For a parent with a school-aged child with PKU, nothing is more challenging than packing lunch. So much to consider. The right balance of food and formula, for starters. Then there’s the presentation – you want your child to appear like all the other kids so want your presentation to be inconspicuous. And then there’s taste, let’s not forget that one. All is for naught if your child doesn’t like what you pack.

Well, we have a solution for you that is super easy for you to prepare, is tasty for your child and lets your child appear like any other child. And it involves a thermos.

3 Thermos Recipes For School Kids With PKU.

Below are 3 basic thermos recipes. To get started, you need a good thermos.

Look for one that will retain heat for at least 5 hours like this one (click to place an order on coolgearinc).

Pre-heating the thermos prior to adding ingredients is a very important first step. To pre-heat: place boiling water into thermos and let stand for 5-10 minutes. Then follow these recipes.

Recipe #1: Basic Thermos Rice Recipe

• 1/3 cup Cambrooke Short Grain Rice
• 1-2 tsp butter or margarine
• 1 tsp Cambrooke Chicken Consommé
• 2/3 cup boiling water

Directions:

Add all ingredients to pre-heated thermos (see directions above). Tighten cap and give the thermos a shake to mix all the ingredients. Let cook at least one hour. Will stay hot as long as indicated on thermos label.

Nutrition Data: 1 serving

• 280 calories, 0.7 g Protein, 17 mg Phe (1 Phe Exchange)
• For the simplified diet this is a free food

Recipe #2: Rice Pilaf with Sautéed Vegetables

• 1/3 cup Cambrooke  Short Grain Rice
• ¼ cup medium onion, chopped
• ¼ cup medium sweet red pepper, chopped
• ¼ cup celery, chopped
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1-2 tsp butter or margarine
• 1/2 tsp Cambrooke Chicken Consommé
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• ¾ cup boiling water

Directions:

In a saucepan warm the olive oil over medium high heat. Once the oil is fragrant, add all the vegetables and garlic, then sauté until tender. Add all ingredients to the pre-heated thermos and stir before replacing the lid. Allow to cook at least an hour. Will stay hot as long as indicated on thermos label.

Nutrition Data: 1 serving

• 554 calories, 1.8 g Protein, 78 mg (5.2 Phe Exchange)
• If following simplified diet, 1 serving provides 372 calories, 0.6 g Protein, 21 mg Phe (1.4 Phe Exchange)

Tip:  Cook a larger batch of vegetables in advance and store in the refrigerator for 1 week.
Or portion into snack sized baggies or small containers and freeze for up to 6 months.

Recipe #3: Vegetable Stir-fry

• 1/3 cup Cambrooke Short Grain Rice
• ¼ medium onion chopped
• ¼ medium sweet red pepper chopped
• ¼ medium sweet yellow pepper chopped
• ¼ cup chopped eggplant
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1-2 tsp butter or margarine
• 2 tsp Sunbird® Fried Rice Seasoning Mix
• 2/3 – 3/4 cup boiling water

Directions:

In a saucepan warm the olive oil over medium high heat. Once the oil is fragrant, add all the vegetables and garlic, then sauté until tender. Add all ingredients to the pre-heated thermos and stir before replacing the lid. Allow to cook at least an hour. Will stay hot as long as indicated on thermos label.

Nutrition Data:  1 serving

• 580 calories, 2.4 g Protein, 86 mg Phe ( 5.7 Phe Exchange)
• If following simplified diet: 1 serving, 580 calories, 0.4 g Protein, 16 mg Phe (1 Phe Exchange)

We hope you enjoy these three delicious thermos recipes. Please know that more can be found at Cambrooke.com. And please if you discover or invent your own thermos recipe, let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook page so other parents can enjoy it.