Food

By KELLY PREW
Food Editor

It's time again for little ones and teens to begin a school year filled with academics, activities and new associations, and that means hurried moms and dads might be struggling to come up with creative, healthy lunches, snacks and dinner menus.

The following is a compilation of ideas and recipes to get the school year off to a good start.

Freeze juice boxes to use as ice packs. They'll defrost by lunchtime, and to keep them from sweating, wrap the drink in a paper towel and layer of foil.

To avoid soggy sandwiches, pack lettuce and other veggies in a separate plastic bag.

Regular sandwiches become fancy tea sandwiches by trimming crusts and cutting sandwiches into quarters or strips.

Decorate plastic sandwich bags with colorful stickers, or tuck in an encouraging note, cartoon or quote of the day.

33KidsLunchBoxCards are the modern way to drop a goodie into a child's lunch. They are loaded with fun facts and cool ideas. Each pack contains five different cards: a weeks' worth of fun. Wacky World, Fairies, Riddles, Gross-Outs, and Looney Laws are all part of the kid-tested topics sure to make any child the center of attention at the lunch table. Each card has space on the back to write a special note or reminder. Get them online at www.kidslunchboxcards.com

Instead of plain napkins, use colorful seasonal ones, and maybe write a note to your tyke.

When packing treats, pack a few extra so your kid can share with friends.

There are a number of new products available at local grocers aimed directly at children. Some are included here.

33Funky Monkey Snacks are available at local grocers and on Amazon.com and include four snack flavors of all natural, freeze-dried fruit: Bananamon (banana and cinnamon), Carnaval Mix (banana, pineapple, apple, papaya and raisins), Jivealime (pineapple and lime juice) and Purple Funk (banana and a￧ai - pronounced ah-sigh-EE).

Funky Monkey Snacks are all natural with no added sugar, preservatives, colors, or flavors.

In addition, they are gluten-free, wheat-free, dairy-free and are certified Kosher-Parve. The four varieties of Funky Monkey Snacks are manufactured in Brazil using tropical fruits freeze-dried at the peak of freshness near the source, removing the handling and ripening challenges associated with importing fruit into the U.S. for processing.

The recommended retail price is $1.99 to $2.49 for each one-ounce bag.

Additional information can be found at www.funkymonkeysnacks.com.

Note: Organize family menus around MyPyramid guidelines, available at MyPyramid.gov, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Center for Nutrition and Policy and Promotion. The chart is designed for children ages 6 to 11 years old who need between 1,200 and 2,200 calories, depending on age, gender and activity level. The Web site also includes free downloads, a calculation station and planning materials.

Courtesy Kerrygold.com/usa

For kids with nut allergies, make alternate dip by combining plain yogurt with a commercial salsa or offer bottled salad dressing. Honey mustard dressing is a great option.

With the peanut dip, the lunch provides the equivalent of 1 cup veggies, 1 cup milk and two ounces meat alternate.

Recipe side note: For a little lunch bag fun, slice apples into boats (cutting apples into eighths), try red pepper butterflies (slicing red peppers across diameter), or cucumber hearts (sliced with a paring knife)!

Courtesy Kerrygold.com/usa

Combine softened butter with barbecue sauce to make a spread. Spread on both sides of a split sourdough roll. Fill with thin slices of leftover steak or deli roast beef. Pack cherry tomatoes on the side.

Spread slices of raisin bread with butter. Add filling of thinly sliced apples, turkey slices and cheddar cheese.

Cut up a favorite cheese in small cubes. Combine in a plastic sandwich bag with pretzel pieces or croutons, raisins and dried cranberries. Nibble as a snack-lunch instead of a sandwich.

Fruits and veggies don't need to break the bank, according to experts at www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org. It's easy to include more without spending more. Remember, all forms count, so look for weekly specials throughout the store and try these other tips for including more.