New video: Little League Lunchbox

This week on More Good Day Oregon, I made a healthy mason jar salad that you can easily take to Little League games — or lacrosse, tennis, or soccer matches. Check out the video as I make this Little League Lunchbox, step-by-step. Then keep reading for more ideas on how to eat healthy during spring sports season.

How to eat healthy during Little League, Lacrosse, and spring sports season

I'll never forget the first year my son played Little League. Up until that point in time, his participation in basketball and soccer had followed a certain flow: practices 1-2 days during the week, and a game on the weekend. Youth sports definitely required a commitment, but the schedule was predictable and easy to plan around.

And then came Little League.

Little League brought more frequent practices. Longer practices. Rainouts — and make-up games.

And instead of a predictable schedule — say, games every Wednesday night — our games took place on Saturday, as well as any random weeknight the field happened to be available.

Baseball, I quickly learned, was an entirely different animal.

It posed quite the logistical challenge for parents who were in charge of pre-game meals, carpooling, and post-game food… and then getting your kiddo to bed at a decent time.

At first, I resisted.

I grew to hate baseball, all that sitting in the stands for hours. Hours that had previously been spent working out or doing something more productive.

This was compounded by the fact that I didn't yet have my baseball mama act together yet, and I often spent the game getting hungrier and hungrier — wishing I had thought to bring something besides my water bottle, and the energy bar that had been sitting in my glove compartment for months.

After awhile though, I finally got it together. I figured out different meals I could pack for dining al fresco — albeit in the bleachers. Tucking into delicious rice bowls, pasta salads, bean salads — and even kale salads — made baseball so much more enjoyable.

Nowadays, I even pack a bar of dark chocolate to share, or some kombucha. Or, on chilly baseball mornings, I pack a thermos of my Golden Milk Latte.

And you know what? It's so much easier to enjoy the laid back baseball vibes when you're not hangry!

Now, baseball season has become one of my favorites.

Yes, favorites!

What's not to love?

You have full permission to relax outside in the sunshine for a couple of hours. You get to see your kid making new friends, and advancing their skills. And, if you're prepared, you get to enjoy some beautifully nourishing food in the stands.

I hope you enjoy this recipe for the Little League/Lacrosse Lunchbox. It's great paired with kombucha or your favorite LaCroix.

And, let's be honest — this salad also works well for those of you who come to the game with a Hydroflask filled with an adult beverage (hello my fun-loving Farm Team parents from 2015!).

How to Assemble the Little League Lunchbox

Putting together your Little League Lunchbox is super easy. Here's how it works:

• Make a batch of salad dressing. Or use your favorite store-bought dressing.
• Make a batch of my Cannelini Bean Salad with Tomatoes, Olives, and Basil (recipe link below).
• Pour some of the dressing into the bottom of a quart-sized mason jar. I'd say 2-3 tablespoons should be enough.
• Layer some sturdy greens on top of the dressing. Shredded kale works well here.
• Next, add a scoop of brown rice. Or a half-cup of leftover pasta.
• Next, add a scoop of your bean salad.
• Add some sliced cherry tomatoes.
• Add your delicate salad greens on top, such as arugula or baby lettuce.
• For added crunch, add some pine nuts.
• Screw on a lid, and head to the game. Remember to take a fork, napkin and beverage.
• At the game, turn the jar upside down. The dressing will flow through the greens, rice, beans, and salad. Give it a few shakes to make sure the dressing in incorporated into the contents of the jar.
• Unscrew the lid, and enjoy!

Get the Cannelini Bean Salad Recipe… plus 2 more in this special freebie

The Cannelini Bean Salad recipe is actually part of a printable PDF —  Eat Your Beans: 3 Delicious and Protein Packed Recipes to Try.

Inside this free and downloadable PDF, you’ll find:

Recipe #1 — Curried Coconut Lentil Soup, one of my most popular recipes
Recipe #2 — Spicy Black Beans, perfect for bowls, burritos, and soups
Recipe #3 — Cannelini Bean Salad with Tomatoes, Olives and Basil. Delicious for picnics and parties!

All of the recipes are plant-based, gluten-free, and dairy-free.

To download the PDF, please click here.

If you try the recipes, tag me over on Instagram — I’d love to see your kitchen creations.

Have fun in the kitchen!

~Monica