Sandwiches are a very popular lunch item. They are easy, versatile, portable and can be so nutritious.
February 9, 2010
Jackson’s Lunch:
- Chicken and Spinach Sandwich
- Broccoli with Roasted Garlic
- Pear Slices
- Cheese Stick
No doubt about it, sandwiches are popular lunch items. In fact, most parents I’ve talked to say they send peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to school with their children on a pretty regular basis. I have nothing against a good* pb & j, but they’re out of the question for Jackson’s packed lunch since his school is peanut free. No matter, the sandwich possibilities are endless.
Marketresearch.com says it best when they declare that if an American thinks up something to eat, it will eventually be tucked between two slices of bread. That’s great news for us folks who pack lunches daily and like variety. Apparently, anything goes!
Sandwiches are easy, versatile, extremely portable and can be very nutritious; however, I tend to get stuck in sandwich ruts now and then. And judging from the amount of pb & j sandwiches I’ve heard are being sent, I’m not the only one.
When I’m feeling stuck, I try to challenge myself a little. I often try to re-do something common like fresh tuna salad instead of canned, curried chicken salad instead of traditional, or biscuits or English muffins instead of sliced bread. I have peanut butter on hand, but I also keep almond and sunflower seed butters in the fridge for a subtle change (Jackson likes almond butter and raisin sandwiches which is a fun twist on pb & j).
For today’s sandwich, I stepped only slightly off the path by using spinach instead of lettuce on Jackson’s sandwich, but I’m always excited to try something new when it comes to what is tucked between the bread slices.
Yesterday on the blog’s Facebook fan page, Kristen Danek mentioned loving peanut butter and chocolate chip sandwiches. I love rethinking the common; it can make lunch so much more interesting and fun. And when it comes to feeding kids, interesting and fun are almost always winners!
* Many peanut butter brands have partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats) and sugar added to them. So make sure to read the ingredient lists and opt for brands made with only peanuts and maybe a little salt if plain peanuts are too bland.
Better yet, make your own nut butters. All you need is a food processor and roasted nuts of any variety. Dump the nuts into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and let it rip! Scrape down the bowl every now and then. It may take a few minutes, but you’ll soon have nut butter, and fresh is so good (and almost always cheaper)! Store in the fridge.
