As school starts out, the peak summer harvest is going strong. I like to use a combination of traditional sandwiches, salads and other leftovers for school aged and high school aged kids. Sandwich bread varies based on what the kids’ taste. I tend toward country bread, whole grain, and sprouted breads. There are gluten-free bread options and even lettuce wraps. And of course, a sandwich is not mandatory. In fact, one of my daughters brought her lunch every day and never made a sandwich. She claimed the bread was too soggy by lunch.
Here’s a really quick run-down of my kids’ favorite Fall School Lunches:
- Leftover grilled zucchini, pesto, and goat cheese sandwiches as mentioned previously on the Chef-K Blog.
- Chicken breast, sliced with caramelized onions (left over from another recipe). – An alternative to onions might be an olive tapenade (chopped olives with some herbs) or roasted pepper spread.
- Salad for Fall School Lunches
- Lettuce: (romaine is better holds better than tender greens for packed lunches).
- Put any sliced meats in a separate container, but do add lots of raw veggies of choice, carrots, green or red onion, radishes, and zucchini. If I’m making lunch, I just add whatever vegetables are on hand.
- Vegetarian option: add cheese, nuts, or seeds. I especially like pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
- Dressing goes in a separate container and is added at lunch time.
We’ll pop up another school winter lunch article later in the year. Watch for it.
– Laurie Zerga
Founder, Chef-K Inc.
