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Our Top Healthy Kids Lunch Ideas for School
1. Create a Meal Plan
Planning kids' lunches in advance saves time (for you!) and keeps things exciting (for them!). Make a list of five to eight reliable main-dish “templates” (see some ideas, below) and rotate them into your plan each week. For example: wraps, pizza, mini sandwiches, finger foods with dip, pasta salad, yogurt parfait, and breakfast for lunch.
Consider creating multiple main dishes with the same ingredients-like using whole-grain English muffins for mini pizzas one day and a peanut-butter-and-banana sandwich the next.
The Only Formula You Need to Pack a Healthy Bento Box Lunch for Kids
2. Keep Sides and Snacks Simple
Whole or sliced fruit and raw or lightly steamed vegetables are perfect lunch side dishes for kids. Yogurt tubes and string cheese are portable and a great way to add an extra dairy serving. Add a serving of healthy fats with sliced avocado or mixed nuts and seeds. Popcorn, dry cereal and granola bars add crunch and fiber.
Try These:Top 10 Healthy Snacks for Kids
3. Shop with Staples in Mind
As a general guideline, aim to offer a serving each of whole grains, protein, vegetables and fruit at each meal. Pick two to three foods from each category to use for lunches throughout the week.
Whole grains:
Proteins:
Vegetables:
Fruit:
4. Get Ahead on Sunday
Set aside 20 minutes over the weekend for some simple meal prep. Completing a few easy tasks in advance-like slicing vegetables, making hard-boiled eggs or assembling quesadillas-cuts down on time spent making lunches during the busy week.
5. Keep in Mind …
If you’re packing a lunch for younger kids, the American Academy of Pediatricsrecommendsthat you avoid giving these foods to kids younger than 4 years old, because they are considered a choking hazard: hot dogs, nuts and seeds, chunks of meat or cheese, whole grapes, popcorn, chunks of peanut butter, chunks of raw vegetables, raw carrots. If you serve grapes or cherry tomatoes to young children, cut them in half lengthwise, or quarter them (no larger than 1/2 inch).
A Week’s Worth of Healthy Kids' Lunches
Here are five easy and healthy kids' lunches you can make using the same basic ingredients, plus a shopping list and meal-prep plan.
Monday: Veggie Sushi
Tuesday: Tex-Mex Bento
Quesadillas are easy to make ahead, pack up well, and can be eaten cold or at room temperature. Keep things simple withcheese and canned black beans, or tuck in a few leftovers from dinner, like chopped chicken or grilled vegetables. Serve with sliced avocado and tomatoes or salsa.
Wednesday: Greek Yogurt Parfait
Let kids customize plain or vanilla Greek yogurt with an assortment of easy stir-ins, like fresh berries, granola, whole-grain cereal and/or dried fruit. Round it out with a side of raw or lightly steamed vegetables.
Thursday: Mini Mezze
Friday: Confetti Pasta
Pasta salads are a good way to use up whatever vegetables are left at the end of the week. Add protein with canned beans, leftover chicken, deli turkey or tuna. To make a simple creamy dressing, combine plain Greek yogurt with ranch dressing to taste. Toss in cubed cheese or serve it on the side.
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Shopping List
Making the five lunch ideas above? This shopping list will help guide you at the supermarket. Use the column that corresponds with the number of lunches that you make each day.
Download & Print This Shopping List
Sunday Meal-Prep To-Do List
Prep these foods ahead on the weekend, to save time during the weekday rush:
Cut bell peppers into strips.
Slice cucumber into rounds.
Rinse grapes and pat dry. Refrigerate in an open container lined with a paper towel.
Slice or cube cheese.
Make quesadilla(s) for Tuesday. Let cool.
Store your prepped ingredients in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
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