Jackson Free Press

Our lazy summer days are coming to an end, and school is around the corner. Cafeteria food might taste good, but those steak fingers and fries do not have much nutritional values. The rate of obesity in our country is on the rise, with bad eating habits starting in grade school. For a more nutritious lunch, here are a few healthy, tasty on-the-go lunch options.

1. Instead of having the traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich, try some other nut butter like almond, cashew and macadamia. Not only are these delicious options, they are also filled with great nutrients.

2. You can get a quick fix pasta salad with pasta seasoned with vinaigrette, mayonnaise or your favorite dressing. It's your choice. Try Rooster's/Basil's owner Nathan Glenn's recipe, below.

3. Energy bars are convenient and filled with nutrients.

4. Fruit salad makes a colorful and appetizing lunch.

5. A delectable meal can be made out of a slice of your favorite bread topped with tomato and some cheese. Try the vegan recipe below; it's courtesy of Domini Bradford, High Noon Café manager.

6. Water! Water! Water! It's the best indulgence we can give our bodies. However, we tend to forget about this simple ingredient and trade it for sugar-loaded sodas. Cafeteria milk is great, too, but don't forget to drink water.

7. If you want a little bit of flavor, pack some natural fruit juices like Pom Wonderful. They are delicious and filled with vitamins and antioxidants.

8. Fresh smoothies made with yogurt and fruits complement any lunch.

9. Toss some lettuce with cherry tomatoes, almond, grated cheese and season with vinaigrette for a delicious salad.

Engage your children in the activity. You could take them along on your weekly grocery shopping and let them choose their treats. Let your creativity flow and put in your own personal spins to the usual suspects down the lunch aisle. Your kids will relish in the color, and you will be assured that they are getting the appropriate nutrients. And for those who are young at heart, nobody said that you had to be 5 in order to enjoy a fun lunch box. Bon appetit!

Vegan Pimento Cheese
courtesy of Domini Bradford, High Noon Café Manager

8 oz. tempeh
1/2 cup of roasted red bell peppers
1/8 cup of sweet miso
1/4 lbs. of tofu
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. hot sauce, or to taste
A dash of salt and pepper, or to taste
1/4 cup of vegan mayonnaise
1/2 cup of vegan shredded cheddar cheese
Boil tempeh for 30 minutes Drain and cool. Mince bell peppers. Crumble tofu. Mix everything in a bowl. Excellent when served on bread with tomato slice.

Rotini Pasta Salad
courtesy of Nathan Glenn, Basil's and Rooster's owner

1 lb. of tri-color rotini pasta
1 cup of vinaigrette dressing
2 oz. of grated parmesan cheese
6 romano tomatoes
1 cup of black olive
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook pasta until desired tenderness. Rinse with cold water and drain. Thinly slice the romano tomatoes. Mix together all ingredients. Serve.

Previous Comments

ID

84359

Comment

Good info, Kristina. On a related note, check this out: http://www.vegsource.com/articles2/health_march05.htm EarthSave is ready to march, and we need your help. We need your bodies, we need your minds, we need your creativity, and we need your financial support. Our plan is to organize a march in 2006 through the state of Mississippi to its capital, Jackson. Along the way, we'll stop in towns and hamlets to meet and mix with people and share information, camaraderie, and plant-based foods. The march will culminate with the presentation of a petition calling on Mississippi officials to do their jobs and take care of their people, not their campaign chests. Many noted authors, medical doctors, and celebrities have already agreed to be involved in the Health March. We have begun assembling an exploratory committee inside of EarthSave to identify the tasks necessary to organize this event and make it a success. If you are interested in serving on this exploratory committee, please contact Caryn Hartglass at EarthSave International, in order to be included on upcoming conference calls. You can make this happen in a big way by volunteering some of your time to move it forward. Please sign up! Contact information: To volunteer, contact Caryn Hartglass - phone (800) 362-3648 -- [email][email protected][/email]

Author

Steph

Date

2005-08-09T14:49:58-06:00

ID

84360

Comment

Hope you don't mind, Donna, but I emailed Caryn at EarthSave and asked her to contact JFP for publicity once the march on Jackson get closer.

Author

Steph

Date

2005-08-09T16:36:55-06:00