Pasta is a great alternative to the everyday sandwich, and also an excellent source of energy for active kids. Throw in some chicken and veggies, and you've got a healthy, well-balanced dish to go. Talk about a power lunch!
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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