THERE WILL FOREVER BE A PLACE in the school lunch for traditional sandwiches. But the bread aisle is packed with many options beyond the standard sliced loaf that are worth exploring. Consider lavash, the Middle Eastern flatbread that can be rolled around practically any filling and sliced into pinwheels, or pita bread, which makes a killer pizza crust with practically no effort. Tortillas open up even more possibilities, from a veggie-stuffed quesadilla to a rolled-up BLT.
One of the upsides of these alternative sandwich wrappers is that they aren’t as bulky as bread can be, so the flavors on the inside really come through. Plus, healthful ingredients such as chopped fruits and sliced vegetables are easy to package up into flatbread or tuck into a tortilla. Yum!
5 PINWHEELS, PIZZAS, WRAPS, AND ROLL-UPS
THE TASTY DUO of cream cheese and dates on a sandwich is an old-fashioned one. Rolling it up in lavash and cutting it into pinwheels makes it more modern. Kids will love the creamy, slightly sweet filling and crunch of the celery so much that the spinach may just go unnoticed. While nourishing, this wrap is a little light in the protein department, so include a protein-rich side such as nuts or yogurt. Feel free to substitute a large, whole-wheat flour tortilla for the lavash.
MAKES 1 OR 2 SERVINGS
1 whole-wheat lavash (71/2 by 10 inches)
1/4 cup whipped cream cheese
6 medium pitted Medjool dates, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1/3 cup loosely packed baby spinach
Cut the lavash in half crosswise. Spread both halves of lavash with the cream cheese all the way to the edge. Scatter the dates and celery over the cream cheese, pressing down gently. Lay the spinach on top.
With the shorter edge of the lavash toward you, roll up the wrap. Repeat with the remaining lavash. Using a serrated knife, cut each roll into four pinwheels.
Store the pinwheels in one or two snug containers, or reassemble the log shape and roll in parchment paper, twisting the ends so it looks like a big Tootsie Roll.
MAKE-AHEAD NOTES: can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator, but best made the morning before school.
THIS PLAYFUL TWIST ON THE CLASSIC PB&J relies on lavash instead of standard sandwich bread. It gets wrapped around peanut butter, chopped apples, and granola, giving the whole thing great flavor, crunch, and plenty of nutrition. Get this into your kids’ hands in the morning and it will fill them up for breakfast, too.
MAKES 2 SERVINGS
1 whole-wheat lavash (71/2 by 10 inches)
1/4 cup natural unsweetened creamy peanut butter or other nut or seed butter
2 teaspoons honey
2/3 cup chopped unpeeled apple
2 tablespoons granola
Cut the lavash in half crosswise. Spread both halves of lavash with the peanut butter all the way to the edge. Drizzle with honey and scatter the apple and granola over the peanut butter, pressing down gently.
With the shorter edge of the lavash toward you, roll up the wrap. Repeat with the remaining lavash. Using a serrated knife, cut each roll into four pinwheels.
Store the pinwheels in snug containers, or reassemble the log shapes and roll in parchment paper, twisting the ends so it looks like two big Tootsie Rolls.
MAKE-AHEAD NOTES: can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator, but best made the morning before school.
What’s the most healthful nut butter for kids? They’re all a little different, and they’re all good. I usually rotate two or three options for variety of flavor and nutrients. Here are a few things to keep in mind when considering your choices:
Peanuts, tree nuts, and seeds have somewhat different nutritional profiles, but all have benefits. Almonds, for example, are high in vitamin E, walnuts are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, and peanuts supply a healthy dose of folate.
All nut and seed butters are rich in both protein and fat, which is one reason to feed them to kids: They are slow to digest and thus can keep hunger at bay.
Keeping less-processed nut butters in the fridge may prevent the oil from separating from the solids. Store jars upside down so you don’t have to wade through an oil field when you are ready to make your sandwiches.
Avoid nut butters with either partially hydrogenated oil (a source of trans fat) or fully hydrogenated oil or palm oil (a source of saturated fat). Also, keep an eye out for added sugars. Even nut butters marked “natural” sometimes contain sweeteners, so read the label carefully.
Consider organic options, particularly when it comes to peanut butter, which can be high in pesticide residues.
While most of the fat in nut butters is the “good” kind (i.e., unsaturated), it does make them calorically dense, roughly 90 to 100 calories a tablespoon. So enjoy, but keep portions in check.
Bento a Go-Go
Although the bento box has been around for centuries in Japan, it’s relatively new to the United States. This clever approach to packing lunch, whereby different foods are arranged in a compartmentalized box, lends itself to endless variations. See page 150 for a list of favorite bento-style containers. Here are six ideas for lunch-box bentos created around ethnic themes.
The Classic: Japanese flavors such as vegetarian sushi, edamame, seasoned seaweed, Asian pears, Zen snack mix
Tapas Style: Lunch with a Spanish accent, including olives, roasted red peppers wrapped around manchego cheese, serrano ham, Spanish tortilla
Meze: Traditional Turkish fixings such as hummus, pita wedges, feta, tomato and cucumber slices, dried dates, fresh fruit
Ploughman’s Lunch: English pub–inspired fare, including a wedge of Cheddar cheese, pickles, hearty whole-wheat roll, apple slices
South of the Border: Mexican favorites such as guacamole, quesadilla, beans, mango with a lime wedge
Parisian: French flavors such as a wedge of Brie, cornichons, baguette slices, grated carrot salad with a Dijon dressing, grapes
BACON HAS SORT OF A NAUGHTY REPUTATION, nutrition-wise at least. But because it’s so full of flavor, just two slices are needed to make this wrap a lunch-box fave. The roll-up includes all the standard BLT fixings, plus avocado, which subs in for most of the mayonnaise. It’s important to wrap the tomato and avocado inside the lettuce so the tortilla doesn’t get soggy.
