Sweet fillings for sandwiches include: preserved or dried fruits, bananas, nuts. Sandwiches made with a sweet filling are most popular among children. Some of them make good substitutes for cake, and are much more easily digested. The dried fruits such as dates, figs, and prunes, cooked and combined with bread and butter, make excellent foods. The growing child is apt to become anemic. Since prunes contain iron, they should be frequently used in children's diet. Cooked prunes—seeded and flavored with lemon juice—make palatable sandwiches, especially when brown bread is used or a few chopped nuts are added. Breads containing sugar or molasses are most pleasing when used with a sweet filling. Banana sandwiches are much improved by the addition of lemon juice or Salad Dressing. Nuts are often combined with both sweet and seasoned materials; their use gives opportunity for variety. Chopped raisins and nuts may be moistened with grape juice and used as sandwich filling. Chopped dates, apples, and nuts mixed with salad dressing make a pleasing filling. Crushed maple or brown sugar mixed with cream or butter and used with whole wheat bread is a favorite sandwich among children.
(2) Relishes.—Celery, olives, and radishes serve as relishes for the luncheon box. Celery and olives (especially those stuffed with pimentos or nuts) are pleasing as a sandwich filling. Most relishes, however, are more suitable for the luncheon box of a mature person than for that of a child.
(3) Desserts.—Cake is a common constituent of the luncheon box. Not all cakes, however, are suitable for luncheons. For children, only the plainer cakes, i.e. those containing little fat, should be used. Plain cake and cookies, sponge cake, lady fingers, and gingerbread (if not too highly spiced) are also desirable for the school luncheon. Cookies or cakes baked in muffin pans are more suitable for packing than cut pieces of cake.
Most fresh fruits can be easily packed in the luncheon box. As has been mentioned, grapes, the small fruits such as strawberries and raspberries, sliced pineapple, or fruit sauces may be carried in jelly glasses.
Cup custards and simple puddings may be used as desserts. If a child is permitted to have sweets, a little candy may be placed in the luncheon box; it is better for a child to have candy at the end of a luncheon than after school (see Use of Candy in Diet).
PACKING THE LUNCHEON.—Neatness is an essential in an inviting luncheon box. All foods should be wrapped separately in paraffin paper, and placed neatly in the box. Since some foods crush readily, it is not always possible to place the foods to be eaten first on top, but it is desirable to arrange the foods so that not all of them will have to be removed before beginning to eat the luncheon. The paper napkin should always be placed on top. It is perhaps unnecessary to say that foods should not come in direct contact with newspapers or any printed matter.
QUESTION
Plan menus for five school luncheons, making them as varied as possible. If you carry your luncheon to school, follow these menus in preparing your luncheon box.