The Happy Lunch Box
I tried to keep the first couple weeks of lunch packing easy on myself.
We were only 4 days into school and already the kids were complaining about their lunches.
Holden hated the Cheez-its and the skin on the pre-sliced apples.
Elliott wanted me to immediately write out a check for $100 for hot lunch to keep in her account.
In our house, buying hot lunch has always been a treat ~ a few times a month. I’d like to keep it that way especially because they are both in school now.
I sent out an SOS on Facebook for lunch ideas and compiled them to help other mamas that may be in the same lunch boat.
Here are over 80 lunchbox fillers…
{Snacks}
Mini bagel with cream cheese
Granola bar/CLIF Z-bar/Nutri-grain bar
Nuts ~ peanuts, almonds, walnuts {unless you are a nut free school, of course}
Frozen Gogurts
Fruit roll
Mini rice cakes
String cheese, Babybel or Laughing Cow cheese wedges
Danimal Smoothie
Pirate’s Booty
Dried fruit
Banana chips
{“Main Dish”}
English Muffin Pizza
Leftovers from the night before
Hot dog or corn dog heated and wrapped in foil
Hummus and pita
Cheese and crackers
Salami, turkey or ham and cheese roll up
Strawberry and cream cheese sandwich
Cream cheese and cucumber sandwich
Lettuce wraps with diced chicken
Hard boiled or deviled eggs
Frozen Taquitos
Grilled cheese
Hot Pocket
{wrap warmed foods in foil to help keep in the heat}
Tuna Salad on crackers
Frozen waffles {toasted} with peanut butter
Tortellini Kebabs {thread tortellini, cherry tomatoes and mozzarella balls on a skewer} from the magazine parenting.com September 2012
Asian Chicken Pita {toss shredded chicken, carrots and crunchy noodles with peanut dressing and spoon into a pita} from parenting.com September 2012
Pot stickers
Soup
Chili and cornbread
Spaghetti
Pizza rolls
Bagel Bites
Piggies in a blanket
Chicken nuggets
Fried Rice
Ramen noodles
Mini egg frittatas baked in cupcake pans
Mac n cheese with ham and peas
Orange chicken or teriyaki chicken and rice
{Fruit & Veggies}
Cantaloupe chunks
Sugar snap peas
Red or bell pepper slices
Ants on a log {celery, peanut butter and raisins}
Applesauce cup
Mandarin orange cup
Apple slices with peanut butter
Baby carrots with Ranch
Cuties {mini seedless oranges}
Kiwi slices
Raisins
Salad
Cucumber slices
{“Side Dishes”}
Shelled edamame
Trail Mix
Pickles
Popcorn
Cottage cheese
Veggie sticks
Dried peas
Black beans {beans}
Fishing poles and fish {pretzel sticks and goldfish crackers}
Tortilla chips and guac
Pasta salad
PB & Banana S’mores {stack graham crackers with peanut butter and banana slices} from parenting.com September 2012
Pop chips or Sun Chips
{Sweet Treats}
Fig Newtons
Fruit Snacks {I like Motts Medleys}
Kettle Corn
Mini Oreos or Nutter Butters
S’mores mix ~ Mini marshmallows, Teddy Grahams and mini chocolate chips
Mini muffins
Rice crispy {or other homemade} cereal bar
Banana pops {cut bananas in half and insert popsicle stick into each piece. Dip in melted chocolate and roll in sliced almonds. Freeze on waxed paper for 15 minutes then wrap in plastic wrap until ready to send to school} from parenting.com September 2012
{In A Pinch}
Lunchables
Smuckers Uncrustables
Buy school hot lunch
{Drinks}
Capri Sun
Roarin’ Waters flavored water {Capri Sun}
Juicy Juice juice boxes
Horizon Organic Milk {doesn’t need to be refrigerated}
*****
{Tips from other mamas and teachers}
When hungry, kids will eat anything cold or room temperature.
Kids throw away a lot of food, so the best thing to do is feed them a good, healthy breakfast and a big dinner and send them to school with little snacky foods.
Give them a sandwich when they get home instead of packing one in their lunch box ~ keep it simple.
They don’t have a lot of time to eat so quick, easy bites are best.
Have them finish anything left in their lunch box as a snack when they get home.
{A few lunch-y articles shared from friends}
parenting.com article {A month of school lunches}
Red Tricycle article {Beyond the Boring Lunch Box}
School Lunch Roundup {lots of unprocessed food ideas}
*****
I don’t do it often enough, but I do like to tuck a little note written in a napkin or cute paper once in awhile. I found these little cards at Target in the dollar section which are blank on the back for a personal note…
I hope this list is helpful. I tried to include kid-friendly, somewhat easily obtainable and easy-to-prepare options which is what I think all busy moms are looking for.
Please, please feel free to comment with your lunch box favorites as we can NEVER have too many suggestions!
If you realllly want to be inspired, go to Pinterest and type {“kids lunch ideas” and “bento lunches”} into the search box. You know….if you have some extra time on your hands.
My plan is to share some lunch ideas via Instagram as I test them with my kiddos. Please follow me {@aaspiras} on IG if you’re interested not only for happy lunch box ideas, but other daily goings on in my life. I’d love to hear from you and see what you’re up to, too.
THANK YOU to all my FB mamas that commented and shared their ideas, those who forwarded links and tore out articles from magazines. I appreciate the input and I know other mamas will as well!
So………let’s do lunch ~ best of luck brown baggin’ it this school year!
XO
Linking up with April over at {The GINGERBREAD Blog} for Sweet Saturday!
