Tag Archives: recipes

“Additive-Free” Lunch Box Ideas for Kids

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Summer is coming to an end, and this is the time of year that questions start flying about how to pack healthier (i.e., more natural) “kid-friendly” school lunches!!

I hear from so many parents who are willing to put the time and effort into making lunches for their kids to take to school each day….but they inevitably run out of ideas.

Over the next few weeks, I will be compiling here all sorts of ideas for parents to use when packing lunches this school year – ideas from readers, from other blogs…from anywhere I can get my hands on them.

Hey…perhaps you have an idea or two (or suggestions for posts/articles on other sites that I can add to the list below)? Please share your info/ideas in the comments section below, and include as much detail as possible. You’ll be helping SO many other parents. Trust me! 🙂

Alright, so here’s what we’ve compiled, so far. But check back frequently, as we hope to be adding to this list daily! (Please note: I have not personally tried all of these products or recipes; this is simply a compilation of ideas from readers and the Internet. Also, links outside of CompletelyNourished.com likely contain some recipes that are NOT additive-free, so read carefully!)

RECIPES & MEAL IDEAS

STORE-BOUGHT SHORTCUTS

  • Cooked Shrimp (at places like Whole Foods Omaha, you can even find a couple seasoned varieties on the Shrimp Bar that are additive-free and ready-to-eat!)
  • Rotisserie chicken (again, at Whole Foods Omaha, you can find chickens in the deli area that are ready-to-eat and very simply seasoned – and ingredients are labelled!) Of course, you can roast your own chicken, but this can save you in a pinch if you’re short on time…or energy!
  • Mary’s Gone Crackers
  • Mary’s Gone Crackers brand pretzels
  • Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
  • Dried Fruit – Look for varieties that contain no added sugar, oils, or sulphur dioxide. Trader Joe’s carries a pretty good variety, as do many natural food stores.
  • LaraBars
  • Foods Alive Flax Crackers
  • Trader Joe’s Olive Oil Popcorn – Contains just organic popcorn, extra virgin olive oil, and sea salt
  • String Cheese
  • Raisins
  • Fresh Fruit (Tip about oranges: The rind on clementines is thinner and easier for small kids to peel themselves! Tip for fruits that brown easily – sprinkle with fresh lemon juice to prevent browning.)
  • Carrot sticks and other fresh veggies
  • Frozen veggies
  • Plain potato chips or corn chips – Definitely not a health food; but perhaps a “compromise” choice if you can at least find a brand with basic ingredients
  • Canned fruits or applesauce – Some stores (especially health food stores) carry brands with no added sugars or preservatives. Look for brands that contain just fruit (and possibly fruit juice). Pineapple chunks are usually available at most stores.
  • Nuts – Look for raw (not roasted) or dry roasted. Only ingredients should be nuts (and possibly salt). These are generally available in the baking aisle of most grocery stores, so don’t panic if you don’t find any in the snack nut section. Nuts are great to combine with raisins (and perhaps the chocolate chips listed above) for a homemade trail mix.
  • Organic/no-sugar-added apple sauce from Trader Joe’s.
  • Trader Joe’s carries a variety of grass-fed cheeses.
  • Some stores carry hard-boiled eggs (yes, already cooked) in the produce or deli department.
  • Prepackaged Snacks for School (from “100 Days of Real Food” blog)

EQUIPMENT:

MEAL PLANNING & GENERAL TIPS

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One-Ingredient Homemade Shampoo & Conditioner Recipes

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Are you tired of spending so much money on hair products that claim to be “natural” or “organic”?? Why not give this simple, inexpensive homemade version a try?

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“Follow” our blog (in the upper left sidebar of this site), and we’ll send ya more great tips!

How to Avoid Food Additives!

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PLEASE NOTE:  The hard copy version is no longer available. But click here to preview the e-book version and get pricing details! The e-book is fully printable, so you can totally print it out and store it in your own 3-ring binder as shown here if you’d like…

3 FREE Sample Recipes from My Cookbook

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brochure cover

Wondering if you’d enjoy the recipes in my “Eating Additive-Free” natural cookbook & grocery shopping guide??

Here’s your chance to take my cookbook for a “test drive” and try a few of them for free! Let me know how you like the recipes below; there are over 150 more waiting for you in my cookbook…enjoy! Click here for pricing info, ordering instructions and the complete Table of Contents!

Lemonade
(sweetened with raw honey!)

-¾ cup raw honey (or less, to taste)
-1 cup lemon juice (preferably freshly squeezed)
-6 cups water or carbonated water
-ice cubes (optional)

Mix the honey with lemon juice until the honey dissolves, using a whisk or shaking in a jar or other tightly-sealed container (we just use a half-gallon glass jar). Add the water and refrigerate until cold or serve immediately over ice, if you prefer.

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100% Whole Wheat Banana Bread

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease a Bundt pan or mini loaves pan.
**Tip – Just use the inside of the wrapper from the butter stick to grease the pan. It works great!

Combine with a hand mixer in a large bowl:
-2 eggs
-3/4 cup honey
-1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
-2 or 3 VERY ripe bananas, smashed (enough to yield about 1 1/4 cups once smashed).
-1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Then mix in:
-1/4 tsp sea salt
-1/2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
-1/2 tsp aluminum-free baking soda (like Bob’s Red Mill brand)

Then mix in:
-2 cups 100% whole-wheat flour

Mix well. (This batter will be lumpy, due to the small chunks of banana and, possibly, some chunks of butter….that’s fine.)

If using a Bundt pan, bake 40-45 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean when poked in the middle of the loaf.

If using mini loaves pans, cut time back to 37 minutes. Ovens vary, so keep checking with toothpick.

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Smothered Chicken

Serves 4

-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
-1 TBSP olive oil
-1 green pepper, sliced
-1 red pepper, sliced
-1 onion, sliced
-1/2 cup each: shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheeses

Spices
-1 tsp dried oregano
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp garlic granules
-1/4 tsp black pepper
-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

*Check out our Grocery Shopping Guide for our tips on selecting the most additive-free versions of every ingredient used in our recipes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a large casserole dish. Thin/flatten breasts: place on a cutting board, cover with plastic wrap and beat gently with a meat mallet. Mix all spices together and spread over chicken breasts. Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 170 degrees.

While chicken is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet. Add veggies and sauté until tender. When chicken is done, spoon vegetables over chicken and sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven until cheese melts. Enjoy!

(Psst….If you enjoy these recipes,  be sure to get yourself a copy of our additive-free cookbook & grocery shopping guide, “Eating Additive-Free“! It’s stuffed with 150+ more tasty recipes!! Your satisfaction is guaranteed…or your money back!)

 

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