Back to school means new classes and books, so why give kids the same old lunch? Chef Mareya Ibrahim known as The Fit Foodie, has some creative ideas to make that midday meal something special.
“Fit Food is really about making every bite count. So whether it’s chips, or macaroni and cheese, there’s something in it that is actually feeding you to the core,” said Ibrahim.
That something she is talking about is often produce. So the first tip: Get prep done early in the week.
“We’ll wash all of our produce. We’ll cut it up, get it all prepped so literally the refrigerator ends up looking like a salad bar,” said Ibrahim.
Then you should enlist the help of your kids.
“I love to bring them into the kitchen because studies show that when you do that, they’re going to be far more accepting of the food,” Ibrahim said.
She also feels they’re going to be much more adventurous making food on their own too.
And you might want to think outside the box, or bag so to speak, because it’s not necessary to have a traditional sandwich.
“It can be so many other things, and kids love crafts. They love putting things together and this type of food assembly is almost like craft time but with food you know,” said Ibrahim.
She suggests pairing brightly colored fruit or vegetable skewers with dip, like Hummus for veggies or chocolate-avocado mousse for fruit.
How about a take on sushi? Take flaxseed bread with onion-flavored Greek yogurt cheese, spread with avocado and cucumber. Then roll it up and slice like a sushi roll.
And what looks like guacamole is actually a quinoa mac n’ cheese made with fresh spinach puree and put into cupcake liners for an easy way to eat.
Along with the great food, remember to pack in planet-friendly bags, bottles and containers that make it easy to serve and reuse.