As another school year kicks off, parents everywhere will soon face the often-difficult balancing act of packing lunchboxes with nutritious meals that their children will actually eat. Patrick Yarborough of Manda Fine Meats says creating a quick meal that children — or busy adults — will look forward to at lunchtime isn’t as difficult as you might imagine. It just takes a little thought and planning.
“Your lunches will work out best if you keep it simple, stick to quality ingredients and aren’t afraid to get a little creative,” Yarborough says. “The classics like peanut butter and jelly or turkey and cheese are fine, but it’s nice to mix it up once in a while.”
Here are a few easy-to-make but inventive recipes that are sure to be a hit in the lunchroom or the break room.
Turkey Bacon Ranch Wrap
An excellent option for when it’s time for a break from sandwiches, this wrapped offering features Manda Honey Cured Turkey Breast, which works nicely with the bold flavors of bacon and ranch dressing.
Manda Honey Cured Turkey Breast, sliced
Manda Bacon, cooked and chopped
American cheese, sliced
Lettuce, chopped
Tomato, seeded and chopped
Flour tortilla
Ranch salad dressing
Mix your lettuce with a small amount of ranch dressing, just enough for a little flavor. Lay a tortilla on a plate and add turkey, bacon, cheese, ranch-coated lettuce and chopped tomato (if your kids will eat it). For best results, chop your bacon into bite-sized pieces. Roll the tortilla and cut in half.
Waldorf Chicken Salad with Crackers
This low-carb classic can be made the night before for maximum convenience.
Mix all of the ingredients together and add salt and pepper to taste. Chill in the refrigerator overnight. When it’s time to pack your lunchbox, fill a small container with the chicken salad and pack it along with crackers. Be sure to add a plastic spoon or a plastic knife for spreading onto crackers.
Note: This recipe is great using cooked rotisserie chicken; simply chop 2 cups of the breast meat and use it in place of the canned chicken.
Mini Hawaiian Ham Rolls
These fun little sandwich rolls rely on the classic combination of ham and pineapple for a sweet and savory blend of flavor that is tied together by cream cheese.
Manda Ham, sliced
Sweet Hawaiian rolls
Cream cheese, softened
1 can crushed pineapple
Slice the rolls in half lengthwise so you can open them like a bun. Combine the softened cream cheese and pineapple and spread the mixture on the buns, then add ham. You can always replace the pineapple and cream cheese with any type of sliced cheese if you don’t think your little ones will like the pineapple.
Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich
For a meatless but still filling lunch, this kid-pleasing sandwich is hard to top. A drizzle of honey can add a touch of sweetness that cuts through the rich peanut butter and banana flavors.
Whole-wheat bread, sliced
Peanut butter
Banana
Honey (optional)
Spread peanut butter on each slice of bread. Slice a banana. Put the banana slices on one slice of bread. If you’d like to add a little extra sweetness, apply a drizzle of honey over the bananas. Top with the other slice of bread. Cut your sandwich in half.
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