Give a kid a break from the same old sandwiches. Serve up crispy, coated, bite-size chicken on lollipop sticks and an assortment of sauces on the side. Sneak in some fresh veggies for dipping, too.
What's for Lunch
There's no way kids will want to trade away this lunch because it's just too much fun to eat. They're getting delectable morsels of chicken served on little sticks, with yummy sauces for dipping--we've offered recipes for a few favorites. Colorful, crunchy vegetables such as carrots, bell peppers, or sweet cherry tomatoes are there for scooping up what's left of the sauce; and homemade oatmeal cookies and a carton of milk round out this midday meal. Who could resist?
Lunch Box Makeover
- Make ahead. Bake chicken and cut veggies the day before. You could also store a big batch of coated chicken in the freezer and bake it as needed.
- Make it lighter. Use baked instead of fried chips for the coating on the chicken. Choose low-fat and low-sodium options for the dip ingredients.
- Make it fun. Fill mini storage containers with the dips(s) you know your kids will love to eat.
- Make it different. Many reviewers added raisins or nuts (or both) to the oatmeal cookie recipe with delicious results.
- Make it safe. The lollipop sticks used in this recipe make for a fun presentation, but be sure your child is old enough to eat this dish safely if unsupervised.
- Make it safer. Freeze a small carton of milk or bottle of water to keep lunches nicely chilled until ready to eat.
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