Spiral sandwiches

Spiral sandwiches are always a hit with the boys.

Ingredients
- whole wheat tortillas
- cream cheese
- sliced turkey
- fresh spinach (or lettuce leaves)
- sliced sweet peppers (any color)
- sliced avocado

1. Spread a layer of cream cheese on tortilla, add turkey, spinach, sweet peppers & avocado.
2. Roll up tightly into a log
3. use spaghetti sticks to spear the sandwiches so they don't fall apart (about 4).
4. cut log in between the sticks.

Variation (for Brandon who loves peanut butter and jelly)
- whole wheat tortillas
- cream cheese
- peanut butter or sunflower seed butter
- jelly

1. Spread a layer of cream cheese on tortilla, add peanut butter and jelly.
all other steps are the same.





Spiral sandwiches pack nicely in lunch containers. You can break off the spaghetti sticks so that the lid closes properly.

Serve with sliced carrots & ranch dip.

Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children

Great information from Babycenter.com...

Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children
A Daily Guide for 2- to 8-Year-Olds

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	Grains Make half your grains whole Look for the word "whole" in front of the grain name on the list of ingredients
	Vegetables Vary your vegetables Eat more dark vegetables Eat more orange vegetables Eat more dry beans and peas
	Fruits Focus on fruits Eat a variety of fruits Choose fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruit Go easy on fruit juices
	Oils Know your fats Make most of your fat sources from fish, nuts, and vegetable oils Limit solid fats like butter, stick margarine, shortening, and lard
	Milk Get your calcium-rich foods Go low-fat or fat-free If you don't or can't consume milk, choose lactose-free products or other calcium sources
	Meat & Beans Go lean on protein Choose low-fat or lean meats and poultry Bake it, broil it, or grill it Vary your sources with more fish, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds

Source: BabyCenter.Com http://www.babycenter.com/0_food-pyramid-for-young-children_72257.bc?scid=mbtw_post3y_3m:874&pe=9vuBg2

Recommendations from a friend...

Ryan's school doesn't provide a snack or have a hot lunch program. All kids are required to bring their own snacks and lunches to school. I'm actually happy about this. It motivates me to provide healthy lunches and snacks.

Ryan made a new friend at school. Ryan came home one day and said that James has trail mix and he now wants to bring it to school. Ryan now loves trail mix. We have James to thank for this. Nicole (James mom) and I are now exchanging ideas since the boys have so much influence on each other.

Below are her ideas.

So far I've tried these...

celery sticks with tuna and veganaise, cinnamon raisin bread with cream cheese, plain yogurt with honey and frozen raspberries, sliced turkey rolled up, small mozzarella balls with sea salt and cherry tomatoes on toothpick spears

snacks....honey grahams, pretzels, trail mix, TJ dried apple balls (these are nice and crunchy), grapes, blueberries, cheese sticks, crackers, frozen yogurt tubes from TJ's, dried mango, dried papaya, strawberries, orange slices

drinks...milk, water, TJ no sugar added juice

Nicole

Sandwich thins cutouts

Sandwich thins cutouts

Ingredients, almost everything purchased at Costco
- Orowheat sandwich thins (actually quite good- yum)
- sliced turkey
- sliced cheese
- fresh spinach (or lettuce leaves)
- purple cabbage
- sliced avocado
- fried onions (yes, the same kind you use in the TG green bean casserole)
- mayo & mustard

Assemble sandwiches, then cutout with cookie cutters. If you don't have cookie cutters, cut triangles with a knife.
Serve with celery and peanut butter dip.




This recipe is so easy, the kids can make it themselves.

Lunch ideas

There are so many great lunch ideas out there. It's amazing that Ryan ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with either a yogurt or applesauce side every day for about a year. It is now time to get inspired and make a change.

Below is the list of lunch items that we will pick and choose to add variety. Ryan has already helped make some great creations. I'll post pictures and recipes of our work.

As for Brandon, he is now entering the peanut butter and jelly every day for lunch phase. Maybe some of our creations will motivate him to try new things.

Beverages
Milk
Juice
Water

Sandwiches
Peanut butter and jelly
Cheese sandwich
Veggie sandwich
Chicken & cheese sandwich
Ham & cheese sandwich
Pita sandwich
Mini sub (hot dog bun)
Spiral sandwich
Lettuce wraps

Main Dips
Spinach dip & bread
Humas dip & pita bread

Main- Other ideas
Leftovers
Tacos
Meat & cheese cubes with crackers

Side Dips
Peanut butter dip & Apples
Peanut butter dip & Celery
Ranch dip & carrots
stuffed cherry tomatoes

Chips
Crackers
Popcorn
Pretzels
Tortilla chips
Carrot chips (Slice carrots, lightly oil, bake in oven at 350 for 20 mins)

Fruits and Nuts
Apple
Dried Apricots
Banana
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Cashews
Cranberries
Grapes
Fruit Cup
Trail Mix
Watermelon
Fruit Kabobs

Desserts
Applesauce
Muffin
Granola bar
Snack bar

Pasta
Macaroni and cheese
Pasta salad
Ravioli
Spaghetti Os
Tortellini

Soup
Chicken and rice
Chili
Clam chowder
Tomato