MAKES 2 SERVINGS
4 slices bacon
2 teaspoons mayonnaise
Two 8-inch whole-wheat flour tortillas
2 large crunchy lettuce leaves
1/2 large ripe avocado, thinly sliced
2 slices tomato
Pinch of salt
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Put the bacon slices flat in the pan. Cook until the bacon is deeply browned on one side and begins to curl up a bit, about 5 minutes. Using a fork, turn the slices over and cook until the second side is nicely browned and most of the fat is rendered, about 3 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and let cool for a few minutes.
Spread the mayonnaise in a 1-inch-wide strip down the center of each tortilla. Lay the lettuce over the mayonnaise, followed by the avocado. Cut each tomato slice into three strips and lay those over the avocado and sprinkle with the salt. Top each tortilla with two slices of cooked bacon.
Roll the ingredients up in each tortilla to form a tight bundle. Cut crosswise in half.
Wrap well or store in snug containers.
MAKE-AHEAD NOTES: the bacon can be made a day ahead; assemble the wrap the morning before school.
I’VE BEEN MAKING PIZZA ON PITA BREAD since I was a teenager, although topping it with pesto and zucchini is a new twist. The result is a tasty and very pretty pie. If your crew isn’t especially fond of pesto, swap it out for a couple of tablespoons of marinara sauce instead.
MAKES 2 SERVINGS
One 6-inch whole-wheat pita bread, split into 2 rounds
4 teaspoons pesto
6 small mozzarella balls (bocconcini)
1/2 small zucchini, very thinly sliced
Pinch of salt
Place a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven or toaster oven to 400°F.
Put the pita rounds on a baking sheet and spread the pesto evenly over the inside of each pita with the back of a small spoon.
Cut the mozzarella balls into thin slices and lay on top of the pesto, followed by the zucchini and salt.
Put the pizzas in the oven and bake until the edges are crispy and the cheese bubbly and beginning to brown, about 7 minutes.
Remove the pizzas from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.
Cut each pizza into six wedges. Wrap or pack into two containers.
MAKE-AHEAD NOTES: can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. In the morning before school, pop into the toaster oven to restore crispiness, if you like.
LAVASH DOES AN OUTSTANDING JOB as a crust for a crispy pizza. You might be surprised to see Cheddar here instead of the more traditional mozzarella. That’s because the first time I made it, sharp Cheddar was all I had in the fridge. Turns out, its tangy flavor works like magic when combined with prosciutto and arugula. I make this pizza for dinner when I’m short on time and ingredients. Consider doubling the recipe; extra slices are handy for snacks or even quick breakfasts.
MAKES 3 OR 4 SERVINGS
2 whole-wheat lavashes (71/2 by 10 inches)
1/3 cup tomato sauce
1 cup coarsely grated sharp Cheddar cheese
2 thin slices prosciutto
2 handfuls baby arugula
Place a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 450°F.
Put the lavashes on a baking sheet and spread the tomato sauce evenly over each lavash with the back of a large spoon. Sprinkle the cheese over the tomato sauce. Tear the prosciutto slices into four or five pieces each and lay on top of the cheese, followed by the arugula.
Put the pizzas in the oven and bake until the edges are crispy and the pizzas are no longer floppy when you lift up a corner with a spatula, 10 to 11 minutes.
Remove the pizzas from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.
Cut each pizza into six rectangular slices. Wrap or pack into storage containers.
MAKE-AHEAD NOTES: can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. In the morning before school, pop into the toaster oven to restore crispness, if you like.
I’VE BEEN MAKING CHILI with black beans and sweet potatoes for years. This takes those two winning flavors and pairs them with melted Monterey Jack cheese for a quesadilla that is far more satisfying than the norm. Cooking the quesadilla over medium instead of high heat allows the sweet potato to get tender by the time the outside is crispy and the cheese is melted. Leftover cooked vegetables such as broccoli, zucchini, or peppers can be chopped up and substituted for the sweet potato.
MAKES 2 SERVINGS
3/4 cup coarsely grated Monterey Jack cheese
Two 8-inch whole-wheat flour tortillas
1/2 cup grated peeled raw sweet potato
1/4 cup cooked black beans, drained
2 tablespoons mild green taco sauce
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
Sprinkle half of the cheese evenly over one tortilla. Scatter the sweet potato over the cheese, followed by the beans. Spoon the taco sauce over the beans and top with the remaining cheese and the remaining tortilla.
In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Put the quesadilla in the pan and cook until golden brown and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. With a spatula, flip the quesadilla and cook until the second side is golden brown and crispy, about 2 minutes.
Transfer the quesadilla to a cutting board and let cool for a few minutes.
Cut into quarters. Wrap or pack into two containers.
MAKE-AHEAD NOTES: can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. In the morning before school, reheat in a pan or pop into the toaster oven to restore crispiness, if you like.
