Did you know National School Lunch week starts on October 14th? While it may seem like there’s a holiday for everything nowadays, NSLW started in 1962 when President John F. Kennedy decided to promote the importance of a healthy school lunch. JFK believed good food has a positive impact, both inside and outside the classroom. I couldn’t agree more!
I know entire households affected by what’s on the school lunch menu.
“Don’t make pizza tonight, Mom. We had that at school today.
Or the more expected, “Uh, Mom…could you pack my lunch? I really don’t like what they’re serving today.
Well, of course the answer to that question is ALWAYS yes. No mom wants to hear the dreaded shouts of I’m not eating that! No Mom wants to envision their starving child failing the math quiz because of malnourishment. Even the idea of your kids sleeping through recess because they’re too hungry to move is terrible.
I don’t know about you, but for me that kind of situation makes the June Cleaver in me kick in and I think:
What could I make to rival what the cool girls are eating?
I’ve seen some pretty nifty snacks packed in Oprah’s favorite insulated sack, leaving my grandkids’ school. There are real perils here! There are simply those days when buying school lunch is just not an option, and it’s my job to arm parents with something worthy of packing into one of those Oprah parvel fold-up bags.
Behold, Jorj’s fresh, scrumptious and healthy Mediterranean Tuna salad. The recipe yields enough to divvy up into brown bag lunches for a family of 4!
Mediterranean Tuna Salad
serves 4
15 minute cuisine
2 (5-ounce) cans tuna packed in oil, drained
3 tablespoons capers, drained
3 tablespoons julienned sun-dried tomatoes, drained
½ fennel bulb, diced, about 3 tablespoons
1 small orange (green or yellow) bell pepper, diced, about 3 tablespoons
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
½ cup mayonnaise
Juice of 1 lemon, about ¼ cup
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
Place the tuna into a bowl. Add the capers, sun-dried tomatoes, fennel, bell pepper and dill. In another bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise with lemon juice and balsamic vinegar. Pour the dressing into the bowl with the tuna. Fold everything together. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
Serve tuna in a sandwich between two slices of bread, or pack it up in an airtight container to spread on crackers.
