By Patrice Powers-Barker, OSU Extension, Lucas County
The Truth Contributor
It’s back-to-school time and although we might be focused on kids’ lunches, packing a lunch for ourselves can be a cost-saving strategy. The following tips can be used for kids’ lunches but maybe they eat lunch provided at school – that is convenient!
What about all the other times of the day when we need to eat but we’re not by our refrigerator? For families with kids, this might be the times before or between school hours when extracurricular activities take place. For those without kids at home, are there meals you eat at work or between other responsibilities? What are your go-to strategies? While many of us might pull through a drive-through for convenience, I am suggesting that we can make our on-the-go food more convenient, healthy, and cost efficient for ourselves.
Like planning other meals, use MyPlate to make sure you eat foods from all five food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, milk, and protein. Opt for foods that do not have to be refrigerated. Many whole fruits like apples, oranges, and bananas are naturally packaged to go. Peanut butter or other nut butters go well on a sandwich or with a side of crackers or as a dip for pretzels. Or grab a serving of nuts like almonds or walnuts and some dried fruit. Easy to toss into a lunch bag or pocket of a work bag.
For food that needs to be kept cold, use a small ice pack. Anytime perishable food is out of the refrigerator for more than two hours, the risk of microorganism growth increases. If it’s a child’s packed meal, you can freeze juice boxes to be used to keep it cold and then drink with the meal or snack. Encourage your children to be part of the decision-making process by planning their lunches together.
Plan to use an ice pack with planned-overs. Consider making extra dinner the night before. For example, use leftover chicken in a sandwich for lunch the next day. Have you cooked a grain that would work well as a base for a cold salad the next day? Examples are pasta salad or a rice salad. Add the other ingredients to your grain and have lunch ready to package and store in the refrigerator for the next day.
Eating the same thing every day can get boring. Consider outside the box ideas from different cuisines. Try new or textures, flavors, and food combinations. Consider what you like to order for convenience from a restaurant – can you make something similar for your meals? If you do order at a restaurant that has large servings, consider saving half of it in the refrigerator and using it the next day for a meal on the go.
For cold days, warm up your favorite soup before leaving. Use that popular insulated travel mug as a soup sipping cup. Have a serving of crackers and a fruit ready to go. For times when you have access to a microwave or other appliance, what foods will travel well and reheat for when you’re away from home?
Think about when you most often eat meals or snacks on-the-go. What small steps can you take to makes those times healthier? Get those foods lined up for an easy, healthy week!
In person class: Universal Design for your Home and Garden. This free, community class is about making your space work well for you. We’ll talk about small shifts to make your space more accessible, easy-to-use and enjoyable. Although we’ll be talking about all living spaces – indoors and outdoors – one of the spaces we can usually modify in simple, as well as major ways is the kitchen! Does your space work well for you? Join us Thursday, September 12, 3:00 pm at Glass City Enrichment Center, 815 Front Street, Toledo, OH (on Front Street, in front of the Glass City Metropark, across from Waite High School and Burger King).