Not just the same old peanut butter and jelly sandwich, packing a healthy lunch for kids, even picky eaters, is easy with these tips and ideas.
Packing lunch every day gets frustrating. Kids and parents get tired of the same old thing but seem to revert to the good old standbys that everyone uses and aren’t always the most nutritious choices. Lunch doesn’t have to be boring, though. Here are some helpful tips to make packing school lunches easier.
It’s good to get in the habit of making out a list ahead of time, week by week or for several weeks in advance, as to what will be packed each day. Make sure to have all the ingredients on hand by Sunday and pack Monday’s lunch the night before, if possible.
Healthy Finger Food for Lunch
Kids like to eat with their fingers. Think about their favorite fast food treats: chicken nuggets, french fries, or even apple slices. No silverware is involved. With that in mind, here are some easy to make ahead finger foods that kids will love.
- Pizza- Pitta Bread or quesadilla with sauce and cheese – heated and cooled before packed
- Hot dogs or Corn Dogs (if they are old enough and have access to a microwave in the lunchroom)
- Bean Burritos- quesadilla spread with refried beans and cheese, can be eaten cold.
- Turkey Wrap (or any lunch meat) Mix in chopped veggies and lettuce, cheese, and sauce
- Tea Sandwiches Mix cream cheese and finely chopped, seeded cucumber (or puree) and spread on bread, cover with a second slice, cut off the crust, and slice into thirds.
- Freaky Sushi: A new twist on peanut butter. Spread a piece of bologna with a thin layer of peanut butter. Cut apple slices thin and into small “sticks” and lay horizontally on the peanut butter. Or substitute pretzel sticks for the apple sticks. Roll up the bologna tightly as if rolling sushi and slice into three pieces, held together with a toothpick. Make several
Snacks and Other Foods to Include in a Packed Lunch
Kids like a dip! Include a small container of dipping sauce or mayonnaise, anything to dip food in. Ranch dressing, ketchup, or honey mustard are good choices. If nothing else, just plain honey is an option for picky eaters. Yogurt is available in easy-to-use containers like tubes or drinks. Hard-boiled eggs, cooked shrimp, rice balls, cheese cubes, and cheese sticks are great fillers too. Homemade granola bars are quick to make, healthy, and inexpensive.
Nutritious Crunchy Snacks to Pack
- Pretzels
- Baked Chip
- Sweet potato chips
- Carrot Chips or sticks
- Rice cakes
- Snap peas
- Sunflower seeds
Healthy Desserts for School Lunches
Skip the high sugar, empty-calorie desserts, and go for something healthy. If it’s in their lunch and it’s the only sweet choice, children will eat these:
- Strawberries
- Grapes
- Mango slices
- Apple Slices
- Orange slices
- Peach slices
- Plum slices
- Dried fruit like cherries, cranberries, blueberries. Mix in a few chocolate chips for incentive.
Lunchbox Tips
- Plan school lunches a week in advance with an erasable or printed chart. Let children help decide what will be packed and even in the food preparation.
- Pack the night before if possible.
- Pack a variety. Kids love to sample and snack and will eat more of lunch if there is a lot to choose from.
- Juice boxes and pouches serve double duty as an ice pack when placed in the freezer the night before. Be sure to allow enough time for the juice box to thaw. Otherwise, the juice will be too slushy for lunch.
- Don’t forget to pack water to drink, too! Avoid sugary juices; even 100% juice drinks have a lot of sugar. Fruit-flavoured water is a good option.
