It's lunchbox time!

Do you want to be a Hero? Then Put a Hero in their lunchbox. See all the fabulous things California raisins, the Hero, can do!

Create a "no-trade" lunch

• "Repackage" fruit and cereal to make Raisin Banana Energy Bars.
• Make mini-sandwiches with small rolls or muffins and fill with chopped raisins and honey.
• Combine raisins, dried fruits, nuts and cereals to create Tropical Fruit Mix.
• Include raisins in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
• Create a new treat with cream cheese and raisins on bagels.
• Add chopped raisins to chicken, turkey, ham or tuna salad sandwiches.
• Mix chopped raisins, grated cheddar cheese, a little mayonnaise, and spread on graham crackers.

After-school snacks kids can help make

• Let kids "squish" cereal, raisins and peanut butter into Raisin Peanut Butter Balls.
• Mix raisins, dried tropical fruits, nuts and honey-coated grahams.
• Combine raisins with pretzels, other dried fruit and nuts for a trail mix.
• Spread a wheat tortilla with peanut butter and raisins and roll it up.
• Top crisp pita triangles with banana slices and raisins.
• Slice an apple crosswise, spread with cream cheese, sprinkle with raisins and top with a second apple slice for a special "star"-wich.

  
  Use raisins to turn:
  

• Ordinary sandwiches into spaceships.
• Fruit salads into clown faces.
• Hamburgers into happy faces

Give 'em brain power!

• Good nutrition helps kids (and adults) think.
• Children ages two to six should have two fruit servings each day.*
• Older children and adults should have two to four services of fruit every day.*
• California Raisins provide vitamins, minerals and fiber.

  *USDA Food Guide Pyramids for young children and adults.

Clever ways to eat healthy

• Include raisins in main dishes such as beef stew, meatloaf or burritos.
• Jazz up taco salad with raisins.
• Stir raisins into spice cake or muffin batter.
• Sprinkle raisins on fruit salads and green salads.
• Toss raisins in vegetable salads, too.

Some nutrition guidelines

• 1/4 cup California Raisins = one serving of fruit.

Other fruit servings:

• 1/2 cup canned fruit.
• 3/4 cup fruit juice.
• 1 medium apple, medium orange or a half a banana.