Think outside the lunchbox
Getting ready for back to school, Meredith and Ollie Dare of Austin create a lunch based on Kaye Owen’s suggestions in this column. Meredith is Owen’s daughter, Ollie her grandson. Owen is a writer and cookbook enthusiast living in Horseshoe Bay. Photo by Kaye ‘TK’ Owen
Create adventure in healthy, homemade school lunches
My best friend was unwrapping little packets of food. It was my first day of second grade. She had a baked potato, a thick slice of ham, bite-size cherry tomatoes, a shiny orange, and a sliver of angel food cake. I glanced at her with pity as I lined up my containers of junk food to trade for different junk food from my other friends’ lunches.
My bestie’s long-ago lunch makes my mouth water now. It was a precursor to current food trends in healthy school lunches and, in retrospect, delicious.
Schools in the Highland Lakes area swing into session as early as Aug. 12, with most public or private school systems opening on Aug. 19. Excitement will be high, and eating a good lunch can help maintain that energy while supplying the brain with fuel for solid learning.
Here are some ideas that are big on fun and light on preparation.
Treasure box lunch
Every bite is a new discovery. Fill several small containers with colorful surprises, including:
- turkey and cheddar cubes
- pretzel nuggets
- Goldfish crackers
- carrot coins
- strawberry slices
- Pirate’s Booty rice puffs (available at most local grocers)
- a few chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil
- a tiny handwritten note: “You are a Treasure”
“To infinity and beyond!” lunch
To encourage a sense of adventure, pack some foods in unusual shapes or bright colors. Use cookie cutters on their favorite sandwiches, and include:
- fruit gummies
- star-shaped crackers (available at most local grocers)
- yogurt tubes
- a swirled cheese stick
- a note on funny-shaped paper: “Mission: Have a fun adventure today! To infinity and beyond!”
Picnic in the park lunch
Pack everything as if you are heading to a blanket under a shady tree.
- croissant
- 3 different kinds of cheese
- hummus or sauce dip
- ants on a log (celery stuffed with nut butter or cream cheese and dried fruit)
- blueberries
- a tangerine
- a small lemonade or fruit-infused water
- a colorful napkin and paper picnic placemat
All of these can provide variety and a little surprise without taking too much time. When buying those school supplies, grab some fun stickers, acceptable mini-candy, and small note cards to keep on hand. If you’re still hungry for more lunch ideas, check out Megan McNamee’s book “Feeding Littles Lunches” (Rodale Books, Aug. 27, 2024). It is available through the Burnet County Library system and via digital download on the free Libby app.
All official lunchbox preppers deserve something to celebrate, too. Treat yourself to a special recipe, created just for you. It’s colorful, delicious, and ready in minutes. Here’s to a wonderful new school year—and to a well-earned recess for you.
Eat in peace lunch bowl
Ingredients
- 1 bag spring mix or mixed greens
- 1 container marinated mozzarella
- hearts of palm, sliced
- favorite deli meats, cut into strips
- black olives
- avocado slices
- fresh berries
- dried cherries
- honey roasted cashews
- parmesan crisps, broken into pieces
- hot honey ranch dressing
Combine in desired amounts. Pour your favorite beverage. Cheers to you!
Kaye “TK” Owen is the founder of a cookbook-focused Little Free Library at 9101 FM 2147 in Horseshoe Bay. “Cookbooks invite us to connect and create memories,” she said. “Sharing books, sharing a table can be quietly transformative.” She is a member of the Highland Lakes Birding and Wildflower Society and the Highland Lakes chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas. She and her husband have lived in Horseshoe Bay for more than 20 years.