Home Economics

Friday, November 28, 2008

Posted by Peter M


One would have to be in hibernation or living under a rock to not be aware of the current urgency in the affairs of the global economy.

It's a time of great uncertainty with people unsure of their jobs, future plans put on hold, retirement and education funds on hold, rising food costs and a shrinking nest egg.

Sounds dim, huh?

Most of you know me as "Kalofagas" but my "regular" job as a financial advisor also puts me in contact with alot of people, their dreams and their concerns about the future.

These aren't the best of times economically but it's a good time to take stock of your own personal affairs and that of your family's.

The first thing you should do is ask if you have a true financial advisor? A financial advisor will ask you about your short and long-term goals, reduce your tax exposure, study your insurance needs, see if your current portfolio matches your short and long-term goals, study your estate and insurance needs, help you with your budget and ultimately help create a portfolio that will match your goals.

If your current "advisor" does not touch upon most of the above aspects of your affairs, perhaps it's time for you to seek a new advisor.

The best way to find an advisor you like and you trust is to seek a referral. We ask friends and relatives to refer a mechanic, a dentist or babysitter...why not ask them who their advisor is? Are they happy? Does the advisor stay in contact with them? Do they see you at least yearly? Do they educate you? Are you comfortable with them?

Once you've found 2 or 3 prospective advisors, it's important to ask how they are compensated. This is very important as you will find out if their primary motivation is to make money or make money for you. The latter is always the most sought-after.

Find out what your advisor's credentials are and seek out information on the company they work for.

Finally, choose and advisor that's a best fit for you and your family. Choosing an advisor in your same life-cyle (age) helps, someone familiar with people in your career field and an advisor who best suits your needs.

Advisors come in all shapes, forms and levels of service. They are stock-brokers, insurance agents, bankers, certified finacial planners & advisors and there are good and bad ones for every category.

It's a good time to take a closer look at the relationship with your financial advisor and if you don't have one...now's a good time to start.



This post was Peter



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Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at The Daily Tiffin

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Posted by Mike of Mike's Table

For those of us who celebrate Thanksgiving, this hustle and bustle leading up to the holiday also signals the beginning of the winter holiday season. This can be the beginning of a very hectic time of year--tidying up the house, spending time with infrequently seen friends and family, preparing a lot of food, bargain hunting for gift purchases, planning a big vacation--whether you're hosting or just visiting, it can get pretty chaotic pretty quickly and there's a lot of little things that demand your attention. I for one have been running around like a headless chicken trying to ensure my Thanksgiving dinner comes together as I imagine it, focusing so much more time and effort than I would on any other meal. While I do enjoy the craziness, I also realized that its easy to get preoccupied with the details and lose sight of the bigger picture.

So most importantly, out of all the things you can focus on, I just thought it might be useful to remind the readers out there who can be a bit like me: remember to have a great time! All of us at The Daily Tiffin hope you have a very Happy Thanksgiving !






This post was written by Mike



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Gifts From The Kitchen – Chocolate Spoons

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Posted by Suganya

It is that season of the year where many of us rampage the stores trying to find a gift for the near and dear. Even though store-bought gifts are convenient, there is no denying that handmade gifts carry a special meaning. It’s a lot of work, you say? Nah, this one is dead easy.

Do you lick a chocolate covered spoon when you are baking a cake or cookie? Do you like to have hot chocolate in a snap? Then this one is for you - Chocolate covered spoons. Looks gourmet, but very easy to make.

You will need

Spoons – about 15
Semi-sweet chocolate – 1 cup
Shortening – 1 tbsp
Glass bowl - to melt the chocolate
Baking sheet lined with parchment/wax paper – 1
Cellophane paper - to wrap
Thin ribbon

Garnishes like sparkling sugar, crushed peppermint candy, melted white chocolate, sprinkles, mini marshmallows, etc.

Instructions

  1. Take chocolate and shortening in the glass bowl and microwave for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.
  2. Dip the spoons in the chocolate, as far their bases, tap gently to shake off the excess chocolate and place them on the baking sheet lined with parchment/wax paper. Top with any of the garnishes mentioned above.
  3. When you are done with all the spoons, freeze for 15 minutes for the chocolate to set.
  4. Wrap the spoons with cellophane paper and tie with a pretty ribbon. Makes about 12 to 15 spoons, depending on how much you lick the bowl while dipping the spoons.

