The italian Lunch Box

AVAILABLE ALSO IN: Italian

Dear american friends I’m writing this post because the lunch box “issue” is something that came into my life as an expat.
The fact is that in Italy we don’t have the lunch box: you eat at home or you have the kitchen in school. Never in my life I had to deal with that and it was kinda shocking when I moved to US and my son began Preschool…
They handed out some papers about this famous Lunch Box and my face went blank.
So I need to prepare the lunch for my son??? Seriously??
So when I tell my hometown friends that every morning I wake up and while I drink my espresso I have to prepare the lunch for both my kids…. they look at me like I’m a superhero. A crazy one.

Because if you tell an italian to cook…even it is for a lunch box….they take it seriously. For us that thingy called “peanut-butter and jello” is an insult itself and even a simple sandwich has to have the best prosciutto ever.
So that is why I felt the urge to create a post for all the italian moms around the world or anyone who wants some hints on how to prepare something good :-D.
Of course I happily adopted some of the ideas and recipes from my international friends and I’m glad if you want to share your ideas too!!!

I decided to be more organized in this past month and to try different menus. I took pictures and decided to write about it!

First of all some rules for the perfect lunchbox that I would like to remind of:

1. do not try new food : the lunchbox is not the right moment to let the kids experiment new food. I heard so many teachers struggling with kids who didn’t want to try food they never have seen before! Try not to complicate things, please!
2. do not prepare food you know your kids hate! It is simply mean. Really mean. They will arrive at lunch so hungry and they’ll open their lunchbox and will find exactly what they hate. Please don’t do that.
3. you really don’t have to be everyday a MasterChef, trust me. And you really don’t need to create the Frozen Castle with the rice and carrots in order to make your kids eat!Cmon! let’s be simple and healthy ok?
4. do not put hot food in plastic container. It is unsafe. There are lots of containers designed for hot lunches!
5. it is more than ok to buy prepared food. Don’t go crazy with that. I prepare most of their food but I also know my son loves sushi and salads (he especially loves the Trader Joe’s ones!), hot dogs, meatballs, pizza, etc.  Just be sure it is a good one and nutfree.
6. NO chocolate, nuts, sugar. First of all because there might be kids with allergies. I leave the sugary snack for when I pick them up at school. A little treat after school makes everything easier!
7. the night before prepare all the containers, utensils, cleaned lunchbox and already know what you will give to them. It will avoid the stress in the morning. I still prefer to prepare pasta and other food in the morning because it tastes better but leftovers are perfect. Having everything ready in the morning really helps a LOT!
8. I know this is a little bit too much for some of you BUT don’t use plastic utensils but “real” ones and fabric napkins.  I learned that from my son’s Montessori school in Las Vegas and I think is a good habit that also helps the earth 😀
9. juices and milk yes but NOT ONLY. Always give your kids some water. In Italy we don’t drink milk during lunch or dinner (it is just really weird for us) and juices usually are for parties, breakfast or snacks. So we are used to drink always water and that should always be in the lunchbox.
10. Have some easy-lunch ready. Mine are bread with prosciutto or leftover risotto. These are my 2 days where I do not have to go crazy and I feel more relaxed. No I do not prepare sandwich every day for my kids, just a couple of times a week.
11. do not throw away anything : pizza and some good food from the restaurant that your kids didn’t finish? Good lunch-box material!!!

Lunch Box Stuff

Here is what I use:

• thermos for hot and cold food. I bought this brand (THERMOS) exactly 8 years ago for my son and I still use the same every day. I think they are pretty amazing and resistant. You can find them anywhere or on amazon: THERMOS or FOGOO.
• also for the water I use the same thermos and I also bring them anywhere. Would reccomend these to anyone: Thermos Funtainer .
• for snacks and cold food I love to use the sistema that I always found on sale at Ross, TJmaxx etc.
  THese ones as well are super resistant, easy to open for little ones, I put them in the machine and they never broke or got ruined.
• last but not least the lunchbox: I have a 9 year old boy that eats a lot so I need a big box. I recently bought on sale the big Pottery Barn ones. I also put them in the washing machine to clean so they have to be resistant!

Some menu ideas

And now the real stuff :-D:

