Build Healthy Kids | Tools for Healthy Eating

Tools for Healthy Eating

Eating healthy doesn’t have to include hard-to-find, expensive ingredients or hours of prep time. We show you how easy it is to plan healthy lunches, breakfasts and snacks.

Recipes

These recipes were designed to be kid friendly. Except for slicing and grating vegetables, children will be able to make most of these lunches with ease.

Teaching your child how to assemble a healthy lunch is empowering for them and goes a long way towards ensuring that they eat it.
Stackers
Ingredients:
10 Whole grain crackers
1 slice (1 oz) fat free cheese
1 slice (1 oz) deli meat, turkey, chicken, ham or beef

Shopping List:
Deli Meat
Fat free cheese
Whole grain crackers

Instructions:
Assemble at school:
• Place the crackers in a container so they don’t crumble. Cut the cheese and meat into small pieces to fit on the crackers and place in another container with an ice pack.

Assemble at home:
• Cut the meat and cheese in small pieces. Stack cheese and meat on top of a cracker and top with another cracker. This will make 5 stackers.

Roll Ups:
Ingredients:
6 inch whole wheat tortilla
1 Tablespoon light mayonnaise
2 slices (2 oz) chicken, turkey, ham OR 1 slice (1 oz) meat and 1 slice (1 oz) cheese
Favorite vegetables- 2 leaves of lettuce, 1 carrot and/or 2 slices of tomato

Shopping List:
Whole wheat tortillas
Light mayonnaise
Deli meat: turkey, chicken, ham
Fat free cheese
Lettuce
Carrots
Tomatoes

Instructions:
• Place tortilla on table and spread mayonnaise
• Place meat and/or cheese
• Add as many vegetables as desired: lettuce, grated carrots, and tomatoes
• Start at one end and roll tightly
• Wrap in plastic wrap or place in airtight container with ice pack

Pita Pockets:
Ingredients:
4 inch small pita pocket or 1⁄2 of a large pita pocket
1 Tablespoon light vinaigrette or mustard
2 leaves of lettuce
1 carrot
2 slices of tomato
1 1⁄2 slices (1 1⁄2 oz) fat free cheese

Shopping List:
4 inch small pita pockets or large pita pockets
Light vinaigrette or mustard
Lettuce
Carrots
Tomatoes
Fat free cheese
* This can be made with tuna fish (limit to once a week due to mercury content) or sliced deli meat as well.

Instructions:
• Cut a large pita pocket in half or cut the top off of a small one.
• Place lettuce, grated carrots and sliced tomatoes in the bottom
• Sprinkle vinaigrette on top of the vegetables
• Add cheese
• Wrap in plastic wrap or place in hard plastic container with ice pack

Nut Chocolate Roll:
Ingredients:
6 inch whole wheat tortilla
15 chocolate chips
1 Tablespoon soy butter, almond butter or peanut butter

Shopping List:
Whole wheat tortillas
Semi-sweet chocolate baking chips
Nut butter- almond, soy, sesame seed or peanut (choose soy or sesame seed butter if your child is restricted from bringing nut butters due to allergies at school or camp. Soy is a legume, not a nut)

Instructions:
• Place tortilla on table and spread with soy, sesame seed or nut butter
• Sprinkle chocolate chips on top
• You can add the fruit serving for lunch in here as well; a banana or sliced apples work well. Just make sure to make it in the morning so that they do not turn brown and mushy.
• Start at one end and roll up tightly
• Wrap in plastic wrap or place in air tight container

Orange Marinated Tofu and Rice
Ingredients:
1⁄2 cup firm tofu
1 tsp low sodium soy sauce
1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon orange juice
1⁄2 cup brown rice
1 Tablespoon scallions

Shopping List:
Firm tofu
Low sodium soy sauce
Garlic powder
Orange juice
Brown rice
Scallions
Instructions:
• Remove tofu from package, cut in 4 slices (1/2 inch slices) and blot dry
• Place soy sauce, garlic and orange juice in a small bowl and whisk
• Add marinade to tofu in a shallow pan and marinate for at least 1⁄2 hour, flipping it at least once
• Place tofu slices on oiled cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes
• Cut up tofu into bite size pieces when cooled (can be stored in refrigerator for up to 3 days)
• Prepare brown rice as instructed on box or bag
• Place 1⁄2 cup brown rice in airtight container and sprinkle scallions on top
• In the same container as the rice or in a separate container place cooked tofu, add ice pack and go
• * A great addition would be to add stirred fried broccoli to this dish. Steam broccoli first until firm, not soft, then stir-fry in a pan with a small amount of olive oil (1 tsp) and the leftover marinade for 5 minutes.