To enjoy, stir one of these spoons in a hot cup of milk, and voila, you have hot chocolate. In addition to being great gifts, they come handy while serving drinks to your visitors, both kids and adults.

Chocolate spoons garnished with crushed candy canes, sparkling sugar, melted white chocolate

The sparkly chocolate spoon goes to SHFAll That Glitters, hosted by Susan, The Well Seasoned Cook.

Some noteworthy points

  • If the chocolate is not in dipping consistency, add a splash of milk.
  • Both plastic and metal spoons work. Use whatever suits your needs.
  • You can add flavoring oils of your choice to the chocolate while melting.

So what are you waiting for? Go ahead, start dipping your spoons.




This Post was written by Suganya


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Tiffin Tuesday - leftovers + decoration = bento!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Posted by jokergirl@wererabbits



Big box (top): Millet and chili sin carne decorated with parsley. Millet is actually rather tasty, but not very different from couscous texture and flavour-wise. Mmm.
Small box (bottom): Tiny croquettes on picks decorated with oregano; mini chocolate chip muffin (made in a condiment cup with a tiny amount of muffin dough), star-shaped carrots and a cup of tsatsiki.






This Post was written by Jokergirl



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Announcing Monthly Mingle 27 : Low Sugar Sweet Treats

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Posted by Dee




Don't we all love sweets? Most of us cant stop eating just one! With the holiday season in the US, I traipse the stores, looking in wonder all the sweet treats ,hoping to carry at least a few boxes home , but when I read the labels pertaining to the calorific value, I come home without any!

With the fast approaching holiday season, many of us would be busy making sweet treats for our family and friends.

This month, we ask you to get your pots and pans out, put on your thinking caps and set to making healthy Low Sugar Sweet Treats. It would be great, if you use natural sugar substitutes like honey, agave nectar etc.




Here’s how it works:

1. Create a dish that fits the theme of “Low- Sugar Sweet treats” as described above.
2. Post about it on your blog anytime from now until 8th December.(entries must be in English, please).
3. Link to this post and send the details to us (see below). Please feel free to use the logo created above for this mingle.

Once you’ve posted your dish, send an email with “Monthly Mingle: Low-Sugar Sweet Treats” in the subject line to: thedailytiffin (at) gmail (dot) com by 8 December 2008 with the following information:

* your name
* your location
* the name of your blog and its URL
* the name of your dish and a link to the relevant post
* a copy of the main photo of your dish 200px wide (and compressed so that it is below 1MB!)

This is going to be an exciting mingle and we are looking forward to having you over.

If you too would like to guest host the Monthly Mingle in the future drop Meeta an email at blogmeeta [at] gmail [DOT] com (Please note that this email address is different to the one you should send in your entries at.)




This Post was written by Dee



Are you interested in contributing to The Daily Tiffin? Drop us an email: thedailytiffin@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing your ideas.

Classic Cookbooks for Kids

Friday, November 14, 2008

Posted by Mansi

(image courtesy of Amazon.com)

These days, its fascinating to know how kids are interested in cooking and helping around the kitchen at quite a young age! I recently joined a Baking class, and I have a 9-year old girl who has signed up along with her mother, and she loves making desserts! I guess the exposure to food & cooking shows on TV has given a huge impetus to young budding chefs, and kids are hopping on to the bandwagon!

A couple days ago, Jokergirl mentioned foodie gifts for kids, so I was tempted to see what kind of cookbooks are available for kids so that parents can feed their enthusiasm and nurture their passion. I was pleasantly surprised to see there's a whole category for children's cookbooks, and loads of topics to choose from. I've tried to summarize the Top 5 Books based on online reviews and my interpretation of the book's contents.

