I’ve really waffled in my opinion on whether to bring things to school that my kids have forgotten. Of course, I want to teach them about the value of responsibility and ownership over their possessions. When it’s a library book or even homework, that approach applies effectively.

But what about when it’s food — snack, lunch? I know my child will manage through the day, and hopefully come home with a great big appetite for the supper I made, but maybe I should extend myself more as a show of support in this simple but very nourishing way. The teaching moment can come later.

This week, one of my kids called me from school at 9:15 a.m. saying she forgot to bring her snacks. I told her I couldn’t get out of the house until 1:00, and she should borrow snacks from her sisters. And then someone else asked me to drop something off for them, and I pulled myself together and got ready to go out at 10:00 a.m. So I packed a bunch of snacks, along with a lunch, and dropped them off at school.

As I was putting the food together, I realized how long it’s been since I did this. Thanks to school lunches — or the kids packing themselves an alternative — I haven’t had the opportunity to slowly, methodically make lunch with love in a while. If it were something I did every day, I think the thoughtfulness would wear off, but I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to pause and do it, and grateful that I made the decision not to enforce the responsibility lesson.

In this week’s issue, we’re featuring a fun collection of outdoor servingware in our Shoppable column. It’s the beginning of many weeks of relaxed eating and mealtimes, providing a calmer setting for family togetherness and parent-child teaching moments!

CHANIE NAYMAN
Food Editor, Family Table
Editor in Chief, Kosher.com

Sesame Chicken Salad

SERVES 2–4

• 3–4 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce
• 1 cup shredded red cabbage
• 1 cup shredded white cabbage
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 1-2 bone-in chicken breasts (or whatever leftover chicken you have on hand)
• 3–4 scallions, sliced
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• toasted sesame seeds
• toasted almonds, sliced

Sesame Soy Dressing

• 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2–3 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1½ Tbsp honey
• 2 cubes frozen garlic
• 1 Tbsp mayonnaise, optional
• 1 tsp salt

Mix dressing ingredients and combine with salad. Enjoy!

Use Your Fork

Think about all your no-mixer recipes, or the recipes you lazy-out on and don’t want to take out a mixer. You use a spoon, right? Consider using a large, serving-size fork. It mimics a beater better than a spoon does, and works better than a spoon does to combine the sugar-oil mixture or get clumps out when you pour in the flour.

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 845)