Diabetic-Friendly Lunch Box Specials

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Diabetic-Friendly Lunch Box Specials
by Marilyn Helton
PracticalKitchen.com

Making a healthful school lunch can be a real challenge if children want to eat the same thing every day. Although this may not seem to be a major problem if their favorite foods are reasonably healthful, like peanut butter or turkey, variety is still critical to a nutritious diet. Try to keep offering new foods in addition to their favorites and eventually children may gradually accept a wider variety of lunch items. Sandwiches are always a lunch box favorite. In addition to the recipe suggestions we've included here, you might try offering a chicken salad pita, filled with chopped lettuce and tomato, shredded cheese, chunks of baked chicken and low-fat ranch dressing. Or, roll roast beef in a tortilla and accompany with carrot and celery sticks and other bite-size veggies. To help avoid lunch swapping, cut foods into smaller pieces so that just a part can be shared. Remember that the more appealing the meal, the less likely it is to be swapped.

And parents . . . add some variety to your lunch break by slipping some of these lunch box specials into your own brown bag!

Veggie Spread For Bagels
From Diabetic Low-Fat Meals in Minutes,
By M.J. Smith, RD, Chronimed Publishing

8 oz reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 carrot, washed & shredded
1 Tbsp. dry onion
2 Tbsp. minced fresh green pepper
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 cup finely diced fresh cucumber

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate in a covered container and use with plain bagels. This spread is best chilled for 2 hours and will keep for 1 week. 8 Servings (1/4 cup each).

Per Serving (without bagel): 25 Cal; 0g Fat; 2g Carb; 3g Protein; 1mg
Cholesterol; 85mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Vegetable.

Coconut Coleslaw
From Diabetic Low-Fat Meals in Minutes,
By M.J. Smith, RD, Chronimed Publishing

1 pound shredded cabbage & carrots
8-ounce can crushed pineapple in juice, drained
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup flaked coconut
1/3 cup nonfat mayonnaise

Combine all ingredients in a big salad bowl. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes or until serving time. Transfer to individual serving cups for the lunch box. 8 (1/2 cup) servings.

Per Serving:95 Cal; 4g Fat; 16g Carb; 2g Protein; 0mg Cholesterol; 141mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Veg; 1/2 Fruit; 1 Fat.

Oatmeal Fruit Bars
From American Institute of Cancer Research

Raisin & Date Filling:
1-1/2 cup raisins
1-1/2 cup chopped, pitted dates
3/4 cup orange juice
3/4 cup water
1 Tbsp grated orange zest
Non-stick vegetable cooking spray

Crust:
1/2 cup soft margarine, chilled
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1-1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-cup old-fashioned rolled oats

Prepare the filling: Combine the raisins, dates, orange juice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Continue to boil, stirring for 10 minutes, until the mixture thickens and becomes like a paste. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the orange zest. Let cool completely.

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a nonstick 13x9x2-inch baking pan with aluminum foil and spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Prepare the crust: Mix the margarine with the brown sugar in a medium size bowl until well blended. Beat in the flour, baking soda and oats until the mixture is crumbly.

Press half the oat mixture into the prepared pan. Spread the filling in an even layer over the oats. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the filling and press down lightly.

Bake the bars for 25 minutes, or until the top is golden. Cut into 40 bars while still warm. Cool the bars completely and store them in an airtight container. Yield: 40 Bars.

Per Bar: 93 Cal; 3g Fat; 18g Carb; 00mg Cholesterol; 48mg Sodium; 1g Fiber.
Exchanges: 1 Fruit; 1/2 Starch; 1/2 Fat.

Soft Apple Cider Cookies
Source: Egg Beaters®

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup Fleischmann's® Move Over Butter Spread, softened
1/2 cup apple cider
1/2 cup Egg Beaters® Healthy Real Egg Substitute
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 medium apples, peeled and diced (about 1-1/2 cups)
3/4 cup chopped almonds

Cider Glaze:
1 cup Confectioners sugar
2 Tbsp. apple cider
Blend sugar and cider until smooth.

Preheat oven to 375F. Coat baking sheets with vegetable spray. In large bowl, beat sugar and butter spread on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Beat in cider and egg product. Blend in flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Stir in apples and almonds. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from sheets & cool on wire racks. Frost with Cider Glaze.
Yield: 48 Cookies.

Per Cookie: 78 Cal; 3g Fat; 12g Carb; 3mg Cholesterol; 65mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 1 Starch; 1 Fat.

About the Author:
Marilyn Helton was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 1993. She is the publisher of Cinnamon Hearts~The Art of Living A Winning Diabetic Lifestyle, a positive-power online Ezine for diabetics and their families. Marilyn is also an active member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals and the American Diabetes Association, in addition to being the book review columnist for Voice of the Diabetic, an international publication of the National Federation of the Blind. You can find more of Marilyn's book reviews, articles and recipes online at the Cinnamon Hearts website,
Resources: Fabulous Foods (www.fabulousfoods.com) and The Diabetic Gourmet (http://diabeticgourmet.com).