There are so many diets being touted as the best for optimal health it is hard to keep it all straight. One thing is for sure…the Standard American Diet (SAD) and the food pyramid are flawed to say the least. Kids today are not getting adequate nutrition and they are suffering as a result. Children are being diagnosed with ADD, ADHD, asthma, allergies, autism, diabetes, and afflictions that used to be found in adults only. Children as young as two years old have been found to have plaque in their arteries already. Something important is missing…but what is it? 

Think about how humans were designed. What did we eat for years before the advent of modern convenience foods? What is it that we are eating or rather NOT eating that is causing human health to decline with every passing year? Why are our bodies and our children’s bodies wearing out so fast and getting so sick?

As a species we have gotten away from the foods we are supposed to eat, living raw foods. The living foods or raw foods diet generally includes vegetarian/vegan foods but goes a step beyond and also eliminates cooked and processed foods. Raw diet enthusiasts know that living foods have life giving enzymes that are destroyed during processing and cooking, rendering those foods indigestible unless our body raids its own finite enzyme stores. Without those enzymes we can’t digest our food or extract the components that keep us alive and healthy. Cooking and processing also kills 50-75% of the nutrients in food as well so when we cook food we are rendering it half as healthy as it once was.

So what do raw food proponents eat? A typical raw food diet consists mainly of uncooked and unprocessed grains, vegetables, nuts, sprouts, fresh and dried fruits, seeds, beans, and seaweed. Raw diets also usually include a lot fresh juices and water. In simple terms…eating raw food means eating food in its purest form…the way nature made it. If you throw a cheese puff on the ground and water it, nothing will grow. It has no life inside it. If you throw a dehydrated flax seed cracker on the ground and water it, you may very well end up with flax plants.

Those who follow raw foods diets believe that this way of eating reduces risk for heart disease, cancer, and diabetes and greatly improves their energy levels, skin appearance, digestive processes, and weight loss efforts. Many amazing raw food healing stories abound.

Many people neglect the importance of raw foods and cook everything. In the long run you are risking serious health problems. Cooked foods are not the healthiest option. The body cannot properly digest foods that have been fried, pasteurized, barbecued, dried or other over-processed and over cooked foods. Eating a wide variety for raw foods is very important. A daily diet should consist of at least 50% raw foods for a proper functioning body. Are your kids eating 50% of their total diet it is purest, raw form? 

If not you can start doing something about it now. The Recipes for Raw Kids un-cookbook has 80+ pages of raw food info and recipes for kids. This recipe book goes beyond carrot sticks and trail-mix with divine recipes kids will love, like Lemon Cookies and sweet Chickpea Crunchies. If you are ready to give your kids the power of raw, living foods, make sure to check it out.

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1 C chunked pineapple, drained

1 C mandarin oranges, drained

1 C sour cream

1 C rainbow miniature marshmallows

How to Make It:

Place the fruit cocktail, pineapple chunks and oranges into a large mixing bowl.

Gently fold in the sour cream until all the fruit is covered.

Sprinkle in the marshmallows and stir until just combined.

Place in a pre chilled thermos.

Serves 6

This fruit salad is a delight especially on a hot summer day.  Add a little coconut or a few nuts to make a different taste every time. 

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1 small tomato, seeded and diced

2 tbsp green onion, diced small

1 tbsp parsley, chopped

1 tsp lemon juice

How to Make It:

Place the prepared kiwi into a mixing bowl.

Add in the tomato and green onion.

Sprinkle with the chopped parsley.

Pour in the lemon juice.

Mix all the ingredients together well being sure everything is coated well with the lemon juice.

Refrigerate until cold.

Place in a pre chilled thermos.

Serves 2

Add some tortilla chips to the lunch box to have with this salsa.  Kids love it and so do adults not only as a side dish at lunch but for that afternoon snack as well.

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1 small eggplant, sliced

2 potatoes, skin left on and sliced

1 onion, sliced

1 green bell pepper, cut into strips

1 large tomato, sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp parsley

1/2 tsp basil

How to Make It:

Place the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Heat the oil to hot but not smoking.

Add the eggplant and potatoes.

Layer on the onions.

Layer in the pepper strips.

Last lay the tomatoes on the top.

Sprinkle with the garlic, parsley and basil.

Allow the layers to simmer in the hot oil for 20 minutes.

If the mixture seems to be cooking to quickly lower the heat to medium low.

Mixture may seem slightly dry but do not add water.

Continue cooking 15 minutes or until vegetables is fork tender.

Use a spatula to remove in sections and layer into a wide mouth thermos.

Serves 4

This dish is great out of a thermos.  Sprinkle a little parmesan cheese over the top before eating. 

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1 small zucchini, sliced into 1/4 in slices
1 small onion, wedged
1 (6 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 small red sweet pepper, cut into 2 in strips
2 C  fresh bean sprouts
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp pepper

How to Make It:

Place the olive oil into a wok. 

Heat to medium high heat.

Add the zucchini and onion and cook 3 minutes or until crisp but tender.

Remove and place in a separate bowl.

Add more oil if necessary.

