LilSugar

School Year's Resolutions: Eco-Friendly Lunch Boxes

LilSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Brown paper bags are so passe. Make sure your child isn't outcasted at the earth-friendly lunch table by buying them an eco-friendly lunch box that helps reduce waste. Unlike the green lunch carriers of years past, today's bags are cute, kid-friendly, and serve many purposes. Check out a few of our favorites:

Kids Konserve lunch kit comes with a stainless-steel bottle, two stainless-steel containers with leak-proof plastic lids, a reusable baggie, a cloth napkin, and both a recycled aluminum name tag and recycled cotton lunch sack all made from nonleaching, BPA-free, lead-free and phthalate-free materials.
Munchlers Backpacks come in three cute polypropylene designs that unzip right into a place mat. The insulated bags easily fit lunch and a beverage.
The Lunchsense Lunchbox Set is BPA, PVC, and phthalate free, and comes with four food containers, a drink bottle, and a reusable ice pack. It opens up flat so it can be used as a place mat as well.
The lead, PVC, BPA and phthalate free Gator Tots Lunch Bag is large enough for a large lunch and keeps foods cool throughout the day. Its retro fabrics make it fun to look at too.
Cartoon and movie-loving tots will love Zak Design's phthalate-free lunch totes that feature every character from Spiderman to High School Musical.
Crocodile Creek's fun designs are a great alternative to character-driven ones. The eco-friendly bags even have an outside pocket for notes, utensils, or extra lunch money.
The Land's End Critter Lunch Box is a classic that has been lead and PVC-free for years.
Fleurville's Lunch Pak functions like a backpack that is insulated and ready to hold a midday meal. The lean and PVC-free bag also has storage compartments for holding projects from school.

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Ecotot: Kids Konserve

LilSugar — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:00:01 -0700

Think about all the disposable goods that go into a packed school lunch - plastic baggies, aluminum foil, wrappers and often times, a paper bag. Children each generate an average of 67 pounds of lunchtime trash every year. Chance Claxton and Lynn Julian, founders of Kids Konserve, were appalled when they read that statistic. Taking lunch into their own hands, they created a re-usable and waste-free lunch system that appealed to both parents and kids.

Their Signature Waste-Free Lunch Kit ($40) comes with a stainless steel bottle, two stainless steel containers with leak proof plastic lids, a reusable baggie for items like sandwiches, cheese and cut apples, a cloth napkin, and both a recycled aluminum name tag and recycled cotton lunch sack. All of the kits products are made from non-leaching, BPA-free, lead-free and phthalate-free materials. To continue educating tots about the benefits of recycling, the company has also launched the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge, offering schools the opportunity to sell the kits and earn 25 percent of each sale. With Earth Day just two days away, switching to a reusable lunch kit may be the easiest way to begin greening your life.

A Few of Lil's Favorite Things: September

LilSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:00:00 -0700

Send your kids back to school with a hardy lunch in hand. While your children may be focused on hitting the books, there's no time like the present to make sure they are mindful of the world around them. Help them choose an Eco-friendly lunch box or lunch sack to tote and store their mid-day meal. These reusable options are economical as you won't have to invest in any brown paper bags and environmentally conscious since they make for limited debris. Don't forget to tell your tots to toss their leftovers in the compost bin.

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Lil Tip: Cool Lunches

babysugar — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:00:08 -0700

When you send your tot off to school with a sack lunch, your goal is to give your babe the best eats possible.

While those cute lunch totes may appear to do the job, use an old baby toy for extra insurance.

Toss old teething rings (cleaned off of course!) into the freezer. When it's time to send princess off to school, grab one of the iced toys and place it into her lunch box. She'll be pleasantly surprised when her yogurt and apple slices are just as chilled as they are at home.
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10 Healthy Ways to Jazz Up the Lunch Box

LilSugar — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 04:00:06 -0700

Banish cafeteria meals with some creative ideas that will have school kids looking forward to mom's lunchtime surprises. Now that your lil one has a lunch box that helps reduce waste throughout the year, fill it with food that he will want to gobble down, rather than toss. With a little forethought and a few tools, those lunch sacks will be filled with healthy meals that are the envy of everyone at the table.

