We spent the weekend being mermaids floating down the Comal River this weekend. So, when I was getting my little love's lunch together for Monday morning I asked her if she preferred 'macaroni' noodles or 'shells' - to which she responded, "Rainbow shells! ... With sprinkles!"

Well, of course sprinkles don't go too well with pasta, but... rainbow shells it is! And to make it even more fitting, let's make them in some fun 'under the sea' colors.

My little girl has pretty sensitive tastebuds, so I kept these shells naked for today. But, sometimes I like to add a little butter or olive oil with a sprinkle of salt, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese. Anything more than that and she'll turn her probably nose up!

I also sent these noodles to school cold since... well, noodles don't tend to reheat very well. Never mind the fact that it's the heat of summer and she had a splash day planned at school. Which means lots of fun in the sun! So, I thought a nice cold lunch would be perfect for her today.

I cooked these shells in some colored water (using assorted gel food color) since my little girl wanted to have 'rainbow' shells. But, I know that there's a lot of controversy out there over food coloring, so naturally... if you're not okay with your child eating food coloring then you should probably skip that! It won't change anything but the visual appeal.

There are plenty of vegetable 'rainbow' pastas out there as a healthier alternative to food coloring. But, today we wanted bright fun lively colors.

Another option would be using all natural food coloring, though they are a little spendy if you're looking to keep with a budget.

Lily's Lunch Box (Week 2) - Rainbow Shells
TheSkinnyFork.com

The Skinny:
Servings: 1 • Size: 1 Lunch Box • Calories: 231.1• Fat: 1.2 g • Carb: 48.6 g • Fiber: 5.8 g • Protein: 7.5 g • Sugar: 9.2 g • Sodium: 4198.25 mg

Ingredients:
1/2 C. Pasta Shells, Cooked
1/2 C. Grapes
1/4 C. Raspberries
2 Slices Deli Turkey, Thinly Sliced & Rolled
10 Baby Carrots

Directions:

Pack everything nicely.

Well, as nicely as you can.

And be sure you send it along with an icepack to keep everything cool!

Let them enjoy!