1. 30-Minute Meals for Kids - by Rachel Ray
"Cooking Rocks", is a spin-off from Rachel Ray's Food Network Show "30-Minute Meals", designed specifically for kids between the age of 4 to 16! With more than 100 kid-friendly recipes with vibrant pictures, great tips, anecdotes to make it fun, and even specials like "Make-Your-Own-Takeout," "Super-Snackers," and "One Pot Wonders", this will be the best gift for your budding chef!
Read Review at Barnes & Noble
For ages 4 to 12; MSRP: $16.95

2. The Kid's Cookbook - by Williams Sonoma
This Williams Sonoma spiral bound cookbook by Abigail Johnson Dodge has more than 50 recipes with easy to follow instructions, with recipes for menus that cover breakfast and lunch, dinner, side dishes, snacks, and desserts. Classic cooking techniques are explained with lots of photos. A glossary of ingredients includes photos for easy identification. And its available for less than $20.00!
Read Review at Barnes & Noble
For ages 9 and up; MSRP: $19.95

3. Pillsbury Kids Cookbook - by Pillsbury
Bursting with great eats everybody will love, this Pillsbury cookbook has everything, from snacks and sandwiches to desserts, festive holiday treats and even basic cooking tips and techniques to make it more fun! With interesting recipes like "Bunny Rabbit Pancakes" & "Jiggly Fruit Salads", your kids will be ready to learn and impress in no time!
Read Review at Barnes & Noble
For ages 6 to 12; MSRP: $12.00

4. New Junior Cookbook - by Better Homes & Gardens
BHG, the trusted name for all your cooking needs is out with this beautiful cookbook for kids, which covers everything, from basic tips, kitchen tools, techniques to delicious recipes, even holiday specials! It's neat layout and fun pictures will inspire your kids to plan their own menu, and provide them with ideas to cook healthy too!
Read Review at Barnes & Noble
For ages 8 and up; MSRP: $16.95

5. There's a Chef in My Soup - by Emeril Lagasse
Chef Emeril Lagasse teaches your kids the art of cooking, step-by-step, with his recipes & photos! Every recipe has been chosen and tested by Chef Emeril and by kids, too, so you know they have to be good!! From "Gooey Cinnamon Buns" to "Baby Bam Burgers", "Ka-Bam Kabobs" & "Creamy Dreamy Orange Freezes", its a fun journey cooking delicacies, a.k.a, Emeril's style!
Read Review at Barnes & Noble
For ages 12 and up; MSRP: $22.99

For more ideas about Cookbooks for Kids, read this comparison on GourmetFood. And once you buy a cookbook, get some colorful kitchen tools for kids! And for all you oldies who feel left out, check out Deeba's tips on dressing up your holiday goodies! oh, and by the way, as Holiday Season has already set in, try these unique & affordable holiday gift ideas! Happy Cooking, and Happy Shopping!!

Oh, and wishing a very Happy Children's Day to all kids, especially those in India, where this day is celebrated with great enthusiasm!

Related Reads:
Strategy-based Board Games for Kids
Tasks for Kids in the Kitchen
20 Ideas for Healthy Kid-Friendly Snacks


This Post was written by Mansi


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When a child is sick...

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Posted by Dharm

Having a child who is sick is no fun at all. Heck, even being sick as an adult isn't any fun but there is something quite 'painful' about having a child who is ill. I say 'painful' because there are no words really to express the worry, concern and multitude of emotions that run through you. Your thoughts run wild and you start thinking about all sorts of possibilities. It wrecks you physically and emotionally as well.

It is quite common for children, especially young children to have bouts of fever every now and again. There is a concept (or perhaps a misconception) in some Asian cultures that fever precedes a growth spurt. I remember whenever I had fever as a child my parents would put it down to ‘growing pains’. You’d think that I’d be a strapping six footer the number of times I used to have a fever!

Now that I have kids of my own, I realise that having a fever can be very dangerous. Especially so if the fever lasts for more than a couple of days. This happened very recently to my little princess. Let me share this story with you.

Sarah is a sprightly four and half. She goes to kindergarten on weekdays and Sunday school on Sundays. Other than that, she spends her time at her grandmother’s house and of course at home.

One Thursday, two days before her kindergarten concert, she developed a fever. It was kind of moderate but since she was taking part in the concert, we took her to visit our local doctor. As expected, the doctor figured it was a bacterial infection and prescribed some antibiotics for her. She showed improvement on Friday and we thought all was well.

