Thedivine
foodie
vegetarian student By Jen Wead
S Some of us have kids that make the choice to be a vegetarian.
Some have a vegetarian by default, because their kid is so
picky that they live on mac n cheese and applesauce. Mine was
the latter, who eventually turned into the former. Regardless of
how our child got there, they are there...challenging us to nourish
them with food they are willing to eat.
I can already hear it. “When I was a kid we didn’t have
a choice. We ate what was put before us,” or “If that was my
kid, they would eat it or eat nothing.” Believe me, I have heard
it and I have lived it. The fact of the matter is, once you learn
a few things about putting together a healthy plate, it does get
Vegetarian Kid, a Meat and Potatoes Man and two picky, but
carnivorous boys. We do a lot of meals that I can bring them all
into the kitchen and they can choose their ingredients and each
gets a slight variation of the same thing. The biggest challenge
for us is the school lunch.
In our experience, the only vegetarian option that has been
readily available from the school is a peanut butter and jelly
sandwich. We mostly pack lunches, but I often struggle to provide
variety. Heck! I am a tired working mom, too!
With all of this in mind, for as much myself as for you, I
scoured the internet for a list of some great vegetarian lunch options
that will hopefully help you plan your kid’s lunches, but
also a few ideas for yourself. Remember to invest in excellent
thermal containers that will keep your hot food hot and ice packs
to keep your cold food cold. Last year, I stuck a “Dad Joke” in my
10 year old’s lunch every day. He is going on to middle school
now, so I don’t think I can get away with that without embarrassing
him. My only shot at reminding him of how much I love him
at lunchtime is to pack delicious food that gives him the fuel he
needs to get through the day.
Here are some great
options:
• Hummus Veggie
Club Sandwich (the
idea is hummus instead
of mayo-piled
high with favorite veggies)
• Cheddar Cheese and Sliced Apple Sandwiches
• Pasta Fried “Rice” (recipe below)
• Wrap it! (literally ANYTHING) Think pesto, or hummus and
veggies or nut butter, apple slices and honey. Serve with whole
Lunch box ideas
for your
fruit and/or banana chips.
• Caprese Skewers-alternate
cherry tomatoes, baby moz, basil
and tortellini. Serve with fruit.
• Protein Box (think popular coffee
house offering) Include whole
cheese, boiled egg and grapes.
• Pesto Pasta Salad-use whole
grain pasta which has about 9g
of protein and pesto sauce. Add
whatever veggies or nuts you can
get your kid to eat. Serve with
fruit.
-
ter is your favorite and sliced strawberries to make 4 perfect little
sandwiches. Serve with celery or carrot sticks and crackers.
Pasta Fried “Rice”
Yield: 6 servings, Prep time: 10 minutes, Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
• 1 cup orzo pasta
• 1/2 cup frozen edamame
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots
• 1 egg, scrambled (optional)
• 2/3 cup Asian or sesame dressing
36 • AUGUST 2019 813.682.9364 FLORIDA WOMEN MAGAZINE