Banana Dog with PB&J and Strawberry Relish

Easy, convenient, healthy, delicious, and colorful. That's how I would explain this Banana Dog. The kids love it and so do I. (I devoured mine while waiting for this picture to load)

Banana Dog with PB&J and Strawberry Relish

• whole wheat hot dog bun
• banana
• PB and J, mixed (I used Simply Fruit Black Raspberry) about 1 T. each
• 1-2 diced strawberries

Smear PB&J mix on both sides of hot dog bun. Add banana and diced strawberries on top. Wrap tight in plastic wrap and then foil.

Sides: Nut Butter, Bran & Banana

I adore banana & peanut butter. Adore it! I love it in sandwiches, but it makes a great snack too. To make this a side in a lunch box, I put peanut butter in a small container with a spoon and banana, and detailed (just kidding) instructions on adding a scoop of nut butter per each banana-bite. I also added All~Bran Bran Buds which not only adds a crunch (if it were only about the crunch, crunchy peanut butter would do) but fiber!

My 19 year old son always heads the opposite direction when he finds food in my kitchen that brags about being high in fiber.

But fiber is so good! It helps for more reasons than what many (my 19 year old son) think. Fiber can help our lunch box carriers feel full longer (which might help them focus in school better), fiber helps keep blood sugar levels in check, fiber helps with cholesterol, can help prevent cancer and gallstones and kidney stones and can help prevent diverticular disease.

Here is the simple, nutritious and delicious lowdown-

Nut Butter, Bran & Banana

• 1 banana
• 1 T.  Nutter Butter, I used peanut butter with real maple syrup
• 1 heaping teaspoon All~Bran Bran Buds

Add tablespoon nut butter to a small container. Pour Bran Buds on top and cover with lid. Send in lunch box with spoon, banana and instructions.

Sides: Ants on a Log

Without the raisins, this would just be some celery and peanut butter, but thanks to the added raisins, this side dish gets the fun name of Ants on a Log.

And thanks to the raisins, this side dish has a health dose of boron. (actually raisins have the highest concentration of boron among the major contributors) Boron is important for the growth and maintenance of healthy bones and joints. Just what we want our children to have!

Hey! And stop worrying about your children's teeth when it comes to raisins! (how many of us have heard another momma give that warning?) Recent studies have shown that raisins actually promote healthy teeth and gums thanks the the bio active compounds. This rumor probably began because raisins are sweet and sticky, however sweet and sticky bears little relationship to the actual retention of food particles on tooth surfaces and studies have shown that raisins are the least retentive within a sample of 21 commercially available snack foods. So let's put that rumor to rest and eat these healthy gems.

Ants on a Log

• Celery
• nut butter
• raisins

Are directions needed? I don't think so. :-)

A PB, CC & Strawberry Bagel Sandwich

This is my kids favorite sandwich at the moment. I hear tell after some lunch room sharing, some of their friends are making this at home.


Peanut Butter, Cream Cheese and Strawberry Bagel

• Bagel (I used bagel thins)
• Cream Cheese
• Nut butter (I used peanut butter)
• Sliced strawberries

Simply schmear peanut butter on one slice of bagel, the cream cheese on the other and place the sliced strawberries in between.