Early Saturday morning, Sarah showed signs of fever again but as her spirits were high, we though she may just be over-excited with her concert. The concert went off really well and Sarah was in a great mood - as was the fever. She was hot so we gave her another dose of fever medicine. Her temperature was in the mid 38’s (that’s Celcius which converts to more than 101F.

In the early hours of Sunday morning, her fever suddenly spiked and my little princess started shivering and chattering her teeth. We decided to give her a suppository and this brought the fever back down. Later in the morning we took her back to the doctor who decided to do a blood test to check for Dengue and Chikunya – two serious illnesses that are borne by mosquitoes. All the blood results came back fine so we were told to just watch the fever and carry on with the fever medicine.

Knowing that it wasn’t dengue of chikunya was a relief but we were still concerned about her fever. The medication seemed to settle her fever a little and we all went to bed feeling a little better. The Lovely Wife decided she would sleep with our princess just to make sure she was okay. This turned out to be a good thing.

My wife woke me at around 2 in the morning and I rushed in to my daughter’s room to find her shivering and chattering her teeth again. Her body was burning up and so we gave her another suppository. This brought the fever down a little but it spiked again at 5.30am. We decided to rush her to the hospital.

Her temperature was taken with those hi-tech infrared thermometers they put in your ear and the result was a whopping 40.9 degrees (105.6 F)! Another blood test was done at the hospital and her results were, to quote the doctor, “nothing spectacular”, meaning that her blood tests didn’t show anything abnormal. Fortunately for all of us, the doctor also decided to do a test for Myco Plasma (which at that time I heard as Microplasma). What the heck is that? The doctor explained it’s a bug that can cause flu like symptoms especially high fever. But my princess didn’t have a cough or cold. Only fever. Anyway, who was I to argue.

The problem with the test for Myco Plasma is that it takes some time to do and so we were faced with the issue of whether to admit her or not. We decided on admitting her – especially since she already had her hand prepped for intravenous administration of medication or to draw more blood. My poor girl was uncomfortable with her right hand bandaged up which is what they do with kids so that they don’t dig or scratch at the intravenous tube in their hands.

To cut a long story short, she was admitted and the tests results finally came back to say that indeed she had a Myco Plasma infection. We were advised that it could take some time for the fever to go down even though they had started feeding her two doses of antibiotics. The Lovely Wife stayed with Sarah 24 hours a day during her hospitalisation.

She was in hospital for 5 days and in that time the fever lasted for 4 days. Yes, you read right. FOUR whole days. For the first two and a half days, the fever stayed high at the 38-39C mark even with suppositories. It finally broke on the 4th day and she would have 6-8 hours fever free. It was only on day 5 that she had a complete day without fever.

At the time of writing, She’s been home now for 5 days and is still on antibiotics. She doesn’t have fever anymore and is almost back to her usual self although she doesn’t have much of an appetite which apparently is caused by the medication. We are just relieved and thankful that she is well again.

So what exactly it this Myco Plasma? It seems it’s a kind of bacteria that doesn’t have a cell wall. This makes it resistant to many types of antibiotics since most antibiotics attack the cell wall. It also seems that this bacteria is ‘in the air’ and is easily communicable especially in schools, kindergartens and other community areas.

So the next time you or your child has a fever, make sure you watch it and take them to the doctors as soon as possible. There didn’t seem to be all these different viruses and bacteria when I was younger and I as sure as heck have never ever heard of Myco Plasma before.

Any new bacteria or viruses you have had experience with and would like to share?








This Post was written by Dharm



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TASTING WITH THE EYES...dressing it up for the holidays!

Monday, November 10, 2008

Posted by Deeba PAB

Colour & looks, basically presentation, play a crucial role in the taste and perception of food. Alongside flavor and texture, color & presentation are considered by to be a major quality factor of food. In fact, the combination just might play the most important role. “If you don’t have the color right, I think you can forget about the other two,” says Jack Francis, food scientist at the University of Massachusetts. “If it isn’t the color you expect it to be, you don’t like it." In his book Fast Food Nation, journalist Eric Schlosser mentions a study conducted in the 1970s that found the color of food had a great effect on people’s appetites. Presentation as a whole changes the way the mind perceives food, & affects our association with food.

