Preparing healthy farm meals while practicing food safety

With planting season in full swing and harvest around the corner, it is time to think of tractor lunch box ideas or meals for field delivery. The long days and typical farming complications can sometimes cause hard working farmers and their helpers to get in a rut when planning meals. It is important to plan not only for a healthy meal but also food safety.

One of my favorite jobs as a child was getting to make meals with my mom or grandma and deliver to the field during wheat harvest. My mom always made sure each detail was thought through; from how the greasy hands would get washed, to convenient meals on the go, all while providing nutritious meals that provided energy for the long working hours ahead.

Farm meals require flexibility! It is important to plan the meal accordingly by fixing either something that can be eaten right away, in thirty minutes, or two hours later. When farm complications arise, the weather changes, or the extra help is still in line at the elevator, farmers may not be able to stop at that exact moment to eat. Let’s face it, most farmers want a quick bite anyway that doesn’t delay progress, or to be able to jump back in and eat the meal on the go.

Our lunch box meals do not have to be boring, just easy, and functional. Here are a few ideas that spin some of our favorite traditional menu items:

Lasagna cups — traditional lasagna flavors made with wonton wrappers in muffin tins make them easy to pick up and eat on the go. You can even sneak in thawed spinach to add some green and your farmer will not even know!

Pepperoni Pizza Sliders — Easy on the go meal that satisfies all the home cooked cravings as we can wrap it up for mobile eating.

Turkey Ranch Club Wraps — A refreshing spin to a typical turkey sandwich but still convenient and tasty!

We do not want our farmer to get hangry, so packing snacks is helpful! Most farmers have early mornings and late nights so providing a healthy snack in their cooler will help. Sometimes breakfast on the go is a good idea as well.

Mini quiche cups — Easy to prepare the night before and provide protein for energy all day long.

Breakfast burritos — These are easy to diversify for our specific farmers tastes by adding different veggies and ingredients and can also be made ahead for our busy schedules. Easy to heat up before you hit the field and wrapped for on the go.

Fruit cups and veggie slices — a simple fruit cup or bag with veggies all sliced up are a healthy and refreshing snack for those hot summer days in the field.

Food safety is key when planning meals for the field. My grandma always packed warm water in a thermos along with soap for the grease to get washed off before eating. Though it is not always on the farmers' mind, it is an important idea to help them stay a bit more sanitary while in the field. Being mindful of the refrigeration needs for food safety is important whether it is a delivered meal or a packed lunch box. Packing ice packs for those meals or just avoiding those dairy or perishable items altogether may be a good option to help prevent foodborne illnesses.

For recipes showcased in this article as well additional newsletter topics, please subscribe to our Living Well– Family and Consumer Science Newsletter for Northeastern Colorado by going to the following website: https://goldenplains.extension.colostate.edu/newsletters/

Program Highlights:

Aging Mastery Online (Zoom) class series — The local Extension Office is taking a different approach to this program starting this fall. Plans are to meet every other week from October 2022 to February 2023 and cover 10 chapters provided by the National Council on Aging along with some bonus information. Aging Mastery Program® was developed by the National Council on Aging and has been successful at helping older adults build their own playbooks for aging well.

For more information, call or email Stephanie Starkebaum at the Phillips County Extension Office. [email protected] or (970) 854-3616.