Spreads and Smears for Easy School Lunches

When I was a kid the world seemed like a much simpler place in many ways.  One of the drastic changes that my children and their friends now consider normal is peanut sensitivity.  Not long ago a main staple in lunchboxes and snacks everywhere was peanut butter.  Now however warnings, labels, and rules regarding this once seemingly harmless legume surround us.  This often creates a challenge for moms, dads, and kids as the question of what to pack for lunch arises.  Many schools have actually banned peanut butter or created peanut-free zones.

A few years ago we had a horrible scare when my son Max and his friends were waiting to come home from kindergarten.  He and three friends sat together on a bench after school.  While they waited, they decided they were hungry.  One friend pulled out a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and offered to share it with the other kids.  A girl in the group, Gracie, asked if it had peanut butter in it and declined since she was allergic.  Another friend pulled out some cookies and offered one to Gracie, not realizing that they also had peanuts.  Gracie ate the cookie and started acting very strange then got very sick and Max and a friend went to get a teacher.  Gracie was having an allergic reaction.  Sadly, the normally wonderful act of sharing a cookie made her quite ill.

The recipes below are options I originally developed as a substitute for those times when peanut butter isn’t an option.  One salty and one sweet, they make great dips for snacks or spreads for wraps and the best part is they are so quick and easy–perfect for busy families.  Make a batch on Monday and enjoy it through the week.  You may find that you like these so much that you’ll like them even when you can have peanuts in your diet.

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Sweet Potato Dip

• 1 medium sweet potato
• 2 oz cream cheese
• ¼ tsp cinnamon

Cook sweet potato until tender and can be easily mashed.  Peel potato, add cream cheese and cinnamon, and mash with a fork until smooth.  If desired, you can add a little honey but it is also excellent just like that.  Serve with apple wedges, whole grain pretzels, or graham crackers for a healthy and delicious snack.

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Creamy Bean Dip

• 1-15oz. can great northern beans, drained and rinsed well
• ½ cup salsa of choice
• 2 oz cream cheese

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Serve with fresh celery sticks, pita chips, or other fresh vegetables.

• Rinsing canned beans is a great way to remove the excessive sodium that many canned beans have.
• Cream cheese can be reduced fat or fat-free.