Nutritious, Delicious and Kid Friendly School Lunches
I hope everyone enjoyed their summer, and the school year is going well, so far. This post is dedicated to healthy school lunches and snacks to start this year off right. You have all weekend to plan, shop, and cook!
I actually love when there’s nothing on the school menu for my daughter to eat. Then I can pack her lunch and know that it will be healthier than:
- Cheese and Pepperoni Stromboli
- Turkey and Mashed Potatoes topped with Nacho Cheese
- Meatball Dunkers with Sauce
It also gives me the opportunity to be creative and have a little fun. With childhood obesity increasing, and the money in our wallets decreasing, it’s a great way to provide healthy, less expensive foods. 2/3 of their meal should be fruits, veggies, and whole grains. The other 1/3: lean proteins. Cut foods up into tiny pieces so they won’t waste time doing it themselves. Foods they can pop in their mouths are fun.
Kabobs
You can basically put anything on a skewer and how much fun is it to eat! Try these combos:
Breakfast
- French Toast triangles, Peach slices
- Waffle pieces, Strawberries, Blueberries
Lunch
- Grilled Chicken pieces, Broccoli and Carrots
- Shrimp, Snow Peapods, Yellow Pepper strips
- Turkey slices, Apple wedges
Wraps
- Roll up Peanut Butter and Bananas in a Whole Wheat wrap
- Roll up Turkey slices, Spinach and part-skim milk Mozzarella Cheese
- Roll up American Cheese and Tomatoes
St. Patrick’s Day Lunch
Sandwiches
- Swap plain old white bread and rolls for Whole Grain English Muffins, Tortillas, Pitas, mini Bagels, and Triscuits
- Swap mayo for plain Greek Yogurt
- Swap sugary Jelly for Bananas and Berries in Peanut Butter Sandwiches
- Swap homemade trail mix for chips Recipes: http://greatist.com/health/21-healthier-trail-mix-ideas
Miscellaneous
All of these pictures were from my friend Jeannine Z and her crafty creations. Make lunch fun for your kids and they’ll be excited to eat. You may not have time to do these lunch creations every day, but once or twice a week or even on special occasions or holidays is entirely doable. If you still don’t have time, throw in a silly note, some stickers, a tiny toy or plastic flower, a fancy napkin or use cookie cutters to cut the fruit, veggies and sandwiches into fun shapes once in a while.
Valentine’s Day Lunch
P.S. Because I love Kabobs so much, I will add a few more for snack time and dinner:
- Meatballs, Raviolis and Zucchini Kabob
- Sweet & Sour Chicken, pineapple, and Red Pepper Strips on a kabob
- Angel Food cake, Strawberries and Blueberries on a kabob
- Bananas dipped in yogurt and then dipped in Low Fat Granola or crushed Chocolate pieces on a kabob
- Apple, Brown Rice-Cakes smeared with Peanut Butter kabobs
P.S. My all time, FAVORITE, school lunches. You gotta check these out! http://www.parents.com/kids/nutrition/lunch/healthy-school-lunches-snacks/
P.S.S For those with a lot more time on their hands then me: Gotta love this one: http://reductress.com/post/bento-boxes-that-will-establish-your-dominance-over-other-moms/
What are some of your favorite lunches to make for your kids? Let me Know!
I love hearing from you!
CHRISTINE ARDIGO – Author of Cheating to Survive & Every Five Years
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