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Lunch Box: Sesame Pasta Chicken Salad

Broaden your kids' lunchroom horizons with this Asian pasta salad.

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Tips for Back to School

What's for Lunch

Parents know it can be a little tricky getting kids to dig into new dishes, but when the unknown contains something familiar like chicken and something fun like bow-tie pasta, kids will warm up to it.

Today's menu: a slightly exotic Asian sesame pasta chicken salad, along with a deliciously nutty fruit salad and ginger snap cookies made with whole wheat flour.

Serve with skim milk or water.

Lunch Box Logic

Make ahead. Bake the cookies ahead of time, freezing some if you like (to thaw, put in the fridge overnight). Bake and shred the chicken, boil pasta, and mix the dressing the night before--toss everything together in the morning. The fruit salad can be made the night before as well.
Make it lighter. Cut down the fat content of the pasta salad by reducing the vegetable oil to 1/3 or 1/4 cup.
Make it pack an even healthier punch. Add some carrots, snow peas, or celery to the pasta salad for some extra crunch (and vitamins!).
Make it different. Can't do the nuts? Leave those out of the fruit salad. Instead, pack some granola in a snack bag so they can add it at lunchtime.

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MrsLoCascio

Aug. 10, 2010 8:24 am

Or substitute "vegetable" oil with extra virgin olive oil made in Italy (made from ONE country, not several) and is 1st press. Olive oil is GOOD for you, people!! Replace that chemical-y "vegetable"/canola oil with olive oil!

Julia Cascais

Apr. 7, 2011 5:20 am

I totally agree with the olive oil substitute. Here in Portugal, we barely use so called vegetable oils. Olive oil is good for you and leaves the food so much more tastier!

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