Lunch Box Refresh with Dorothy Lane Market

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As we kick off another year, I find myself with renewed purpose in many aspects of my life. I start cleaning out closets, making lists, thinking of my goals for the next few weeks and the year ahead. With this “life overhaul” comes my desire to get back to the ways I prefer to live, like clean(er) eating and healthy habits for my entire family. One huge way to impact my family’s health during the new year is making sure they have healthy food they will actually enjoy and eat! Having two school-aged children with very different preferences can make packing lunch a big challenge. As I embark on another week of “wow that lunch menu is gross and totally unhealthy”, while at the same time thinking ‘do I really want to have this extra chore in the morning?’ – I turn to one of my most favorite resources in the Dayton area: Dorothy Lane Market

Dorothy Lane Market (or DLM for anyone brushing up on their Dayton slang) is my go-to for simplifying my week while still allowing my kids to have wholesome, yummy food to fuel their days. If anyone else is looking for some inspiration as your kids head back to school this month, here are my top 8 tips for easy school lunches:

  1. My kids can be very picky – and there are some days where my son doesn’t eat a single vegetable. However, if we head to the DLM Salad Bar and I let them have free reign, they compile some seriously yummy (and healthy!) choices for themselves. I like to have them make a fruit or veggie salad for the week, and I will divide it up over a couple of days. DMB Mom Tip: Keep any dressings or dips separate in the lunch box so nothing gets soggy. 

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  2. If the salad bar isn’t doing the trick for us, I head to the prepared cold case and let them pick out a 4 Square. What is a 4 Square you ask? Only the best idea ever. It’s already cut up veggies with dip, perfectly packaged and ready to throw in the lunch box. (See some HERE!) On a busy morning, all you need in addition to one of these babies is a couple of hard-boiled eggs (seasoned to your child’s liking), or some cubed meats and cheeses. I get my meat and cheese from the deli in thick slices and then cube it myself at home. You can also custom create a 4 Square with any of the prepared items at the deli counter if you need a quick lunch for yourself! 
  3. In this same cold case, you can also find prepared snack packs, overnight oats with fruit or yogurt parfaits. These options are great for “outside of the box” additions to a kid’s lunch box. I especially like the overnight oat or yogurt parfait idea, because it gives a hint of “sweet treat” without actually being total junk. I know I don’t enjoy eating the same thing every single day, and it’s easy to throw one of theseinton the mix to make lunchtime feel a bit more enticing.
  4. Did I mention picky eaters already? My kids eat approximately 50 turkey sandwiches a week. I would feel guilty about this, except that I use DLM’s 10 Grain Bread and DLM Brand Oven Roasted Turkey, so guilt can take a hike. Have you ever looked at the ingredients on lunch meat at your deli counter? Not only does the turkey at DLM taste like your momma makes on Thanksgiving, it has just four natural ingredients! We seriously can’t get enough of this stuff. Their bread also makes the best toast you’ll ever have. As an alternative, use a tortilla instead of bread, roll and slice into 1/2 inch pieces for pinwheel sandwiches. A very simple pinwheel I like is using flavored cream cheese as the spread with DLM turkey or ham. The cream cheese helps the pinwheel rolls “stick”, and it’s easy to change things up with the flavors you choose.
  5. DLM Kettle Chips. Seriously, so good. We grab individual packs of these because they are so good we need the implied portion control of a single serving. 
  6. My kids still have to bring a snack every day, which adds another layer to my lunch packing dilemma in the morning. One easy, healthy snack they love is DLM’s Popcorn. We stay away from microwave popcorn, so I love having a bag of this on hand when I don’t have time to pop my own on the stove. The ingredients are great, and we love the taste. Just the right amount of salt. Throw a baggie of popcorn and a clementine in their book bag, and you’re all set. Crunch, flavor, fiber – perfect snack that keeps them full until lunch. DMB Mom Tip: Join the DLM Kids’ Club for free cookies, free produce (what?) and more!
  7. Change up the format! Rather than the typical turkey sandwich-bag of chips-apple routine, try a bento type lunch box. While I don’t have a bento box exactly, my kids each have their own segmented, expandable containers by CoolGear that even come with a freezable ice pack. They are my favorite find ever. Use one part for hummus, the larger section for veggie sticks (carrots, cucumber, sweet peppers), and the third small box for nuts, olives, or sunflower seeds. You then insert those compartments into the ice pack, and stick into the outer container. You can either leave it as is, or expand it to then add some cubed turkey, cheese, and crackers in a baggie on the top. I prefer to do these bite-sized lunches rather than the newly popular “cutting out sandwiches into fun shapes”. Honestly, it’s wasteful – and also my name isn’t Martha Stewart. I don’t even cut the crust off a sandwich, so I’m not pulling out the cookie cutters at 6 am.  My goal is healthy, fun, but also FAST. None of my lunches are “Pinterest worthy”, but they do fulfill MY criteria and my kids actually eat them (most of the time).
     
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  8. So it’s 6pm on a weeknight, you have no idea what to have for dinner, and while you’re there realize you also have nothing for lunch tomorrow. Your kids are freaking out about being at the store, and you are “so done”. What’s a mom to do? Cheat, of course. Dorothy Lane has already prepared lunch boxes all ready to go. Grab a couple for the kids dinner tonight, a couple for school tomorrow, and one of their delicious Dinner for Two for you and the hubs (which I hear are only available at Washington Square and Oakwood locations for now). You’re back in the car within 10 minutes and on your way to dinner-bedtime-couch time.
     
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    Dorothy Lane Market is a Dayton mom’s best friend. It’s local, and they have healthy choices I can feel great about feeding my family PLUS convenient options that save me time! It doesn’t get better than that. Well, until you try the Killer Brownies. 😉

 

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Emily O
Emily is mom to three beautiful handfuls: bonus daughter Zolie (8), son Griffin (7) and daughter Nora (1). When she isn't working or wrangling her household, she enjoys getting out and about in Dayton with her friends and family. Emily loves the local Metroparks, craft beer community, independent restaurant scene, and drinking margaritas with her husband in their Belmont backyard. As a life long Gem City resident, she feels this city has countless perks to offer families and loves bragging about all things Dayton. You can usually find her adding things to her virtual shopping cart for "one hour pickup" because hello, taking three kids to the store is the worst.