The Healthy Lunchbox

"I have an ADHD nephew who won't eat anything but pizza (no sauce), chicken nuggets (no strips), sugary cereal, (no milk) and any thing with sugar or icing. This book has given us ideas to correct his diet."
~ Written on 2008-02-08

"I was hoping for much more useful info on this one. I did like the checklist that allowed you to "interview" your child about what they like, don't like and are willing to try. Other than that there was not an original thought or edible recipe inside. It just takes up space on my bookshelf!"
~ Written on 2008-01-29

"This book has a wide range of useful information. I was looking for creative ideas to make taking lunch more fun, and this book was full of them. I also liked that it didn't rely on foods some kids are allergic or intolerant to."
~ Written on 2007-09-15

"This book was great in that it helped me to think outside the box for packing my son's lunches for school. It doesn't have to be a sandwich, carrots & fruit. My son is a very picky eater and now I feel like I have a good amount of options to make for some variety. I also found how to better involve him, which I'm hoping will increase the odds he will eat what is packed. Some of the recipes in the back were great, but I'm not too sure yet about others. I won't knock'em till I try them though. The book was a very easy and enjoyable read and I would recommend this book to anyone."
~ Written on 2007-08-25

"The Healthy Lunchbox provides a solid basis for parents to provide their children with healthy lunches that pack up quickly and easily.

The book is divided into four parts: Part One, "Get Ready!", outlines the nutrional needs of kids; Part Two, "Get Set!", helps parents with the logistics of packing lunches (how to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold, menu suggestions, ideas on how to get your children to eat what you pack, not trade it away, alternatives to junk food, etc.); Part Three, "Go!", where all the recipes are housed; and Part Four, "More Food for Thought," where the authors give parents further resources.

I read the first two parts (after looking at all the recipes!) and the information was solid and written in a conversational tone. My reason for buying the book, of course, was the recipes and I was not disappointed. There was a wide variety of foods (from your standard english muffin pizza to japanese style california rolls) presented under three headings: Sandwiches, Salads, Soups, Casseroles, and Other Main Dishes; Fruit and Veggie Side Dishes and Snacks; and Snacks and Desserts. As promised, the recipes are quick and easy, and each has its own nutrional index covering calories, total fat (further broken down into saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat and monunsaturated fat), cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates (further broken down into dietary fiber and sugars), protein, and exchanges. Serving size, total servings, prep time and cook time are also included. Indeed, this book is very comprehensive.

Additionally, the recipes in this book can appeal to adults and children alike, so that weekend lunches and adult lunchboxes can benefit, too. My particular favorite is the Turkey Lurkey Jerky - it's easy (although time-intensive) and tasty and now I can make my husband's favorite snack without any preservatives or other nasties. In fact, the first batch I made was eaten the same day (much to my chagrin)! This recipe alone was worth the cost of the book to me!"
~ Written on 2006-06-09