Last night, while I was browsing through my copy of Alice Water’s cookbook, The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution,  I found that most of what she espouses, shop local, buy organic, are principles I have been practicing for years. I can still remember as a child, stopping by the New Jersey farms stands with my mom on my way home from the beach. Fresh corn, Jersey tomatoes and melons, as well as home made pies, jams and locally harvested honey beckoned my senses and whet my appetite for good food. My mother had high blood pressure and was on a low sodium, low fat diet, long before it was fashionable, hence fresh fruits and vegetables were always an important staple in our diet.

The most compelling plea of Ms. Waters, and one with which I heartily agree, is her firm belief in packing children nutritious and hearty school lunches. This is a conviction I firmly believe in and have always practiced. I know some parents believe the importance of teaching children independence by making them pack their own lunches, but I know that if I did that, my kids, in their hectic scramble to get out the door each morning, would simply not do it. Since I don’t mind, and because it is so important to me that my children remain well nourished throughout their school day, I am happy to do it. Truthfully, it’s really not that hard or time consuming. Even when I worked full time and had an hour commute, I managed to get the job done. Because I do most of the prep the night before and  have such an assembly line efficient system, I can pack 7 lunches, (including one for me and Paul) in 10 minutes.

Another motivation for doing so is to keep my kids away from the unhealthy junk food crap they could buy at school, which, thankfully,  my kids would never eat anyway. However, I can see what an enticement it can be since it is so readily available and so cheap. My stepson tells me he can buy a slice of pizza and a Coke for $2. Certainly not organic or sustainable. Why do schools sell soda in the first place? Actually, I know the answer to that question. Soda companies underwrite the school with hefty donations in exchange for putting soda vending machines in the cafeteria. Under funded schools are fearful of giving up the resources. An outrage.

Here’s what I packed in my kids lunches today: fresh berry salad, bagel chips with basil and sun dried tomato hummus, and their favorite sandwich– turkey, Havarti cheese, bacon, avocado, lettuce and kalamata olive spread, which I make from scratch. Here’s the recipe: combine 1/4 cup mayo with a clove of garlic, a handful of kalamata olives and pinch of herbs de Provence in a blender or food processor. Pulse until creamy, although a few olive chunks are fine. My kids love it.