For the most part, I feel like Owen is growing up too fast. How is it possible that he will be four in a few weeks?! We just signed him up for the local soccer league and bought him a “big boy” bike. Last week, at the library, he picked out a movie that was rated PG. When I acted hesitant about checking it out, he informed me matter-of-factly that he had already seen it. My baby! Watching a PG movie! Without me!

But a tiny part of me does wish that Owen was old enough to be going “back to school” this year. (He will be in Pre-K this fall at his same pre-school.) I’m so excited for the day when I can finally take him to buy pencils and notebooks and cute back-to-school sweaters, and to pack him a lunch in a lunchbox with a special note from mom.

Since you can never start too early, I decided to get cracking on some healthy kid- and school-friendly lunch ideas now. Trust me, nobody in my family was complaining 🙂 First up was this tuna and wild rice salad with grapes and apricots.

Rice salads are one of my favorite weekday lunches because they are quick to prepare, incredibly satisfying, and they last for days in the fridge. Tuna is a perfect choice for adding healthy, lean protein. I always use Bumble Bee Solid White Albacore Tuna in water. I love the chunky texture and fresh, clean taste of the tuna, plus it’s filled with important vitamins and minerals (see their website for full nutritional facts!).

To really pump up the flavors of this salad, I added two of Owen’s favorite ingredients: juicy green grapes and chewy dried apricots. A sprinkle of sunflower seeds gives it some crunch, and keeps things school-friendly (all the schools in our area are nut-free). For the dressing, I went with a simple, sweet honey mustard vinaigrette.

This salad is like fall in a bowl. The grapes, apples, and apricots all make me think of the harvest season, and the zippy honey-spiked dressing brings it all together. It’s delicious on its own, over a bed of mixed greens, or stuffed inside a pita. Best of all, it keeps well in the fridge, so you (and your kids) can enjoy it for lunch all week long.

Tuna and Wild Rice Salad with Grapes and Apricots

This quick, simple, gluten-free tuna salad makes a great take to school (or to work) lunch!

Servings 4

Author Turnip the Oven

Ingredients

For the dressing

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard coarse or grainy
1 tablespoon minced shallot
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salad

3 cups cooked wild rice
3/4 cup halved green grapes
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup roasted and salted sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 cans Bumble Bee Solid White Albacore Tuna in Water 5-ounce

Instructions

To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a small jar (like an old jam jar) and shake until well blended.
To make the salad, combine the rice, grapes, apricots, sunflower seeds, and parsley in a medium bowl. Drizzle with half the dressing and toss to coat. Gently fold in the tuna, being careful not to break up the chunks. Drizzle with more dressing to taste and serve.