My name is Jasmin. I am a foodie, family chef, nutritionist, wife and mother of two. My journey to health began with getting my undergraduate degree in nutrition. At the time I wasn’t sure what type of career I wanted, but I knew that my future included living a healthy lifestyle and raising a healthy family.

When I became a mother, I thought my education and experience in helping hundreds of individuals eat healthier provided me with the tools to raise perfect eaters. Boy was I wrong! My cooking skills and PATIENCE have been put through the ringer. I have spent countless of hours on blogs, reading books, reviewing recipes and searching grocery stores for meal and snack ideas that are not only healthy, but also affordable.

My goal with this blog is to provide practical tips and advice on shopping for and making healthy food in order to help families build a healthier eating home. I see this blog as an opportunity to exchange ideas and information and I encourage readers to share their thoughts, advice and concerns related to my posts.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Healthy School Lunches


It’s nearly November and the time of year when I start to get in a school lunch packing rut. I pack my kids lunches 4 days a week (I actually let them have pizza on Fridays). My daughter hates sandwiches and my son could live off of PB&J and carrot sticks. Their diet is 95% vegetarian, so packing school lunches isn’t an easy feat.

Now that many children will be begging for candy every day for the next 1-2 weeks, it is time to refocus and update our approach to packed school lunches. Here are three quick and affordable healthy menus that will refresh your child’s school lunchbox:

Mexican Munchies

·      Low-fat refried bean and cheese quesadilla slices on whole wheat tortillas  
·      Apple slices
·      Shredded carrot, craisin and raisin salad (simply toss 2-3 tablespoons of shredded carrots with a teaspoon each of craisins and raisins)
PBA on the FLY

·      PBA (peanut butter and thin apple slices) on whole wheat bread
·      1/2 cup of Mandarin oranges
·      1/4 cup unsalted pretzels
Strip and Dip

·      Grilled chicken strips (perfect to make from leftovers, these could also be substituted with soy chicken, tempeh or tofu)
·      Low-fat honey mustard dressing or BBQ sauce
·      Baby carrots
·      1 cup air popped popcorn (no butter or salt)
·      Unsweetened dried apple rings




FYI: Looking for an environmentally friendly, BPA free, functional and sturdy lunchbox? I use laptop lunches systems. I bought these Bento type lunch boxes for my kids two years ago. I put them in the dishwasher 4 days a week and they are still in great condition. You can choose to upgrade to a system that includes a carrier and water bottle. I am a food safety freak and love that the carriers include a mesh pocket for an ice pack. The best part is if your child loses a lid, the water bottle or a container, you can order new ones on their website. They are pricey, but considering the quality, they are definitely worth the investment.
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