Best Lunch Box Ever (31 page)

HANDING YOUR CHILD A SNACK
is often the first interaction you have with them after they've been at school all day. You want them to love it, and you want to feel good about what you feed them. These scrumptious snacks do both. Since after-school noshing often takes place heading from one activity to the next, portability is key. It's also nice to have options that can be made ahead of time rather than pulled together at the last minute. Look for the “make ahead notes” at the bottom of each recipe, which spells out which ones work on the go and which can be assembled in advance.

10
TIDE-ME-OVERS

HARD-BOILED EGGS
are the perfect food: portable, nutritious, and filling. One egg packs in high-quality protein, iron, and a number of other nutrients, at only 70 calories a pop. This technique for boiling them is pretty simple and prevents the yolk from developing the green rim that some kids find off-putting. I like to cook several at once for breakfasts, lunches, and snacks.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

4 eggs

Have ready a large bowl of ice water.

Put eggs in a pot large enough to accommodate them and cover by 1 inch with water. Set over high heat and bring to a rolling boil. Cover the pot and remove from the heat. Wait for 12 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggs to the ice water to cool for 1 minute or so. Store in a container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

MAKE AHEAD NOTES:
highly portable; a good make-ahead option.

POOR COTTAGE CHEESE . . .
 if you can look past its humble curds, you'll find something both nourishing and satisfying. This recipe was my grandmother's, and my mother always made it when we had company. My kids gobble it down, just as I did, using crackers and crunchy vegetables to do the scooping.

MAKES 2 OR 3 SERVINGS

1 cup low-fat cottage cheese

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1
¹
/
₂
tablespoons minced fresh parsley

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

Freshly ground pepper

Whole-grain crackers and/or sliced bell peppers, celery, or carrots

In a small bowl, add the cottage cheese, mayonnaise, parsley, onion, and a few generous grinds of pepper and stir until combined.

Serve with crackers and/or vegetables.

MAKE AHEAD NOTES:
portable; a good make-ahead option. For an on-the-go snack, pack the cottage cheese in one container and the crackers or veggies in another.

THIS RECIPE
takes what has to be one of the all time kid-favorites—quesadillas—and adds a flavorful spin with Italian cheeses, fresh basil, and sun-dried tomatoes. It calls for sliced rather than grated cheese since that's how provolone is often sold. While best hot out of the pan, it's still tasty at room temp for kids on the run. Be sure to cook the tortillas until they are good and crispy, and let the quesadilla cool for a minute or so before digging in so the hot and bubbly cheese doesn't burn little mouths.

MAKES 2 SERVINGS

2 thin slices provolone cheese

Two 8-inch whole-wheat flour tortillas

2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese

4 large oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

4 medium fresh basil leaves, each torn into 3 or 4 pieces

¹
/
₃
cup loosely packed baby spinach

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Tear one slice of provolone into eight pieces and lay them evenly over one tortilla. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the provolone. Scatter the sun-dried tomatoes over the cheeses, followed by the basil leaves and the spinach. Tear the remaining slice of provolone into eight pieces and lay them over everything else. Top with the remaining tortilla.

In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Put the quesadilla in the pan and cook until golden brown and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. With a wide spatula, carefully flip the quesadilla and cook until the second side is browned, about 2 minutes.

Transfer the quesadilla to a cutting board and let cool for a few minutes. Cut into six wedges.