1. of course the queen PASTA. In Italy we have infinite ways to eat pasta…like really we have aisles in grocery stores only with all kind of it and infinite sauces and recipes that I cannot even tell.
   For the lunch box I always usually prepare these ones: pasta with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and Grana cheese (did you know that we use Grana cheese and broth to introduce food to babies?!?!so that cheese is probably in our veins); homemade tomato sauce (just SIMPLE SAUCE made out of tomato, basil, extravirgin oil, onion and garlic…nothing else in it!!! please!); homemade PESTO …it is seriuosly so easy to do and it tastes gooood – although I found the the big pesto at Costco is pretty good (the only one found that it tastes like basil); cheese …just for you to know in Italy we don’t know who that damn Alfredo is and why he and is pasta is so famous in! If you ask to an italian for a “Alfredo pasta” you will probably risk your life. And macaroni and cheese is an insult for us, too. Please don’t. Thank you.
   Cheese pasta is usually a good mix of italian cheeses (don’t forget Grana!!!).
   Other easy pasta recipes that italians love: carbonara (pancetta, eggs and grana cheese); amatriciana (pancetta, tomato and onions), saffron and zucchine (zucchinE with E not with I, that is how they are called in italian); mozzarella and tomatoes etc.
   And could go on forever so if you need any other recipes just write me!
   With main course pasta I add veggies like mini carrots and fruits.
2. PANINO that is our sandwich made with bread and Prosciutto Cotto (low sodium ham if you do not find it), Prosicutto Crudo (parma),  Mortadella or Salame (Milano style).
   Or the famous sandwich with cotoletta (breaded thin chicken).We can add to that veggies like fennel, sweet pepper, little sweet tomatoes.
3. RISOTTO : this is something I prepare the night before because requires a longer preparation but it is even better the next day with some cheese.
   Or also simple white rice (steamed or I used to buy the very good one at Trader Joe’s that you put the bags in the microwave!) + wurstel (that is how we use to call the hot dog HA!)  + vegetables or fruit
4. POLPETTE/MEATBALLS some crackers, grissini, bread + FRUITS: like sliced apples, mango, pineapples etc.
5. BISTECCA MILANESE it is our version of the chicken nuggets. They are breaded with bread crumbs and grana cheese and fried. I also buy the already done ones of course that I can put in microwave or hove. Easy peasy. I add some veggie and maybe a home made muffin. I have an awesome recipe for carrot muffins that my kids love!
6. FISH STICKS (already made) + fruits or yogurth or applesauce + bread
7. PIADINA with prosciutto and cheese + veggie + and fruit juice (organic)
8. FRITTATA easy if you prepare it in muffin containers or just the classic one. I usually put some Grana cheese and zucchine inside and it is perfect also to eat + banana
9. RAVIOLI or GNOCCHI these requires max 4 minutes to prepare and are really yummy. Please just put only a little bit of extravirgin oil or butter with sage on it and that’s it! To preapre in the lunchbox with some cheese, bresaola and dried fruit.
10. FOCACCIA: I always buy the one at Trader Joe’s that is ready in 5 minutes. Just put some ROSEMARY on it and really little extra virgin oil and coarse salt. Let cook and than use to make sandwich with an easy to made tuna sauce (tuna with ricotta!!! very good!)
11. HOT DOG : I personally use only the chicken hot dogs that are not so fatty and my kids like them better + fruits or macedonia (medley of fruit)
12. LASAGNE (you can buy it already made…. if you find a good one…or I usualyy prepare it before and freeze little portions ready to use) + cereal bar + fruit
13. CHICKEN IN SO MANY WAYS : grilled, curry, with tomato sauce and usually I put it together with some rice to make a more consistent plate  + bread or crackers + fruit or muffin
14. BURRITO : this happens when we have our Burrito Night at home and the next day I use the left overs!!!
15. SUSHI . Alright alright…yes my son loves sushi and I do not make it but buy it. Usually I buy the Salmon teryaki for my daughter who doesn’t eat raw fish. Edamame are also a must have for my kids!
16. EGGS : i usually hard boil some and put them in salads or as is. your choice!
17. COUS COUS with veggie and chicken is a good meal. I prepare it the night before.
18. ARANCINI di riso
19. PIZZA (I mean real italian pizza!)
20. ° CALZONE : is like a closed pizza you can easily do with pizza dough and all that you want inside.
21. ° veggie MUFFIN : or with pancetta, parmesan cheese or with ricotta chesse, zucchine etc. Easy to do and yummy for kids.
    ° MINI QUICHES
    ° FRUIT CHIPS: cut thin slices of fruits, put them in a hoven with a little bit of sugar and you’ll create some fruit chips!
    ° SPIEDINI or kebabs with mozzarella, tomatoes, prosciutto cubes or fruit ones
    ° CRESPELLE/ CREPES : salted or sweets are great for an easy and healthy meal.

And here you go with some snacks!

I have always to add snacks for recess time. So here a few easy ideas…

1. of course fruits
2. crackers and cheese
3. cheesesticks
4. philadelphia (cream cheese) in little portions with bread sticks
5. cereal bars
6. a little panino (sandwich) with marmalade
7. muffins
8. a slice of cake
9. cookies and fruits
10. yogurt
11. apple sauce
12. pop corn (in little ziplocs)
13. dried fruit
14. carrot muffin
15. mini cereal boxes

the life savers (things you need to buy in case you forgot to prepare the lunch and you are last minute)

• microwave rice
• bags of ready safrron rice
• just easy pasta with some oil
• chicken nuggets that I always have in the freezer
• prosciutto and bread.
• I have the cooking bags that I easily put in the oven to prepare yummy chicken. It usually takes about 50 minutes so you need time.
• tuna in olive oil
• ikea meatballs!!!

Hope you can find some good ideas for your lunchboxes and please feel free to add any other idea and contact me anytime!!!