Recipes
Breakfast Ideas
For all breakfasts, serve with 1 cup low-fat or skim milk and fresh or frozen fruit. Occasionally, you can substitute 1/2 cup of 100% fruit juice for the fruit.
Oatmeal with toppings
Use the canisters of quick-cooking oats (less expensive and healthier than the packets) and mix in your own toppings. Try cinnamon, applesauce, bananas, walnuts, raisins, or granola.
PB&J Wrap
Spread peanut butter, jelly and low fat cream cheese on a low fat tortilla. Roll up and it’s ready to go.
Shaped whole wheat pancakes
Use whole wheat pancake mix, or make your own. Use a cookie cutter to pour the batter into a fun shape. Remove when one side is set, then flip to cook the other side.
Yogurt Parfait
Layer low fat vanilla yogurt, granola and fresh fruit (pineapple, melon, strawberries, blueberries, etc.) in a bowl or glass.
Breakfast Quesadillas
2 eggs add a little milk, salt and pepper and stir
2 low fat flour tortillas- 6 inches
Prepared salsa.
Scramble 2 eggs with 1/4 cup shredded low fat cheese. Heat the tortillas in a microwave for 20 – 30 seconds or until warm. Warm up salsa. Spoon egg and cheese mixture over tortilla with the warm salsa and roll up. Makes two servings.
Bagel or English muffin sandwich with pineapple chunks
Use small bagels or English muffins- toast in toaster oven with 1 slice low fat cheese on one slice. While they are toasting, scramble an egg. Put the scrambled egg on top of the melted cheese and top with second bagel or muffin half.
Serve with fresh pineapple chunks
Peanut Butter Toast
Toast 2 slices of whole wheat bread, spread with peanut butter. You can add jelly, honey, or sliced bananas for variety.
Pancake/Waffle Breakfast
1-2 whole grain, nutrient enriched pancakes/waffles
(1-2 tablespoons syrup, optional)
2 slices turkey bacon
one whole orange or 1/2 cup orange juice
The Bagel Breakfast
1/2 half of a large bagel (the size of your palm), toasted
1 tablespoon cream cheese
1-2 teaspoons jelly
Sandwiches for Breakfast
Use toasted whole wheat bread, small bagels, English Muffins or 6 inch tortilla. Add 1-2 ounces low fat ham and 1 ounce low fat cheese.
Tortilla breakfast
Tortilla – 6 inch
Low fat cheese, use a variety for different days: cheddar, mozzarella, Monterey jack Place tortilla on a plate and sprinkle with ¼ cup grated cheese, put in microwave for 15-20 seconds, remove and add prepared salsa and roll up tortilla.
Cereal ideas
Try mixing up 2-3 of your favorite low fat high fiber cereals for variety. Keep in air tight container so they are ready to pour and add skim milk.
Try topping cereal with sugar-free frozen mixed fruit. This is a quick way to add variety in the meals.
Tips for fruit:
Keep seasonal fresh fruit on hand: peaches, melons and strawberries in the spring. Pears and apples in the fall. Oranges (all varieties-kids love the little ones) and grapefruit in the late fall and winter.
You can cut up pears, apples and mix with pineapple chucks to keep fresh and white. Store in air tight packets, like a zip lock. Good to grab and go for lunch too.
Lunch Ideas
Instead of serving tortilla or potato chips alongside a lunch, opt for whole grain pretzels, fruit or veggie sticks. Include a low fat yogurt, a slice of low fat cheese, or milk and water.
Deli Meat Sandwich Ideas
Choose lean meats, such as roasted turkey, ham or chicken. Use mustard instead of mayonnaise, or try a light mayonnaise. Choose low fat cheese for sandwiches. Try to include lots of veggies on a sandwich, some to try: lettuce, tomato, cucumber, sprouts, sliced carrot, spinach, and avocado.
Grilled Sandwich Ideas
For a twist on the traditional sandwich, make a grilled sandwich. Use lots of veggies and some mozzarella cheese for a toasted veggie sandwich. Toast a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for a gooey PB&J. Or toast a ham and cheese sandwich with a slice of tomato.
Pita Pizza
Cut open a pita pocket and spread with tomato sauce. Top the pita with cheese and veggies and bake in the oven or toaster oven till cheese melts and begins to brown. Try lots of different veggie combinations like spinach and tomato, olive and mushroom, onion and peppers, or, for the adventurous try artichoke hearts, or chicken and black beans.
Veggie Wrap
Spread cream cheese on a whole wheat flour tortilla or wrap. Top the cream cheese with diced tomatoes, green and red bell peppers, lettuce, carrots, avocado and Monterey jack cheese. Roll the wrap like a burrito and it makes the perfect to-go meal for a lunch box.
Tuna Salad
2, 6 ounce cans tuna
3 Tbsp. light mayonnaise
1/3 c chopped celery
1/4 c chopped onion
1/4 c chopped bell pepper (optional)
1 tsp. each, onion powder and garlic powder
2Tbsp. sweet pickle relish
Mix all ingredients together. Makes 3 sandwiches. Top 3 slices of whole wheat bread with tuna salad mixture, a slice of lettuce, a slice of tomato and a slice of low fat cheese. Top with a second piece of whole wheat bread.
Tuna Salad
Make a salad using leafy, green lettuce, diced apple, and some toasted nuts. Add a little low fat cheese and roasted chicken deli meat. Pack the salad dressing on the side, in a small, resealable container. Serve with whole grain crackers and some fruit or applesauce.
Pizza Wrap
Spread a wrap or tortilla with low fat cream cheese. Top with mushrooms, bell peppers, diced tomato, olives, onions, and shredded, low fat mozzarella cheese. Serve with pizza or tomato sauce, on the side, so that your child can dunk the wrap into the sauce.
The Kid Friendly Salad
3-4 carrot sticks
4-5 sticks of bell pepper
2-3 sticks of celery
2 oz. of lean turkey, ham or chicken
1 oz. of low fat cheese
1 c. full of shredded mixed lettuce leaves
2 Tbsp. low fat ranch salad dressing
Mix all ingredients together except for salad dressing. The kids will enjoy dunking the veggie sticks into the salad dressing.
Rainbow Wrap
Use a spinach or whole wheat wrap and spread with low fat cream cheese. Top with roasted turkey, dark green lettuce leaves, carrots, and diced peppers. Cut the wrap diagonally into several sections to reveal the rainbow of colors inside.
The Classic Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup
Use two slices of whole wheat bread; toast each side in a pan with non-stick cooking spray or a little bit of butter. Then, add a slice of low fat cheese and a slice of tomato, put the sandwich together, and toast again on each side till the cheese melts. Serve this classic sandwich with a cup of tomato soup.
Soup, to-go
Heat up some soup in the morning, before school, and keep it warm using a small thermos that fits easily into a lunch box. Good soups to try are broth-based soups like chicken noodle or minestrone, bean or lentil soups, or tomato soup. Serve with whole grain crackers, a few slices of low fat cheese, and a slice of roasted turkey or ham, to make cracker sandwiches.
Leftovers to-go
For an easy lunch, pack healthy leftovers from the night before in your child’s lunch box. Add a piece of fruit, some water, and a container of milk for a complete lunch.
