The Nutrient-Dense School Lunch Your Child Might Actually Eat — and Love

Our Powders Easily Add Nutrients to Soups and Stews

My good friend and co-author Sally Fallon Morell used to say that her rule with her four children was that they had to eat the breakfast and dinner she served them, and then they were free to eat what they wanted during the day.  She was banking on them getting enough nutrient-dense foods during those two meals to keep them well nourished and even well fed enough so that they wouldn’t be looking for junk food.

These days, the stakes are probably higher as the types of horrible food available grow seemingly every year.  Realizing that you won’t and can’t have full control over what your children eat while at school (I hear stories all the time about children stuffing their beautiful homemade sandwiches under the sofa — that’s what my son Joe did), it’s still worth the effort to send them to school with a nourishing and nutritious lunch.  

For me, the absolute easiest solution is to get a good stainless steel thermos and fill it each morning with hot bone-broth soup or stew.  These can be made in big batches, frozen for later use, and they can include broth, meat, vegetables, our vegetable powders and even some fermented vegetables.  The thermos will keep the soup hot until lunch, and the combination of soup or stew with sourdough bread with butter and/or raw-milk cheese is a hit with most people.  That is my work-day lunch most days.  You could also top this meal off with a small container of fresh, seasonal berries or fruit slices with a dollop of homemade whipped cream. Almost every child would look forward to a lunch like this.

During the school year, it’s also important to have your children eat a nutritious breakfast.   My two favorites for children are either eggs and bacon with our powders sprinkled on the eggs, or soaked oatmeal with the addition of butter, cream, Three-Beet Powder and Winter Squash Powder to add sweetness and extra nutrients.   I also like to add raisins and seasonal berries.

Although planning and preparing school lunches might not be easy, it’s worth the effort. And, remember, never force them or coerce them to eat. Listen to their preferences and always realize that eating should ultimately be fun and enjoyable and not a daily battle. 

In health,

Tom Cowan, M.D.