Let's dress stuff up...
It's the holiday season & here are a few fun & simple ideas to make food look special. I find these special touches exciting & therapeutic...they seem to give food & 'mood' an instant lift!
Things you can keep/make in advance:
  • Chocolate leaves/scrolls/shavings/strings
  • Chocolate designs piped out & set on parchment paper, & stored in a cool place
  • Crystallise edible flowers & leaves
  • Coffee beans, jelly beans, Smarties/MnM's
  • Silver leaves, metallic edible silver/golden dragees
  • Slivered pistachio & almonds, roasted sunflower seeds, sesame seeds etc
  • Themed sprinkles
  • Coloured/sanding sugar
  • Marzipan

Things to keep in mind:

  • Use the colour wheel if you need help to tie in a holiday theme.
  • A dusting of cocoa/powdered sugar/cinnamon powder are a beautiful way to cover flaws.
  • Put different chocolates in baggies/ziplocs (dark, milk, white) microwave in 30 second intervals. Once melted uniformly, just snip off an end, & drizzle different colours.
  • While the chocolate is still wet, you can sprinkle slivered almonds/pistachios, or 100's & 1000's etc.
  • A simple icing for sugar cookies is adding just enough water/extract/lime juice to powdered sugar to get a thick flowing consistency. Colour this (in different bowls if you want different colours), & pipe this on to the cookies. While the icing is wet, you can add dragees/sprinkles to it. I find that sugar cookies take to this sort of icing the best. Leave overnight on racks to dry. If they are not 100% crisp the next day, pop them into a medium oven for 2-3 minutes.
  • If you want to tie in colours, add some colour to the white melted chocolate & either spread out on a cold surface & flake; or drizzle over out of a snipped baggie.
  • If you choose to garnish with fresh fruit/leaves, don't do it more than 2 hours in advance.
  • A swirl of cream gives soup or even a caramel custard a new look. Add fresh coriander (for savoury) or fresh mint...just a tiny sprig makes a difference!
  • If you are gifting home-made stuff, try & colour coordinate the packing too. The possibilities are endless...

Have a good & colourful holiday season...




This Post was written by Deeba

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Choosing Scents - A Matter of Taste

Friday, November 07, 2008

Posted by Dee




Have you ever wondered why your are not attracted to everyone you meet? Ayurveda answers that every person has a unique essence - our ojas - that is secreted by glands and is indeed a product of body chemistry.

In this way our taste in mates or friends is not unlike our taste in perfumes.Just as each one of us prefers only a few fragrances out of hundreds on the market , we find ourselves drawn to the essence of certain people and repelled by others. Which ones soothe us and which ones do not depends to a large degree upon our own essential nature , i.e. the characteristic mixture of elements that form us.

The smell of something originates from its taste. According to Ayurveda , there are 6 basic tastes or rasas and six basic smells. Each one has the properties of the elements that make it up.

RASA COMPOSITION PROPERTIES

Sweet Earth + Water Cold , Oily, Heavy
Sour Earth + Fire Hot, Heavy , Oily
Salty Water + Fire Hot,Oily , Heavy
Pungent Fire + Air Hot, Light ,Dry
Bitter Air + Space Cold,Light,Dry
Astringent Air + Earth Cold, Medium

A Taste and its aroma , like water and steam are just the same matter in different form , so they affect your constitution in similar ways. The fire in the food increases Pitta , whether you eat it or smell it , but the food must be digested and absorbed when you eat it , where as the odor molecules reach one's blood stream directly via the air sacs or the blood capillaries or via the olfactory nerves where they stimulate the endocrine system and the hormone production. Aroma therapy is great at such times to ease these temporary short lived feelings. It is quick acting and easy and a perfect adjunct to a daily skin routine.

Here are a few properties that complement a skin type and constitution.

For Dry Skin(Vata) : Sweet , Warm , Calming, Hydrating
For Sensitive Skin(Pitta) : Sweet , Cooling, soothing, Hydrating
For Oily Skin (Kapha) : Pungent, Warming , Stimulating , Hydrating

In total, there about 150 essential oils used in aroma therapy . Here is a list of a few.

