Don’t forget to pay it forward when packing your kids’ lunchboxes

Published Aug 29, 2024  •  4 minute read

Ham and Pea Mac and Cheese Photo by supplied photo

Before you know it, it’s all about going back-to-school. Along with new shoes, new clothing and the latest in tech toys, time to once again consider what to pack for a kid’s lunch.

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What should a child’s school meal include? Research shows there are four main features to consider: a starch, a protein, a vegetable and a fruit.

Perhaps there should be a fifth feature: Compassion.

As sure as one child is hauling a healthy meal with snacks for school, there’s another child going to school hungry, or with the sparsest of necessities.

According to recent Food Banks of Canada stats, children “represent 400,000 visits to food banks in Canada each month.” It’s a given children have the greatest need.

The Breakfast Club of Canada reports that one in three children are at risk of going to school on an empty stomach.

The organization, who works with partners from all sectors to deliver a high-quality national school food program, says that “nutrition plays a key role in overall health, wellbeing, and learning capabilities of children and youth,” and that every student should have access to that.

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“Feeding children is feeding the future,” is the company’s calling card and they do so by working with a variety of companies (Hamilton-Beach products, for example, donates small kitchen appliances, like blenders, to help out. They’re just one of many companies who get involved.)

What can families do? Pack a little extra in a child’s lunch – a fruit, a bar, some packaged protein – and pay it forward. Teach your children well to share the bounty. And teach how to share with dignity and grace – getting to know their classmates and seeing who is sitting by themselves, or missing lunch again.

Thanks to all the food shows, kids have a natural culinary curiosity – they want to know what others are eating. This can be the perfect segue into paying it forward. They’ll certainly want to swap and, given the right guidance from family and friends – they’ll want to share.

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This back-to-school season, pack a little extra and teach your kids to pay it forward. The rewards will be immeasurable.

Here are a couple of recipes to help you get started.

Lunchtime Pinwheel Sandwiches

This recipe uses Pesto Whipped Feta Dip, courtesy of Tre Stelle cheese, but we also offer alternative below.

2 tortilla wraps

1/2 cup Pesto Whipped Feta Dip*

2-3 cups spinach

3-4 slices lean deli t Turkey

3-4 slices crisp bacon, chopped

Lay out both wraps and evenly spread dip onto each one. Evenly distribute spinach between the two tortillas, followed by slices of. Turkey and bacon. Tightly roll up each wrap, tucking in ends as you go.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1/2 hour. Remove and with a small, serrated knife cut each wrap into 1/2 thick rounds. You should get around 14-16 pinwheels, 7-9 per wrap. Ready for your child’s lunchbox.

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*Make your own dip: Thoroughly blend 1 Tbsp. prepared pesto with 1/4 cup cream cheese and 1/4 cup crumbled feta. Add 1 Tbsp. prepared mayo. Reserve leftovers in fridge and use in 1 week.

Ham & Pea Mac & Cheese

A simple, delish meal that kids will love in their lunchboxes and is perfect for dinner, too. Adapted from a recipe by Hamilton Beach.

1 tetra pack (32oz) container chicken broth

1 pkg. (500 g) elbow macaroni

1 small onion, finely minced

2 cups chopped ham

1 cup light cream

1 cup frozen peas, rinsed

4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 Tbsp. brown mustard

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Heat oven to 350F. Spray a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring broth to a boil. Add macaroni to broth, stirring frequently, about 12 minutes, or until most of broth is absorbed. Reduce heat to low and add minced onion, light cream, peas, mustard, black pepper and three cups cheese. Stir until well blended and creamy. Pour into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining one cup of cheese. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes, or until heated through. Note – you can remove cover and low-broil 3 minutes.

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Pack-A-Pizza

Kids love pizza, even cold pizza! Use pizza shells or Greek-style pitas. Feel free to substitute vegetables of your child’s choice. Recipe courtesy of Foodland Ontario. Serves 4.

4 individual pizza shells (about 6-1/2-inches diameter) or Greek-style pitas

1 cup tomato sauce or pizza sauce

1 cup sliced zucchini

1 cup chopped sweet red pepper

1 cup sliced mushrooms

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Spread each pizza shell with 1/4 cup tomato sauce. Sprinkle 1/4 cup each zucchini, red pepper and mushrooms over each. Bake in 400F oven for about 20 minutes or until bubbly. Remove from oven. Sprinkle each with about 3/4 cup mozzarella. Cool, wrap for lunchboxes, or refrigerate or freeze.

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