Healthy Halloween: Waste-free meals with Laptop Lunches
by Heidi Trilling
Boo! A Halloween lunch with “ghost” sandwiches and a green-plum “goblin.”
Witches, ghosts and goblins may be spooky, but for some people, coming up with appealing, nourishing lunches every school day or workday is the scariest prospect of all!
Imagine packing lunches for your schoolchildren and yourself — on Halloween and every day — that are nutritious, delicious, beautifully presented and waste-free, too.
Well, you can! Thanks to Tammy Pelstring and Amy Hemmert, co-founders of Obentec, Inc., the company that has produced Laptop Lunches since 2001.
Amy Hemmert and Tammy Pelstring, co-founders of Obentec, Inc.
Based on the centuries-old Japanese bento — a partitioned, portable box for a meal — the Laptop Lunch System features five reusable containers in snappy colors, a fork and spoon set, a water bottle, a convenient laptop-computer-styled carrying case, and a wonderful book of easy, quick and healthy tips for preparing meals. It’s a lunch box system that delights children and adults alike, while ending dependency on disposable containers and other throw-aways.
But that’s not all!
The Laptop Lunch System
Visit the Laptop Lunches Web site and you’ll find a treasure-trove of more information: inspirational lunch photos delivered to you via e-mail or RSS feed if you’d like, a monthly newsletter highlighting meal ideas and events promoting ecology and recycling, descriptions of Obentec’s outstanding outreach programs, and a friendly, international online community endorsing the Laptop Lunches philosophy: “Waste less, spend less, eat well!”
“Our goal is to educate families and give them the tools they need to transition to a healthier diet,” says Pelstring, mother of two and chief executive of Obentec. “People call us and say, ‘You’ve changed the way we eat, and we’re so grateful!’” Parents of children with various dietary restrictions, along with parents of picky eaters, report how excited their children are to help prepare meals, filling the colorful compartments of their “cool” earth-friendly lunch boxes.
Hemmert, also a mother of two, and President of Obentec adds, “We’re determined and we’re passionate, and we’re thrilled to see that kids are eating better and there’s a lot less waste!”
At Halloween, though, the focus is on candy. What to do?
Hemmert notes that since the change of season and chilly weather may bring about susceptibility to sickness, Halloween is a particularly bad time for excess sugar, food coloring and high fructose corn syrup, which can weaken the immune system. “Instead,” Hemmert says, “there are seasonal alternatives that are much better: you can do popcorn, dried fruit, pumpkin bread. …” She also suggests steaming squash and fashioning the pith into little pumpkin shapes.
Pelstring adds: “You can’t completely shield your child from candy, but you can do them a favor by teaching them moderation … and making healthy choices. … It’s also important for parents to demonstrate the behaviors they want their children to adopt.”
Praised by many publications including Parents Magazine, Mothering Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and featured on The Martha Stewart Show, Rachel Ray, The Today Show and ABC News with Diane Sawyer, among other notable broadcasts, Laptop Lunch boxes continue to inspire parents, teachers, caregivers — everyone interested in healthier lifestyles and waste-free meals.
“I wake up every day and count my blessings … we have amazing customers!” Hemmert says. “And the abundance! Especially here in California — the abundance of fresh food, locally-grown, and organic … it’s food that’s grown with care and love.”
Pelstring agrees: “We’re really fortunate. We have a wonderful community of supporters out there, and that’s really rewarding for us. We thank our lucky stars every day!”
Second-grade trick-or-treaters enjoying their Laptop Lunches.
Healthy Halloween Laptop Lunch
created by Heidi Trilling
Ghosts
Make a sandwich of your choice on light whole-grain bread. Cut the sandwich in half. Cut each half into a ghost shape (rounded top, flat at the bottom). Press 2 currants for eyes and a raisin for a mouth into the bread. Boo!
Orange & Black Halloween Salad
Shred some carrots. Mix raisins into the carrots. Add honey or agave for extra sweetness.
Witches’ Stockings
Arrange cheese and black olives in horizontal stripes, so they look like black-and-white striped stockings from children’s witch costumes.
Goblin
Cut a green plum in half. Using cream cheese as “glue,” attach 2 mini-marshmallows to the plum to make the eyes. Complete the eyes by using more cream cheese to glue raisins to the marshmallow tops. A sliver of cheese or a wedge of apple makes the “smile.” Enjoy!
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