Place the mushrooms and red pepper strips into the hot wok.

Cook 2 minutes or until fork tender but crisp.

Remove and place in the same bowl as the onion mixture stirring together to incorporate.

Add more oil if necessary.

Place the bean sprouts into the wok.

Pour the soy sauce over the top of the bean sprouts.

Stir in the sugar and pepper being sure to mix together well.

Cook 2 minutes. 

Place the onion and mushroom mixture back into the wok.

Continue cooking 4 minutes, being sure to stir occasionally, or until completed heated through.

Place immediately into a warm prepared thermos. 

Serves 4

As long as the thermos has been warmed, sealed tightly and not opened until ready to eat this meal will remain hot and delicious right up until lunch time.

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2 c mayonnaise

1/2 C parsley, chopped

1/2 C green onion, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Assorted vegetable pieces

How to Make It:

Cook the spinach as directed on the package.

Drain the spinach and mash it down with a potato masher to remove as much juice as possible.

Place the drained spinach into a mixing bowl.

Add the mayonnaise with a rubber spatula.

Dump in the parsley and green onions.

Sprinkle with the salt and pepper.

Using the rubber spatula and stirring from the bottom up mix the ingredients all together well.

Place the dip into a prepared cooled thermos.

Place the vegetable pieces in a separate container.

Serves 6

Just about any type of vegetable will work with this dip.  Try carrot or celery sticks, broccoli, cauliflower or even cherry tomatoes.

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1/2 C canned corn, drained

1/2 C brown rice, cooked

1/4 C salsa

How to Make It:

Place the beans and corn in a saucepan.

Add the cooked brown rice.

Stir in the salsa.

Place the saucepan on the stove over low heat.

Cook 12 minutes or until heated through.

Place in a prepared warm thermos.

Serves 1

This meal is so easy to prepare and is very filling.  A side salad or some tortilla chips can be added for the perfect lunch.

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1 (6 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained

1 small onion, chopped

1 small red pepper, chopped

4 C chicken broth

2 C chicken breast, cooked and chopped

2 C taco salsa

1 tbsp taco seasoning

How to Make It:

Place the bacon in a soup kettle over medium heat.

Cook the bacon crisp, 12 minutes, being sure to crumble the bacon as it cooks.

Place the mushrooms, onion and red pepper in with the crumbled bacon.

Pour the chicken broth in over the vegetables.

Carefully place the chopped chicken into the pot.

Stir in the taco salsa and taco seasoning well being sure all the ingredients are incorporated together.

Bring the mixture to a quick boil over high heat.

Turn the heat to low once boil, cover and cook 15 minutes.

Pour into a prepared thermos.

Serves 4

Add a few tortilla chips or corn chips with this soup for a perfect meal.  Shredded cheese and sour cream can also be added as a garnish.

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1/4 C steel cut oats

1 1/2 C boiling water

1/4 C dried fruit (your favorite)

How to Make It:

Dump the oats into the thermos. 

Pour the boiling water over the oats.

Place the lid on the thermos and seal tight.

Leave the thermos set overnight.

In the morning drain off any excess water.

Stir in the dried fruit.

Replace the lid and go.

Serves 1

You can use old fashioned oats or quick oats in this recipe but don’t try instant oats.  Add a little milk, white sugar, brown sugar or butter for a different taste. 

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The first safety issue with food concerns keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Now, with hot foods, they won’t stay hot for several hours but an insulated container or Thermos allows for lukewarm or room temperature foods. Even if the food needs to be reheated before eating, it should be room temperature or cool when packed.

Letting food cool down before refrigerating it avoids the excess condensation inside the container. That extra water that builds up inside can make food soggy. On top of that, it doesn’t look good when the container is opened and extra water has collected on the food. And, seriously who wants to eat soggy bread?

For frozen meals from the store, there’s no need to thaw them out before packing your lunch bag. By the time you get around to eating it, the meal will probably not be frozen anymore. Using a cold pack in the bag also keeps the temperature constant so the meal won’t completely thaw before it’s time to dig in.

These meals have preservatives so they are not as much of a worry as homemade dishes brought for lunch. Anything with mayonnaise or egg holds up better with refrigeration. A lunch bag left out in the sun or not refrigerated will become rancid over time. That doesn’t mean your lunch will be that way if you don’t have an ice pack, but you never know what might happen. Taking leftovers for lunch that are a few days old combined with the lack of refrigeration can cause serious problems.

Any food that is not eaten at lunch needs to be refrigerated again if you plan on eating more of it. You should also remove a portion of the meal to a plate or other container when you don’t intend to eat it all. Enzymes in saliva break down food and can cause bacteria to spread more rapidly. A half eaten sandwich or plate of meatloaf won’t be palatable three hours after lunch unless the portion was divided before you took the first bite.

One final thing - empty the lunch bag when you get home. Kids are great for leaving leftover food in a lunch bag on the top of the refrigerator. Yuck! Clean the bag out in case something spilled in the bottom or there are some food pieces. By following these tips you and your kids can enjoy eating lunch without getting sick.

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