Back to school lunches without the hassle
School is just around the corner, and that means no more raiding the fridge for last-minute lunch ideas. Lunches need to be quick to assemble, nutritionally complete, and last sitting in a lunch bag for a couple of hours. This can be tough, meeting all three of the criteria mentioned above, but it is not an impossible task!
This past summer we created a list of easy meal ideas for summer lunches. With back to school season fast approaching, parents not only have to worry about packing a quick, nutritious lunch but how that packed lunch is going to impact their child’s day.
Often times, children indulge in what parents have packed for them during the regular lunch period. Other times, they drool over what their peers have been packed whether that’s because it looks, smells, or tastes more delicious then what was packed for them. Some times, they don’t eat their lunch at all because they are worrisome of what their peers may say once they open their lunch box.
That is why it is important to emphasize planning lunches ahead of time or even having your child involved in the lunch-making process. By doing this, it ensures those lunches are doing exactly what they need to be doing: nurturing your child mid-way through that long, exhausting school day.
To take away some of the school year preparation anxiety, we have gathered together some unique ways your child can enjoy their lunch without any lunch-time anxieties!
Meal Prep
– Turkey taco lunch bowl
– Buffalo chicken meatball bento box
– Build your own pizza
– Meat and cheese pinwheels
– PB&J triangles
– Sandwich skewers
– Tomato bruschetta 2 ways
– Lettuce wrap box
– Mediterranean box
Prep for the Week
– Egg salad
– Tuna salad
– Couscous salad
– Banana bread
– Energy balls
– Pasta salad with fruit
– Pesto pasta with tomatoes
Night Before Snack Prep
– Froyo fruit cups
– Homemade chewy granola bars
– Yogurt parfait box
– Peanut butter protein box
– Strawberry fruit rollers
– Hard-boiled eggs
– Sliced cucumber
– Melons
– Mangoes
– Cheese and crackers
No Prep Snacks
– Cheese sticks
– Fruits and vegetables (i.e. bananas, apples, clementines, grapes, carrots)
– Yogurt
– Fruit cups
– Applesauce
– Pretzels
– Nuts
