The coronavirus outbreak has forced many operators to abandon salad bars and buffets for the time being. To reduce the risk of spread, portable foods and grab-and-go menu items are a smart solution. These five recipes offer ideas that can be put into action right now.
This recipe spans meal occasions. The rolls can go into a bento box lunch, serve as an appetizer for an al fresco dinner or morph into a healthy snack. If crunched for time, purchased pickled vegetables can stand in for the made-from-scratch ones.
2. Glazed Moroccan Chicken Kebabs With Grilled Watermelon
These chicken kebabs are glazed with watermelon molasses, a blend of pureed watermelon, lime juice, sugar and olive oil, but regular molasses thinned with lime juice can be substituted. Grilled watermelon on the side adds a healthy twist of fruit to the dish. Pack in a clamshell container to grab-and-go or serve on small plates.
Instead of sandwiching eggs between two slices of bread, chef Anderson uses the bread to line muffin pan cups. Once baked, the bread forms a crispy shell that holds the cheesy egg filling. Crumbled sausage, salsa and green onions pump up the recipe’s flavor and heartiness.
Through their catering company, registered dietitian Emily Burson and chef Brandon Neumen serve more than 20,000 scratch-made school meals to students in Southern California every day. They also host Alphabet Produce Train events in elementary schools, introducing kids to fresh produce from every letter of the alphabet. This vegan, gluten-free salad was a big hit in the school cafeterias.
Photograph courtesy of Sweet Lorraine’s Fabulous Mac n’ Cheez
5. Sweet Lorraine’s Gooey Cheddar Mac and Cheese
At this fast casual, customers have the choice of 14 different kinds of meat-topped and vegetarian macaroni and cheese dishes in two sizes—mini or mega—all made to order in less than two minutes. Guests can mix and match from 38 toppings and pack their order to go.
The final weeks of this school year have been turbulent at dozens of college campuses across the country, driven by differing views of the Israel-Hamas war.