Do you have a healthy lunch recipe that your tots love? Share it with other lunch making mamas in The Children's Table group on the LilSugar Community!

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Lil Treasures: Lunch Box Surprises

LilSugar — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 07:00:02 -0800

Don't let school lunches become as routine as a line-up of classes, surprise your kids by putting a few fun edible treats in their lunch bags. And, always make sure they are age appropriate.

Shaped Sandwiches - Turn your child's favorite sandwich, be it peanut butter and jelly or ham and cheese into an extraordinary one using stainless steel cookie cutters to make them into hearts, stars and animals.
Cereal Chain - String naturally colored fruit loops or Cheerios on a piece of unflavored dental floss to create a necklace or bracelet.
Mini Quiche - There's nothing like a lil brunch for lunch, make the quiche bite-sized using mini muffin pans or the pre-made appetizer pastry cups available at most grocers.
Scoops of Fruit - Rather than having the kids fuss with peels, pits and rinds, use a melon baller to make their favorite fruit medley.

And, for that added touch, tuck a note in wishing them luck on a test or just to say that you're hoping they are having a good day.
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Lil Find: Beetle Spoon and Spork

babysugar — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:00:16 -0700

Youngsters love to find unexpected treats hidden in their lunch boxes. While cupcakes and cookies are probably the most sought after treasures, your wee one may be pleasantly surprised to find one of these nifty Beetle Sporks ($10) in their package of tasty and nutritional eats.

Tots can easily take the funky bug and unfold the wings to create a spoon or fork for their meal. When grub time comes to a close, the beetle folds back up and stows away for another day's use.

School Year's Resolutions: Lunch Box Makeovers

LilSugar — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 05:00:34 -0700

You've moved from brown bagging munchies to an eco-friendly lunch bag, so now it's time to upgrade its contents! Get out of the everyday sandwich rut and start getting creative with what you pack to sustain your kids.

Shape up. Simply changing the shape of the food you are packing can make a big difference. Use cookie cutters to create sandwiches that will put a smile on your lil one's face.
Roll it up. Use creative "packaging" to put a sandwich together. Wraps and pitas can add some interest to the lunch box, as can turning an ordinary tuna sandwich into a sushi-style roll.
Put it on a stick. String some fruit and veggies onto a stick for a mini-kabob that looks more enticing than fruit in a baggie.
Repurpose dinner. Cook up some extra pasta at night and mix it with fresh vegetables and some protein to make a tasty cold noodle salad.
Build it up. Put the ingredients for a nutritious sandwich in the lunch bag and allow the kiddos to build their own creation, in the order they want.
Make it brunch. French toast and fruit salad can easily make their way into the lunch box for a fun alternative.

For some added inspiration, check out these books filled with lunch-bag-ready recipes.

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Interview with Annabel Karmel: Liven Up the Lunch Box

LilSugar — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 07:00:06 -0700

Yesterday, we discussed fussy eaters with the London- based cookbook author, Annabel Karmel, and today we're talking books.

If you have a school-aged child, you know that the morning routine of getting everyone up and dressed, fed and packed for school leaves little time for creativity.

Lunch Boxes and Snacks, which hit book stores in January, takes parents beyond the peanut butter and jelly or tuna sandwiches with tips and healthy recipes to liven up your child’s lunchbox.

Recipes range from sandwich alternatives like Kiddie Sushi-Style Rolls to cold pasta salads, like Mummy’s Ramen Noodles, to ethnic alternatives like Spanish Omelets with Potatoes, Zucchini and Tomatoes.

To find these recipes and hear what Annabel had to say about snacks, read more.

Annabel says snack time is a prime opportunity to introduce lil ones to nutrient rich and new foods.

One way to accomplish this is with Trail Mix Bars, like the recipe here:

Trail Mix Bars
Lunch Boxes and Snacks by Annabel Karmel

Ingredients

4 TBS unsalted butter
3 TBS honey
1 1/3 cups quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup Cheerios
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup salted peanuts or pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 tsp salt

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325F. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment or other baking paper and lightly grease.

