My son started first grade this year which means for the first time, I am packing lunches daily. Of my 3 kids, Jackson is the milk drinker of the family. At home he gets mad if I try to serve him water instead of milk at lunchtime. Around our house, juice isn’t something we drink on a daily basis so I was glad to find milk boxes that don’t require refrigeration — perfect for the lunch box! Milk Unleashed! It’s Grade A fluid milk that requires no refrigeration until the package is opened, thanks to ultra pasteurization and special Tetra Pak cartons that preserve all the wholesome goodness of milk. It’s available in different brands and a variety of flavors too!
Chocolate is always a hit but Jackson said his favorite was the Cow Wow Tutti Frutti flavor. The Hershey’s White Chocolate was a close second though! For those of you who prefer organic, Milk Unleashed is available from Horizon Organic and Organic Valley and many of the brands are mindful of high fructose corn syrup, artificial growth hormones and other ingredients that might be a concern to parents.
I love having milk boxes on hand that I can keep in the pantry, freeing up fridge space. And Jackson loves that he can still enjoy his favorite beverage at school!
I’m getting the hang of packing daily lunches but the following are some great tips. Follow the Five Cs for delicious and healthy meals at school:
1. Convenient – A package of string cheese is just as easy to toss in the lunchbox as a bag of salty, fatty potato chips. So is a box of raisins. And shelf safe milk. Keep some single-serve cartons in the freezer – then nestle one in the lunchbox, and they’ll keep the other items chilled until noon. Since healthy can be so easy, vow to pass on the junk!
2. Colorful – Research shows that kids eat with their eyes, and many colorful foods are healthy options. Like baby carrots, red grapes and bright green edamame. Buy the red or green tortillas for wraps. Or make some pasta salad with colorful corkscrew noodles.
3. Cut Up – Youngsters are much more likely to eat an apple (and other produce) if you cut it up for them. Especially if there is something to dip the wedges in…like peanut butter or yogurt and honey. Try cutting a sandwich in four strips or little triangles. Or make a mini kabob with rolled up lunchmeat, grape tomatoes and chunks of cheese on a toothpick.
4. Cute – Use a cookie cutter to shape a sandwich or vegetable slices. Get some fun printed napkins at the dollar store. Draw a smiley face on a banana. Need more ideas? Click here.
5. Cow – Embrace the cow! Dairy foods are packed with nutrients. Just one carton of shelf safe milk has 9 grams of protein and plenty of calcium and vitamin D. It’s just the right beverage to help kids learn and play all afternoon.
For an entire month’s worth of ideas for your lunchbox makeover, download the latest Cow Calendar.
Learn more about Milk Unleashed – it is shelf safe, Grade A milk that doesn’t require refrigeration until it’s opened (no preservatives added) and can be stored in the pantry for up to six months without refrigeration.
Feeling lucky? Enter to win a Milk Unleashed prize pack by filling out the form below.
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This giveaway is open until September 26, 2013 at 12:01 am EST to U.S residents.
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A complimentary product/service was provided for this review, however, all opinions expressed are my own. I was not compensated in any other way. See Mommies With Cents disclosure policy for more details.
There is not a DO IT button on the rafflecopter.
It might help if you put type in your info instead of just mailing address right above the entry form since above that you ask for name, address, and email.