Are you constantly struggling for ideas for what to pack in your child’s lunch box? You’re not alone!
Not to long ago, I had teachers and Mom’s ask me if I could help with some ideas for school lunches, snacks and those hectic-school-day-mornings when you just have to get out of the house.
Some of these ideas are from my Facebook fans and others are ideas I use now that I’m back in school myself.
The Main Trick
Kids, even the older ones, like to eat small things. Younger kids can get overwhelmed when they see a normal, adult sized sandwich in their lunchbox. Making things smaller makes them more fun to eat too. So think “small” when you pack lunches. Even if you make a big sandwich, try cutting it up into little squares. Cut large fruits into small pieces. Break protein bars in half or quarters. But however you cut it, break it or tear it, think small. In fact, you could pack a whole lunch with “snacks” (tiny pieces) of just about anything clean and healthy.
Also, if your kids pack their own lunches, don’t breathe down their necks trying to get them to pack healthy foods. All you have to do is make healthy foods the only foods that are available to them. That way, they still feel the control of choosing what they take for lunch, and you feel good because you know they are choosing from healthy options. It’s a win-win.
Quick Breakfast Ideas:
- Burrito wraps with last nights leftovers
- A mix of low-fat cottage cheese and clean yogurt
- Cottage cheese and fruit with nuts and seeds
- Toast with clean nut butter
- Rice crackers with cheese or clean nut butter
- Overnight Oatmeal
- Quesadilla (made in the micro-wave)
- Scrambled eggs (add some beans too!)
- Clean Eating Granola (Make on the weekend, enjoy during the week!)
Snack Ideas:
- Clean Eating Yogurt
- Raw veggies with clean eating ranch dip
- Grapes
- Apples
- Oranges
- Peaches
- Nectarines
- Strawberries
- Kiwi
- Plums
- Edamame beans
- Nuts
- Clean eating crackers – Yes, they do exist. But it takes some searching.
- Clean eating granola bars
- Dried fruit
- Hard boiled eggs
- Cheese chunks
- Protein bars
- Greek yogurt blended with any fruit of choice
- Pita pocket sandwiches stuffed with things your kids like and you’re comfy with
- Cheese sticks
- Cucumbers
- Whole wheat pretzels
- Raisins
- Mandarin oranges
- Cucumber slices
Lunch Ideas:
- Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (clean jelly please – and make sure your school doesn’t have an anti-peanut rule)
- Fruit salad
- Potato salad
- Macaroni salad
- Rice salad
- Quinoa salad
- Whole wheat couscous salad
- Whole wheat tortilla wraps
- Nori wraps (sushi with kid friendly fillings – just roll like a burrito)
- Whole wheat or sprouted wheat bagels (cream cheese is usually okay for kids unless they are overweight. It’s clean, and under normal circumstances, they will burn off the calories just being kids. Especially if they have a bunch of other healthy options in their lunch box)
Tired-Mom Dinner Ideas:
- Quesadillas
- Pizzadillas
- Salads
- Pizza – if you have a clean pizza dough already in the freezer. Just top and bake.
- Pre-made casseroles out of the freezer (make them on the weekend)
- Sandwiches (real meats please)
- Cheese and tomato sandwiches (toast the break then melt the cheese in the microwave, then add tomatoes.)
- Burritos
- Clean Eating Taco Salad
- Pita pizzas
- Pasta
- Quiché – Yes, it’s quick to make!
Many parents complain about their kids eating processed and “un-clean” foods. But here’s the thing. Most food items have healthy alternatives. Take yogurt for example. You can buy the cruddy stuff with all sorts of chemicals, artificial sweeteners and fake flavors, or you can buy a clean yogurt that tastes just as good and is actually healthy for them. It may take a little leg work on your part to find these things, but once you do, you’re set. And generally speaking, they won’t notice much of a difference. So take the time to find the healthy versions of the processed foods they eat now. You’ll feel so much better about packing their lunches!
The Gracious Pantry has been featured on Shape.com!
