Lunch Box Favorite Salad

We’ve taken kids’ favorite lunch box items—apples, carrots, grapes, and dried cranberries—and put them into a salad that supplies a serving of fruits and veggies.

Pita Quesadillas with Cilantro Hummus

There’s no need for cheese when you use cilantro-laced hummus to hold pita quesadillas together. Serve with salsa.

No-Bake Peanut Butter-Pretzel Cookies

Need a fast after-school snack? These salty-sweet nuggets are just the ticket.

Spicy Asian Stir-Fry with Whole-Wheat Linguine

This recipe is a good way to make the switch from white pasta to whole-grain varieties that offer more fiber and protein. The dish also tastes great as a cold noodle salad.

Pasta and Veggie Salad

Pasta salad is always better when made ahead. The idea for tossing the just-cooked pasta with olive oil and garlic came from one of Julia Child’s cookbooks some time ago. If you do this when the pasta is hot, it absorbs the garlic flavor—and makes for

Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Popcorn

Skip the chips! This crunchy treat will satisfy kids’ snack urges.

Creamy Peanutty Hummus

This scrumptious spread is appealing to kids and adults alike. It’s delicious served with crudites or spread on shredded cabbage, arugula or thinly sliced apples and/or red onion slices.

Edamame Pâté Sandwiches

The pâté can also be spread on crackers or thinned with additional water and used as a dip.

Fruit Salad with Vanilla-Apple Syrup

The syrup used in this salad is a wonderful all-purpose sweetener for plain yogurt, iced tea and cocktails.

Sweet Potato Salad with Apple and Avocado

More a meal than a side dish, this potato salad gets its protein from avocado and pumpkin seeds, both good sources of essential fatty acids. Nutrient-rich corn and diced apple give it crunch. Try serving it over a bed of spinach or arugula.