The Trading Game

By PJ Goetz

www.tampawithkids.com

“How was your day at school?”  I ask my nine-year old son as he got in the car. 

“Great!”  He exclaimed

“Really?  What happened?”  I asked hopefully

“Mom you are not going to believed this!  At lunch I traded a juice box and a yogurt for 2 Oreo cookies!  Can you believe that I got Oreos for a juice box! I am telling you mom the market is just crazy these days!”  ” 

“Wow” was all I could think to say

True story!  My kid said that to me just last week.  I had always taken a lot of pride in what I packed their lunch.  I had this silly notion that when they opened up their lunches they would feel my love and happily eat the well-balanced meal I had so thoughtfully prepared.   Wake up girley!  Those kids are trading away everything you put in their lunches.  They don’t give a hoot about nutrition they want OREOS!  And so I began a quest: To get my kids to stop trading and start eating what’s in their lunch.   I am not sure it can be done.  I am ready to accept that it will take work on my part to get my kids eating better at lunch and I am ready to start.  I am hoping by educating my kids on how to eat healthy instead of just giving them healthy foods they will begin to make better choices about the food they eat.   Here is what is working for us so far!  . 

Make it theirs

I learned long ago the best way to kids to do anything is to make them think it was their idea.   Show them some recipes and let them pick what they want.  I typed up some different acceptable main ideas (see below) and then let them pick two for the week.   I have even gone so far as to let them have their own shopping cart and shop for their lunch stuff while I do the weekly grocery shopping.    They love being in charge of making their own lunches.  Here are my guidelines:  (Modify these rules to fit your family-i.e.  I like my kids to have fresh fruit at lunch maybe you’d prefer yours have veggies) 

      My rules for lunch:

·        Must have a main meal (protein & whole grain) from approved list

Think out side the box.  It does not have to be a sandwich.  Pasta with meatballs in a tomato sauce or a handful of mixed nuts and some whole grain crackers as long as they are getting some type of protein and a whole grain they eat whatever they like.  See the list of main meal ideas below.  . 

·        Must have some type of fresh fruit – (fruit rolls ups do not count!)            

Let them cruse the fruit department.  Kiwi or Grapples (apples infused with grape juice) the choice is theirs.  You’ll be amazed at how adventuress they can be when it is left up to them to decide.                

·        May have snack item from approve list

 No chips allowed.  Pretzels, dried fruit and nuts is a great mix they can make themselves.  We have been having fun making our own Chex Mix.  

·        May have one dessert. 

I tell them they can have anything they want as long as they keep the calorie count to 150 or less.  My boys have been having great fun hunting through the grocery store picking out dessert.  We have discovered that 23 candy corns have 150 calories or 3 reduced fat Oreos have 150 calories.  I was surprised that one chocolate doughnut has 250.  I don’t have to say no anymore.     

It’s all in the presentation.  

I buy clearance items from parties stores and try to make it fun.   Shop dollar stores, restaurant supply outlets and oriental grocery stores.    Get creative.   Let them decorate the containers anyway they want.   Girls love this.  Even if your kids eat PB&J everyday it can still look great. 

Invest in a good thermos for hot food.  I have been through a dozen cheap ones and have learned that a $20.00 thermos is a much better investment.   Having the ability to bring hot food to school for lunch really opens up their choices.  

Look at the week not just today

Don’t freak out if every meal is not exactly well balanced.  Look at what your kids are eating over the course of the week.   We would all drive ourselves nuts trying to make every meal pyramid perfect.   If they had too much junk food on Monday encourage them to maybe skip the desert on Tuesday.  The goal is education not perfect eating everyday of the week.  

Food for thought

·        Buy breads, wraps or crackers with at least 2 grams of fiber per slice.

• Try turkey, chicken or low fat bologna with less than 5 grams of fat per once.
• Children under 12 need about 50 grams of fat a day and a teen would need 75 to 80 grams.   A bologna sandwich (two slices), a bag of chips and a couple cookies is about 70 grams of fat.  ** Source: Julie Miller, Mercy Hospital in Cadillac Michigan, registered dietician
• Nuts and string cheese are other good sources of protein. Make snack mix with cereals like Chex, Cheerios,  nuts, dried fruits. It is low in fat and has staying power.
• Flavored water and Crystal Light are good and not loaded with sugar.

Main Meal List

Print off this list and let the kids choose which one they want for the week.  I let mine circle two.  They make a shopping list based on their choices.  I kept the recipes really simple so most all kids can make these meals themselves.   Check out www.tampawithkids.com for new main meal ideas every week. 

Turkey Boats

            Turkey Low Fat

            Low fat cheese

            Multi-Grain Hot Dog Bun

            Low fat mayo (optional)

Roll Turkey and Cheese together and place in a hot dog bun.  

Chicken Salad Pita

            Chopped Cooked Chicken

            Low Fat Mayo

            Chopped Celery

            Grapes (optional)

            Raisins (optional)

            Salt & Pepper

            Lettuce & Tomato

            Multi Grain Pita Pocket Bread

Mix first six ingredients together line the pita pocket with lettuce and tomato and stuff with chicken salad. 

Sushi Rolls  

            Turkey – Thin Sliced

            Cream cheese 

            Shelled Sunflower seeds

             Whole wheat wrap 

            BBQ Sauce or Catalina Dressing

Chop Sticks

Spread Cream Cheese on wrap and sprinkle with sunflower seeds.  Cover sunflower seeds with thin sliced turkey.  Roll wrap tightly.  Cut into 2 inch pieces.  Use chop stick to dip into BBQ sauce or Catalina dressing. 

Tortilla Triangles

            Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas

            Cream Cheese

            Canned Refired Beans

            Cooked Chicken Chopped

Salsa

Spread the half of a tortilla with cream cheese , spread the other half with beans, sprinkle with the chopped chicken, drizzle with salsa.  Fold each tortilla into triangles. 

Ham & Cheese Wheels

4 slices of whole wheat bread

mayo

ham

low fat cheese

trim crust from bread – use a rolling pin to flatten bread slices, spread with mayo and top with meat and cheese – roll up tightly – cut each roll into 4 pin wheels secure with tooth picks            

Italian Sausage Bites

            Boca Meatless Sausage

            14 oz jar of pizza sauce

            1 cup halfed fresh mushrooms

Cut frozen Boca Meatless Sausage into ½ inch slices – add one 14 oz jar of pizza sauce and I cup of halfed fresh mushrooms – heat to simmer then cook 5 minutes.  Put into thermos to stay warm until lunch. 

Hummus with Crackers

            Favorite kind of hummus

            Chopped cucumber

            Chopped Tomato

            Crumbled Feta Cheese

            Pita bread 

Mix the first 4 ingredients together and serve with pita bread – don’t forget to take a plastic knife to school for spreading.  

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cut outs on Whole Wheat. 

Use favorite cookie cutters to make fun shapes.  

Recipes from the show: