One of the most time-consuming parts about sending our kids off to school is making their lunches every morning. You want it to be nutritious and filling, yet you don’t want them to fall into lunch box boredom. Typically parents pack a sandwich and some snacks, but these five lunch ideas are sure to keep your child’s midday meal nutritious and interesting too.
Ham sushi roll-ups
Photo courtesy of Amy from The Family Chef
This fun non-sandwich idea incorporates whole grains, protein and dairy, giving your child a good pack of nutrients while making their non-sandwich easy to eat. Developed by The Family Chef‘s Amy, author of the soon-to-be-released cookbook The Warm Kitchen, this recipe is simple to modify to the particular tastes of your child and can be made with allergies in mind.
Baked chicken taquitos
Photo courtesy of Lisa from Crazy Adventures in Parenting
Who doesn’t love Mexican food? There is no reason your child can’t have one of their favourite dinners for their school lunch. And the bonus is that you can prepare it all the night before. Developed by Lisa from Crazy Adventures in Parenting, the baked taquitos can be paired up with rice and black beans, making the lunch not only time-friendly but filling and healthy.
Make-your-own pizza
Kids love pizza, but they don’t need to wait until their special pizza day comes around at school to enjoy it. All you need is thin, flat bread, some sauce and grated cheese, and then pack it all into a fun bento box like the Easy Lunch Box system. Your child can have the fun of preparing and then eating the pizza at school.
Soup and crackers
Sometimes all your child really wants to eat is a warm cup of chicken noodle soup with some crackers. Thanks to warm-food storage containers like the Sprinkles FUNtainer Food Jar from Thermos, you can heat up the soup before sending your child off to school, and it will stay warm for lunchtime.
Healthy snacks to include:
We all know that kids need a lot of nutritious food to keep up their energy levels and get the most out of their learning day, so including a few snacks in their lunch box is important. Avoid packing unhealthy snacks like cookies and chips, and stick to those that will keep their bellies full with nutrients.
- Hard-boiled egg
- Fresh fruits, like apples and bananas
- Crunchy vegetables, like carrots and celery
- Whole-grain crackers and cheese
- Yogourt
- Popcorn
- Whole-grain muffins
Macaroni and cheese
Mac and cheese is well loved by kids, and there’s no reason they can’t enjoy their favourite in their school lunch. Try an easy mac and cheese recipe like this one from Muffin Tin Mania. It’s baked in a muffin tin for easy eating, or you can always use that trusty Thermos to keep the pasta warm.
More on school lunches
Lunches revamped
Perfectly packed school lunches
5 Back-to-school lunch tips for kids
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