They can be used as scents, perfumes, mood oils, aphrodisiac oils or body mists.

Some Sample Recipes for Mood Oils

Calming and Warming 3Drops each neroli and lemon Oil + 2 drops each jasmine
& sandalwood + 1 drop vanilla + 1 oz pure jojoba oil base (Relieves anxiety ; balances Vata)


Calming & Cooling 5 drops each sandalwood & vetiver + 1 drop Jasmine + 1oz
pure jojoba oil base.( Relieves anger ; Balances Pitta)

Stimulating 4 drops bergamot + 3 drops each lavender & basil + 1oz
pure jojoba/almond oil base.(Relieves depression; balances Kapha)

Sedating 6 drops rose + 2 drops each jasmine & Chamomile + 1oz
pure jojoba/almond oil base.(relieves Insomnia ;balances Vata & Pitta)

Grounding and Strengthening 4 drops patchouli + 2 drops each sandalwood & cardamom
+ 1oz pure jojoba/almond oil base (Relieves fear ;balances Vata)




This Post was written by Dee



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Three Foodie Gifts Your Kids Will Love

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Posted by Kristen - Dine & Dish



(photo courtesy of WildOliveKids on Etsy.com)

I was in a local department store on November 1st, stunned to hear holiday music being blared over the speakers. This is the year I have promised my self that I will get all of my gift buying done early. As much as I don't want to think about the holidays being right around the corner, putting off shopping much longer will turn me into a last minute shopper once again. I refuse to let that happen.

To start my search for the perfect gifts, I decided that one thing I wanted to get my kids was gifts for the kitchen. They love to help me cook so it is time to get them some things that will make their time in the kitchen more enjoyable. While browsing the internet, I found three things that are on my list of potential gifts.

  1. A Child Size Apron - As I mentioned before, my kids always love to help in the kitchen, but allowing them to help means that I have to let go of the notion that they and the kitchen will be tidy when we are done. I think that one thing that will at least keep them looking clean after an afternoon of kitchen time would be an apron that is just their size. One of my favorite shopping websites, Etsy.com, has a variety of aprons that will fit just about any personality! From a fancy and colorful filly apron, a personalized apron with their name on it to an apron with Dinosaurs, Etsy has an apron just right for the little chef in your life!
  2. Have you seen these Little Cook Tool Kits from Sassafras? I can't wait for my 5 year old to open this gift! She has a lot of play kitchen tools, but the tools from the Little Cook Tool Kit are actual real tools that can be used while cooking with Mom and Dad in the kitchen. High quality and durable, your budding chef will love these tools especially made for kid size hands.
  3. My oldest child is finally at the age where he can read, and I recently discovered that means recipes too! I think it is time he gets a cookbook of his own and he can help actually plan and make our meals. There is a large selection of kids cookbooks out there and you will have to decide the cookbook that would be best for your childs ability and taste. I personally have my eye on The Southern Living Kids Cookbook and The Mom and Me Cookbook.
Whatever you decide to do as gifts for your children this year, make sure to remember to include something to help them hone their skills in the kitchen. The lessons they will learn from spending time with you while cooking will last with them a lifetime.



This Post was written by Kristen Doyle



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Tiffin Tuesday: fishsticks!

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Posted by jokergirl@wererabbits



Homemade potato salad garnished with red onion, crisp lettuce and a baby plum tomato in the smaller box.
Wholewheat-breaded fishsticks on brown rice, a yellow tomato slice, broccoli tossed in sesame oil and a slice of pomegrenade in the bigger box.

This is just to show that bento boxes do not need to contain "special" or "exotic" foods! You can make good-looking, healthy and delicious lunchboxes using staples found in (almost) every kitchen. I personally keep things such as fishsticks (or the vegetarian variant, falafel or cheese sticks) in my freezer at all times. They are a wholewheat variant and ovenbaked instead of fried for extra healthiness.
Similarly, the broccoli florets are frozen and just microwaved before being stuck in the box.
The rice and potato salad are leftovers from dinner - it's no trouble to make an extra cup in the evening and stick it in the boxes afterwards.
All in all it's an extremely low work-intensive and quick way to make lunchboxes!






This Post was written by Jokergirl



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