It’s that time again. Back to school. Which means back to planning and packing lunches. If you or your child is looking to spice things up this year (sorry PB and J sandwich), consider putting together a bento box.
Bento boxes have been present in Japanese culture for over a thousand years. The word “bento” was adapted from Chinese culture and means “useful” and “convenient”. Think of a bento box as a conveniently-packed meal. It should come in a container with at least 3-4 sections. These sections should contain a protein, grain, and fruit or vegetable. A sweet, dip, or salty snack should also be included either in the box or on the side. Here are two examples:
Box #1:
Grilled chicken
Guacamole
Whole wheat tortillas
Sliced peppers
Dove chocolate
Box #2:
Deli meat and cheese roll-ups
Whole wheat crackers
Strawberries
Chocolate covered almonds
Baby carrots with ranch dressing
Have some fun and be creative with your bento boxes this school year! You can find your bento box containers at Walmart or amazon.com.
Information gathered & adapted from:
https://cotoacademy.com/traditional-japanese-bento/
Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad
Ingredients
2 cups cubed rotisserie chicken (or homemade baked chicken)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoon shallots, minced
Preparation
1.In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise and apple cider vinegar.
2.Stir in the chicken (fully cooled if you prepared it at home), walnuts, cranberries, shallots, and celery.
3.Serve in bento box as the protein with a side of whole grain crackers!
Serving Size: 1/2 cup, makes approximately 6 servings
Nutrition Information per Serving: 21 grams total fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 13 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 8 grams protein, 434 milligrams sodium, 40 milligrams potassium, 10 grams sugar
Recipe adapted from:
https://cookeatshare.com/recipes/cranberry-pecan-chicken-salad-620006
