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Lunch Boxes on a Shoe String
by Erica Armstrong
While your kids are small, it is a novelty to take a packed lunch from
home to school. But this does not last forever. Making a nutritious and
low cost packed lunch for one or more kids on a regular basis requires
organization. Keep in mind that it is possible to make a kids lunch box
for roughly half the cost of a school meal. And if your kid gets a home
cooked hot meal after school, or in the evening, plus a wholesome
breakfast, there is no reason that you need compromise on nutritional
values.
If you don’t want to spend money on a new lunch box then check out your
local thrift shops. Jumble/yard sales and church bazaars also routinely
have these for sale at give away prices.
It is easy to re-design and make over a used or worn looking plastic
lunch box. Remove the plastic stick-on artwork, which is probably
peeling and faded. The sticky residue can be removed with a nontoxic
citrus-based solvent. Thoroughly wash and clean the box, inside and
outside.
Get the kids to select the new artwork for the side of the box. If you
have to buy items for this project, remember that leftovers can be used
for future projects, so the initial expense is not as high as it may
seem.
Clear ‘contact’ paper cut to size (with a half inch overlap), with
artwork underneath is easily managed, and many free magazines have
interesting pictures for kids. Make especially sure the edges of the
clear contact paper are well adhered to the lunch box. With careful
washing, this individual artwork will last a year.
Next comes the question “What shall I put in it?” A nutritiously packed
lunch box is as good as a hot cooked meal, when carefully planned. The
basics would be a sandwich or filled roll, a piece of fresh fruit, and a
drink.
To increase nutrition and variety, opt for whole-wheat bread or roll.
Inexpensive fillings would include bologna and tomato, egg salad (hard
boiled egg mixed with mayo), or drained tin tuna mixed with mayo. For
chilly winter days, a thermos filled with warm and nutritious vegetable
soup will show how much you care and literally cost pennies to make.
For a side items try a piece of fresh fruit or mixed sticks of raw
vegetables. Celery, carrot, salad onion, and Chinese radish all work
well. Re-use empty butter tubs to pack these. A handful of your own
healthful cereal/nut mix will provide a crunchy contrast to the bread.
Mix raisins/sultanas, nuts, chocolate chips and sunflower seeds
together. In an airtight contained, they will last ages. If your aim is
to save money, do not buy the individual packs of fruit juice or snack
foods. They are a very expensive way to prepare a packed lunch.
By Erica of Textwriters.Net. Professional freelance writers for hire WE
MAKE WORDS WORK.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Erica_Armstrong
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