Freezer Essentials
Ten Things to Have in Your Freezer
by Tracey Seaman and Tanya Wenman Steel
We keep well-stocked freezers. Tracey likes to keep leftovers in the refrigerator, for fast reheating of subsequent servings, but she freezes fresh meats and breads and batches of chili, stews and soup to have on hand for later. Tanya likes to freeze individual portions of dishes so when she comes dashing in from work at 7 p.m., or after a Saturday soccer game, there is something healthful and tasty to pop in the microwave to feed a hungry and weary kid just minutes later. We both freeze our home-cooked recipes and keep a minimal stash of processed organic foods. Here is all you've ever wanted to know about freezing -- and more.
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School Lunches Around the World
Finland
The Finnish educational system is often considered one of the best in the world and serving healthy school lunches is a major priority. Government regulations demand that meals are "tasty, colorful and well-balanced." Since the late 1990s, guidelines have specified serving proportions: vegetables, cooked and raw, must cover half the plate (carrot and beet salads are popular), with proteins and starch taking up one-quarter plate each. The majority of the nation's schools offer a vegetarian option every day. The national specialty hernekeitto, a green pea soup often flavored with smoked pork, is usually served on Thursdays in a nod to Finnish tradition.
titilayo, flickr / http://www.flickr.com/photos/titilayo/2367840329/
Australia
Most Aussie kids bring their lunch from home. And most of the time, that lunch is a sandwich of cheese and Vegemite, the jam-like, salty yeast-based spread that's been a staple since 1922. The Vegemite sandwich gets a shout-out in Men At Work's classic antipodean anthem "Down Under."
pengo-au, flickr / http://www.flickr.com/photos/pengo-au/2065218958/
Italy
The sustainable food crowd loves Italy, and with good reason. The majority of Italian schools serve lunches made from organic ingredients, mostly grown nearby. The daily meal at la mensa della scuola -- the school canteen --is usually centered around pasta or risotto, with salad served as a separate course. Meat shows up on the menu only a couple times a week, and in small portions. But it's not all about nutritionally correct eating for Italian children; merendine, aka snacks, are big parts of most children's days. Bread spread with chocolatey Nutella is a classic between-meal sweet and Italy's kids are almost as addicted to packaged candies and cakes as their American counterparts. Italy actually has a higher proportion of overweight children than the U.S.
Browse our Italian recipes
vanz, flickr / http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanz/487191012/
Kenya
People who went to school in Kenya usually have strong feelings about githeri; they're either totally nostalgic or extremely sick of it. A mixture of beans and dried corn, the dish is traditionally associated with the Kikuyu tribe, but it has become the standard school lunch throughout the country. Every day, school children line up with their plastic bowls as servings are ladled out from huge pots.
teachandlearn, flickr / http://www.flickr.com/photos/teachandlearn/2892588820/
Korea
Most school cafeterias in Korea use sectioned metal trays and there's a standard way of filling them up. The two biggest sections are for rice, usually served with pickled vegetable kimchi and soup. Smaller compartments -- there's usually three of them -- hold side dishes of vegetables and fish. As for the beverage, kids are given little plastic bottles of sweet yogurt drink, hugely popular in Korea.
Browse our Kimchi recipes
shinyai, flickr / http://www.flickr.com/photos/shinyai/1372305456/
Barbados
For many kids in Barbados, the best part of school is the morning snack of milk and biscuits -- known as cookies to us Americans -- provided free in all schools since the 1930s. The locally produced Wibisco brand biscuits have nourished generations of children. In 1963, the government began a hot lunch program, with meals, beans and rice, mostly, delivered by van to schools around the island.
chocolategirl64, flickr / http://www.flickr.com/photos/chocolategirl64/760241435/
Brazil
The school day for most students in Brazil starts at 7 a.m. and runs till noon. To stave off hunger pangs during the morning hours, kids will munch on snacks like queijadinhas, which are muffins made from cheese and coconut. While many children eat lunch at home after school, the Brazilian government has sponsored a nationwide school lunch program since 1955, offering hot, healthy meals to underprivileged students.
Browse our Muffin recipes
chris_diewald, flickr / http://www.flickr.com/photos/chris_diewald/490471734/
France
You don't think the French would serve their children sloppy joes, do you? School lunches are taken just as seriously as meals for adults. In fact, kids are served pretty much the same things adults eat. A week's menu in a restaurant scolaire -- the canteen of a French school -- might include veal scallops Marengo, hake with lemon sauce, and lamb with paprika. Fresh bread and salad are, of course, included at every meal and fruit and yogurt are the usual desserts. The only thing the kids don't get is wine.
Browse our French recipes
Diva Eva, flickr / http://www.flickr.com/photos/evafung/320469452/
Japan
In Japan, school lunch known as kyuushoku is an important part of every child's daily schedule. Meals are eaten in the classroom; after the tables are cleared, the student assigned as that day's lunch monitor serves everyone. Rice and fish make up the bulk of the menu, but some days students are treated to the kind of East-West comfort food that Japanese kids especially love: dishes like korokke, which are fried potato croquettes or omurice, an omelet filled with a ketchupy rice and chicken mixture.
liquidindian, flickr / http://www.flickr.com/photos/liquidindian/177498108/
Zambia
School lunch in Zambia is nshima. Actually, pretty much everyone's lunch in Zambia is nshima -- breakfast and dinner too. The starchy dish of white cornmeal cooked to a thick, sticky dough is the staple food of the entire population. It's eaten with your hands and dipped into relishes made from greens, dried sardines called kapenta, or stewed soy protein.
booizzy, flickr / http://www.flickr.com/photos/booizzy/164601516/
How to Freeze
You can freeze myriad foods: cake, cheese, bacon, berries, and other fruit. Sauces, broth, and pureed baby food can be stored in ice-cube trays and frozen. Here are some tips on how to ensure your foods don't end up tasting of freezer burn.
1. Slice breads before you freeze for easier removal.
2. Freeze in small portions, so you can just defrost a serving fast and easily.
3. Wrap well. Use containers and plastic wraps that were designed specifically for the freezer. Make sure there is no air in bags and wraps. If you are storing sauce or soup, keep room at the top of the container for expansion of the liquid.
4. Be sure to label the package with the name of the item and date of preparation and storage.
5. Place newer things in the back of the freezer and use the older items in front.
How to Thaw
Overnight thawing in the fridge is best, but if time is of the essence, you can immerse foods in cold water -- bag or container and its contents -- and keep changing the water until it reaches room temperature. Transfer soups, sauces, or stews to a saucepan and heat slowly, covered, until the mixture comes to a boil; be sure to stir often. For other individual portions, defrost uncovered in the microwave and cook and serve as soon as possible.
From REAL FOOD FOR HEALTHY KIDS by Tracey Seaman and Tanya Wenman Steel © 2008 by Tanya Wenman Steel and Tracey Seaman, reprinted by permission of William Morrow/An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
