Beyond the Basic Brown Bag -

pack a lunch that will earn all-around praise

  *Prepare one or two weeks' worth of sandwiches ahead of time and freeze. You'll save time by having to get all the 'parts' together only one time. A frozen sandwich will thaw to the perfect temperature by lunch time. To keep bread from getting soggy, you will want to spread both slices completely with softened butter or margarine. Not every sandwich component will freeze well - follow this guide:

Don't freeze fresh vegetables, hard cooked egg whites, very fresh bread, jelly, or fillings that are mostly mayonnaise.

Do freeze peanut butter, cream cheese, processed cheese, lunch meats, salads (tuna, chicken, ham, etc.) made with just enough mayonnaise to hold together.

  *Tightly wrap each sandwich individually in plastic wrap, then overwrap in foil, freezer paper or bags. Store sandwiches for freezing in a box to prevent crushing.

  *Use frozen sandwiches within two weeks.

  *While you're at it, freeze cookies or bars ahead, too. They are bagged and ready to pack, and more likely to be available when you're packing a lunch - you can avoid the "somebody ate all the cookies!" dilemma.

Bored with basic bread? Try a tortilla roll-up instead of a ho-hum sandwich. There are regular and wheat soft tortillas, of course, but also flavored ones - tomato, spinach and jalapeno. These tasty wraps are accepted by even the most discriminating eaters - just refer to them as pink or green tortillas if you pack for a 'veggie-avoider.' The fillings can vary with your creativity - you can use traditional sandwich fillings such as meats and cheeses, peanut butter, hummus, and cream cheese; you can add chopped or dried fruit or fresh vegetables to provide crunch as well as nutrition!

If a frozen sandwich is not keeping your lunch cool, how about a frozen juice box? Look for 100% juice on the label - it provides good nutrition and natural sweetness to the meal, and needed fluid for active children (and adults) who forget to 'get a drink' through the day. Again, the frozen box will thaw by meal time, but keeps the lunch cool and appetizing as it defrosts!

To complete the blue-ribbon brown bag, add some sure winners, such as baby carrots - they are ready to pack, super nutritious and delicious! A small bag of dry, ready-to-eat cereal adds crunch and interest to lunch, as well as providing important vitamins and minerals. Dried fruit - as simple as raisins, or as exotic as you desire - makes a durable, nutritious sweet that stands alone or dresses up yogurt or a sandwich.

You are not alone in your quest for the best brown bag. There are many web sites and cookbooks available on the topic! Here are a few to checkout...

http://busycooks.about.com/library/weekly/aa080700.htm

http://family.go.com

http://busycooks.about.com

Last, and definitely not least: Pack a thoughtful note, a funny holiday napkin or a special treat every once in awhile - it will make your day and your child's!

Source: Brown Bag Lunches, internet site at http://busycooks.about.com. 8/14/2000.

Sandy Procter, M.S., R.D., L.D.

Coordinator, EFNEP

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File: NUTRITION, LIFE-CYCLE: School-aged Child (6-11 yrs.)

K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.