat. However, I do prefer to buy cheese by the block. Pre-sliced and shredded cheeses contain additives. I do not use mayonnaise, but mustard is actually a healthy choice. In case you did not know, mustard contains the miracle spice TURMERIC which gives it the golden color. Add things like lettuce or spinach leaves, tomato, sprouts and avocado if they are not picky. If they will eat a veggie sandwich, even better! My young cavemen need their meat.

Sorry, but I just don't feel that there are any chips I would recommend. To satisfy the need to "crunch" I pack fresh organic fruit such as apples or grapes, vegetables such as organic baby carrots and celery sticks, nuts or granola. We buy large bags of all natural almonds salted lightly with sea salt and everyone loves those. We have also grown very fond of certain organic varieties of Clif bars and KIND granola. Make batches of your own healthy dried fruit and nut trail mix. 

My kids love their dairy so Stonyfield organic yogurt cups are a great choice for them as well as cubed cheese. We make sure to buy all natural cheese from grass-fed pastured cows. Kerrygold is a great brand and is some of the best cheese we have ever tasted. Grass-fed dairy is hormone and steroid free and contains higher quantities of nutrients a growing child needs. I do not buy anything that contains added hormones or steroids. Just stop and think for a moment about how this can positively affect your children.

Finally, we must not forget their drink. Here is where a lot of kids may not be thrilled, but if mine can adjust I know that it is possible for all. No juice boxes! I just don't trust any of them. I mean, it wasn't long ago that we found out that NAKED juice, one of the top and most expensive brands, contained formaldehyde! The kids need WATER...pure natural spring water. I don't even trust filtered or purified. Do a little reading on the various types of drinking water and I think you will come to the same conclusion.

As a final comment, those who know me, know that I love to bake and often make treats for my kids. If you have the time, of course! lets show the kids some love and give them something to put a big smile on their face. I enjoy baking loaves of banana bread, pumpkin bread, blueberry bread, sweet potato bread, etc. sweetened with all natural things such as raw local honey, pure maple syrup, and organic coconut sugar. I use organic and whole grain flours, flaxseed, organic farmhouse eggs, organic butter, etc. It is super easy and just imagine your child at school saying " LOOK, my mom made homemade  banana bread...YUM"  Next time I bake I will be sure to take some step-by-step photos and post a recipe!