Localicious: The Lunch That Keeps On Giving

Ideas for Packing A Lunch Full Of Nutrients To Last Them Through Math Class

Summer flew by and the long, sunny days are now focused on back-to-school sales and trying on new shoes for the child who somehow grew an entire size in the past two months. Shifting gears as a family can feel daunting and somewhat intimidating when those school supply lists arrive and no one knows where to find the calculator with a pi button on it.

What’s for Lunch?

Then comes lunch. Packing lunches is more than making butterfly sandwiches and cute kabob sticks. It’s important to offer your child nutrient-dense options that will sustain them through the entire day of school. Northern California has a lot to offer when it comes to nutritious options for your student’s lunches, but how does it measure up as food kids want?

Rice – It’s Packed with Nutrition

Rice is an amazing grain that offers many nutritious benefits. Brown rice is an incredible source of vitamin B3 and magnesium. Locally, we have Sac Valley Rice Co. in Glenn County, home of Chico Rice, offering organic brown and white rice. Tom Knowles, of Sac Valley Rice Co., had this to say about kids enjoying their rice, “As a parent of two boys and two girls, I can attest to how great our rice is for kids! Our kids and their friends love to throw some rice in the rice cooker and eat it with a little butter and pepper! Most kids turn their nose up at brown rice. But ours is so fresh and nutty that kids make an exception!  And our blonde rice is surprisingly sweet!”

Head to New Earth for Healthy Options

When it comes to shopping for the best snack options to fill those lunch boxes, try New Earth Market located in Yuba City and Chico. Kevin Cotter, the owner of New Earth Market, shared his story on why children need healthy options. “When my daughter Jordan was a toddler, she was diagnosed with asthma. We were told she would outgrow it one day. Her asthma manifested itself as an exhausting wet cough that would last for many days. Then it dawned on us to ask the question: “What is the real cause of her asthma? Why are we just treating the symptoms of her cough and not getting to the root of the problem?”

After visiting a homeopathic doctor and doing a simple allergy test, we discovered Jordan’s intolerance to wheat and dairy. We eliminated these foods from her diet and her asthma went away – just like that. With the support and faith of family, friends, and our bank, we raised the funds to build New Earth Market. Jordan’s health adversity was the catalyst that led to an opportunity for our community, the creation of New Earth Market.” New Earth Market carries local products and offers many organic brands.

To the Farmer’s Market!

Fresh fruits and vegetables are some of the sweetest finds here in Northern California. With many local farmers’ markets to choose from, it’s easy to grab a week’s amount of produce to fill those lunch boxes. Try partnering apple slices with a nut or seed butter and making a stir fry out of some fresh zucchini, onion and bell pepper.

Gluten-Free Cheese Crackers

Look at what your child already enjoys and try healthy versions of it, such as these gluten-free cheese crackers. Using real cheese and only seven ingredients, this recipe is much healthier than typical cheese crackers from the store.

Makes about 80 crackers

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups grated Monterey jack or sharp white cheddar.
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 1-inch squares
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/4 cup cassava flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.

In a blender or food processor add all ingredients except the heavy whipping cream. Pulse for a few seconds, pausing to move the dough around with a spatula for about three minutes until it becomes clumpy. Pour in the heavy whipping cream. Pulse a few more times, using the spatula as needed. Scoop out the dough onto a piece of parchment paper sprinkled with tapioca flour. Roll the dough out to a 1/4-inch thickness, cut into squares and transfer to the baking trays. Prick all crackers with a fork.

Bake for 12-15 minutes.

(http://www.sweetestlemonade.com)

Localicious is a monthly column celebrating food in the North State. If you would like to suggest a food-related business or organization, email us at  localicious@northstateparent.com.