Yesterday I told you what I make available for my kids’ lunches. Although our school contracts with a school lunch company that does a pretty good job of providing low fat lunches with whole grains, fruits and vegetables, I still prefer them to take cold lunch more than getting the hot lunch.

Thanks to [...]]]>

Yesterday I told you what I make available for my kids’ lunches. Although our school contracts with a school lunch company that does a pretty good job of providing low fat lunches with whole grains, fruits and vegetables, I still prefer them to take cold lunch more than getting the hot lunch.

Thanks to First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign, schools, families and communities are getting simple tools to help kids be more active, eat better, and get healthy, including improving what kids eat for school lunch.

I got an email on behalf of Allrecipes.com about a study they recently did regarding school lunch versus sack lunches, and the results were very interesting. 34% of parents stated that they choose sack lunches because they are healthier, BUT, parents anticipate their children will be purchasing school lunches 38% more than last year!  Why aren’t parents preparing sack lunches for their kids? Because of the 3 C’s: cost, convenience and creativity!

· 29% of parents choose the school lunch program because it is more cost effective

· 65% of parents choose the school lunch program because it is more convenient

· 49% of parents run out of ideas on what to pack in their child’s lunch by Wednesday, so turn to school lunches

Contrary to popular belief, homemade lunches don’t have to be expensive or time consuming. Allrecipes.com has a Back to School section dedicated to healthy sack lunch and snack options. From lighter takes on cafeteria faves, hearty soups and healthy classroom treats, the 3 C’s will never be an issue.

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We have an ancient charcoal [...]]]> To kick off grilling season, Crisco.com is showcasing new recipes and how-to video tutorials to help answer all your grilling questions. Whether you are looking to try new grilling recipes or for helpful tips to prevent food from burning or sticking to the grill, the experts from Crisco® can help.

We have an ancient charcoal grill that takes forever to heat up, but it’s better than none I suppose. I wish my husband would buy a gas grill so we could have more options for grilling food! I’d love to be able to grill veggies and make pizza on the grill.  With the grill we have, we like to do burgers and hot dogs, and we also light a small fire in it sometimes to toast marshmallows for S’mores!

No matter what kind of grill you have, it’s a great way to cook without heating up your kitchen. Here are some helpful tips:

• Always spray cool grill rack with Crisco No-Stick Cooking Spray before heating grill so that food will not stick. Remember to never spray a hot grill.

• Make sure you have the right equipment and a clean grill prior to igniting the grill

• Coat meat and vegetables with a light coat of Crisco Olive Oil to help your favorite seasonings adhere while grilling. Try using black pepper, kosher salt and a touch of lime or lemon juice.

Log on to Crisco.com to see how-to video tutorials featuring delicious grilling recipes just in time for summer including:

• Grilled Salmon with Maple-Dill Glaze

• Grilled Garlic Chicken Salad

Coming in June:

• NEW! Grilled Beef and Vegetable Kabobs

• NEW! Barbecued Chicken with Grilled Asparagus

I’m a big fan of Crisco products and I’m happy to be sharing these tips with MomCooks readers! disclosure: I received no compensation for this post.

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