j. tarrab
Shake up your kids' school lunches with this simple bread salad your kids can help put together. Instead of mixing the recipe in a bowl, toss ingredients in individual proportions directly in a plastic zip-top bag. After everything is inside, seal the bag and shake (let your kids do the shaking!). The baggie can be placed directly in a lunchbox and conveniently whisked off to school.
Watch our food expert Cricket Azima create this easy, no-cook panzanella salad:
Get the recipe for Bread Salad (Panzanella)
When making the salad, give your children independence, ownership and choice by having all the ingredients prepped and placed in separate bowls to select from. Make sure they choose at least three vegetables in addition to the other ingredients. You can also add some protein to this dish by tossing in a cup of diced salami, diced pepperoni, canned tuna or white beans.
Don't forget to make it educational, too. Show your kids how to tear basil by hand instead of cutting it with a knife to avoid bruising—your kids may be surprised to learn that the herb can bruise just like humans! Ask kids to take a taste test: Do green and red peppers taste different? Either way, you got potentially picky eaters to try bell peppers. And share a fun fact with your children: Green peppers have more vitamin C than oranges (yep, it's true).
Cricket Azima is the author of Everybody Eats Lunch and founder of The Creative Kitchen
Plus:
-The Kids' Table: Learn How to Cook Easy Lasagnas with Your Kids
-The Kids' Table: Make Pumpkin Fritters Your Kids Will Love
-The Kids' Table: Make Tasty Waffle Towers with Your Kids
-The Kids' Table: Make a Twist on Chicken Noodle Soup