Put the butter and honey in a small saucepan and heat gently until the better has melted. Set aside to cool.

Put the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the cooled butter mixture and mix well. Transfer to the prepared pan and press down firmly with a potato masher. Bake for 30 minutes or until the center is just firm to the touch.

Allow to cool for 15 minutes, then mark into eight bars, using a sharp knife. Allow to cool completely before lifting from the pan. Store in an airtight container.

Makes 8 bars.

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A sandwich alternative can be made with the following recipes:

Kiddie Sushi-Style Rolls
Lunch Boxes and Snacks by Annabel Karmel

Ingredients

2 slices white bread, crusts removed
half a 6-ounce can tuna in oil, drained
2 TBS mayonnaise
1 1/2 TBS ketchup
2 drops Tabasco sauce (or to taste)
2-inch piece of cucumber, cut into strips
2-inch piece of carrot, peeled and coarsely grated

Directions
Using a rolling pin, flatten the bread until it is about 1/4 inch thick.

Mix the tuna together with 1 TBS of the mayonnaise, the ketchup, and the Tabasco. Spread the remaining 1 TBS mayonnaise over the bread and then spoon the tuna in a line about 1/2 inch from one edge of each slice. Arrange the cucumber strips on one side of the tuna and the grated carrot on the other side. Roll up from the filled end and press down to seal. Trim the ends to neaten using a sharp knife, then cut into three little rolls.

You can prepare this the night before, wrap the rolls in plastic wrap, then cut each one into three pieces in the morning.

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Spanish Omelet with Potatoes, Zucchini and Tomato
Lunch Boxes and Snacks by Annabel Karmel

Ingredients

4-6 baby Yukon Gold potatoes
1 TBS olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 zucchini, diced or grated
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
4 eggs
1 TBS milk
2 TBS grated Parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil, add the potatoes, reduce the water to a simmer, and cook the potatoes for about 12 minutes until tender. Drain, allow to cool and then slice.

Heat the oil in an ovenproof non-stick medium frying pan. Add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the zucchini and sauté for another 6 minutes (4 minutes if using grated zucchini). When the zucchini is cooked, add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the sliced potatoes.

Beat the eggs together with the milk, Parmesan and a little seasoning. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables and cook over medium heat for about 4 minutes until the underside of the eggs has set. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler to high. Place the frying pan under the broiler with the oven door open and the handles sticking out and cook for about 3 minutes until golden and set. Slice the omelet out onto a plate. When the omelet is cold, cut into wedges and wrap in foil.

Makes 6 portions.

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Mummy's Ramen Noodles
Lunch Boxes and Snacks by Annabel Karmel

Ingredients

6 ounces fine Chinese-style dried egg noodles or straight-to-the-wok fine thread noodles
1 cup chicken broth
1 TBS dark soy sauce
1/3 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup canned or frozen corn
2/3 cup shredded cooked chicken
1 scallion, thinly sliced (optional)
1 tsp cornstarch

Directions
Cook the noodles according to the package directions (or uses precooked noodles). Drain and set aside. Put the broth, soy sauce, peas, corn and chicken in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the scallion (if using) Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 2 tsp cold water and add to the contents of the pan. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until the liquid thickens slightly. Add the noodles and reheat briefly, stirring. Transfer to a bowl and serve, or use individual plastic cups.

Makes 2 portions.

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Lil Links: Looks Like Ryder Might Become a Big Brother

babysugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:30:18 -0700

Does Ryder Robinson have a sibling on the way? - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Jessica and Honor white out before Labor Day strikes - Celebrity Baby Blog
The food police strike again! - CafeMom
Bad dad gets 42 years - ParentDish
Bento boxes make lunch fun - Cool Mom Picks
Broke guy day care caught on film - The Poop
20 ways to end homework hassle - Parenting
Crafty labor day cleaning basket - Alpha Mom