Sneaky ingredients such as wheat, dairy and peanuts may be hiding in seemingly safe food products—and in your child's school cafeteria. Food allergies can make lunchtime a big bummer, but with a little kitchen know-how and creativity, you can put the fun back in the brown-bag lunch.
Wheat
Wheat is in a plethora of foods, which makes it difficult to avoid. Read labels carefully, and when it's hoagie day in the cafeteria, arm your tyke with a wheat-free option.
Sack Lunch Swap:
Try this Ham, Cheese and Apple Sandwich.
Ingredients
- ¼ teaspoon apple jelly
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 slices wheat-free bread (try rye bread that's made without wheat flour)
- 2 slices low-sodium deli ham
- 1 (0.8 ounces) cheddar cheese or cheddar-flavored nondairy slice
- ¼ apple, cored and cut into 6 thin slices
Preparation
- Microwave jelly on high for 10 seconds or until it melts. Combine jelly and mustard; spread mixture evenly on one slice of bread.
- Layer ham slices, cheese slice, and apple slices over mustard mixture; top with remaining bread slice.
(yields 1 sandwich)
Why Kids Love It
The apple jelly dresses it up with a little kick of sweetness.
Source: myrecipes.com
Dairy
Dairy products are in some of the yummiest foods and desserts the school cafeteria has to offer: cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cookies.
Sack Lunch Swap:
Send your child to school with these simple dairy-free applesauce cookies instead. (Shhh … they won't know you didn't add sugar.)
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup quick oats
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup applesauce
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 375 F.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix the wet ingredients in another bowl. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Blend them well.
- Spoon the dough for these drop cookies onto greased cookie sheets.
- Bake the dough for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool.
(yields 24 cookies)
Why Kids Love It
One word: cookies!
Source: delish.com
Peanuts
These nuts show up in peanut butter, peanut oil, natural and artificial flavorings—and even in many processed foods because of cross-contamination. If the cafeteria cooks with nuts or peanut oil, avoid school lunch altogether.
Sack Lunch Swap:
Try this Tuna Salad Sandwich.
Ingredients
- 3 ounces tuna, packed in oil, drained
- ½ stalk celery, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- ¼ red apple peeled, cored and cut into ¼-inch pieces
- 1 scant tablespoon light mayonnaise
- 1½ teaspoons freshly chopped basil leaves (optional)
- 1 scant teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Coarse salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 slices bread (if allergic to wheat, reach for the rye)
Preparation
- In a medium bowl, combine tuna, celery, apple, mayonnaise, basil and lemon juice; mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
- Sandwich tuna salad between bread.
(yields 4 sandwiches)
Why Kids Love It
Crunchy and creamy?! The kiddos will be so impressed that they'll never realize you sneaked fruits and veggies into their sandwich.
Source: delish.com