Quick and Easy Tips for Packing Lunches & Snacks

Getting a balanced lunch or snack on the table – or into a lunchbox – does not have to mean starting from scratch every day. In this free live cooking demonstration, Anca Soloschi, MS, RDN – a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist of Sound Dietitians, LLC walks through four recipes designed for both kids and adults that hold up well in the fridge, work eaten cold or hot, and can be prepped ahead at the start of the week. Hosted by Kristina Wigren of Stilly Valley Health Connections, this class is part of the free cooking and nutrition programming offered through SVHC – explore more in our free class recordings library.

What’s covered in this class:

• Pizza-inspired stuffed zucchini boats – zucchini halves hollowed out and filled with pizza sauce, Italian herbs, canned mushrooms, diced red onion, olives, and mozzarella, then baked at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes and finished under the broiler; topped with fresh basil ribbons; a great kid-friendly recipe to prep at the start of the week, tastes good hot or cold, and the scooped-out flesh can go into soups, stews, or zucchini bread to reduce waste
• Fresh summer spring rolls with almond butter dipping sauce – rice paper soaked briefly in water, then filled with red cabbage, yellow and red bell pepper, julienned carrots, micro greens, basil, and tofu (or cooked shrimp or chicken); paired with a dipping sauce of almond or peanut butter, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and honey thinned with water; keep well in the fridge, light enough for warm weather, and fully customizable
• Garlic and herb whipped cottage cheese dip – a full container of full-fat cottage cheese blended with one garlic clove, fresh thyme, lemon juice, basil, and black pepper until smooth and creamy; delivers about 15g of protein per serving and works as a veggie and cracker dip, sandwich spread, or alongside the zucchini boats
• Chia seed chocolate snack balls – rolled oats and unsweetened flaked coconut blended to a coarse flour, then combined with nut or sun butter, honey, chia seeds (for protein, omega-3s, and soluble fiber), dark chocolate chips, vanilla, and a pinch of salt; makes about 30 balls that store in the fridge or freezer for months; sun butter is recommended for school-safe versions given tree nut and peanut policies