It’s easy to get into a rut of the same old school lunches every day, especially when you have kids. Here are 5 of our staple lunch ideas that are kid pleasers!
My two little guys started school this week and I may have been a bit of a bucket of tears over here in the corner.
They are in Pre-3 and Pre-4 and this is the first time going full time for both of them. It’s always reassuring to me to know that in the busy of their big days they have a fun, healthy lunch and snacks waiting for them.
I know that by mid school year I am quite literally staring at the fridge trying to come up with something new to put in their school lunch (or heck just SOMETHING to put in their lunches if I haven’t shopped!). So hopefully these ideas help inspire you to try something new this school year!
They were so proud of their “hap packs” as my oldest affectionately calls them. These Built NY backpacks are just the right size to hold their school folder, lunch box and an extra change of clothes.
Let’s get started on the kid approved recipes!
School Lunch Idea #1: Smashed raspberry sunflower butter sandwich. Packed with starfruit, almonds, hard boiled egg, and veggies with hummus.
My kiddos love a good peanut butter and jelly sandwich but many of their classmates have nut allergies (6 kids in my oldest’s class!) so we choose to stay away from peanut butter. They would also eat jam by the spoonful if I let them, but most of them are packed with so much sugar they would be wired for the whole day.
Enter sunflower butter and fresh raspberries! Just mash up the berries with a fork and spread on the bread. I like raspberries the best out of all the berries for this purpose as they aren’t too watery and don’t have skins to get in your teeth. Fresh figs and bananas are also a great option for this!
We get slow risen sourdough bread and the kids just love it!
School Lunch Idea #2: Fried egg sandwich. Packed with celery sticks, apples, sunflower butter, and cheese sticks.
This is my oldest son’s favorite sandwich! Fry an egg with a bit of water and cover with a pan to let it steam until it is set. Top your bread with a bit of mayo and mustard and a juicy tomato for the perfect quick sandwich!
They hold up surprisingly well too, I often make one for me as well either to eat on the way to school or for my own lunch.
School Lunch Idea #3: Chicken salad wrap. Packed with almonds, applesauce, veggies and ranch, and a hard boiled egg.
Leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken is perfect for tossing together a quick chicken salad. A bit of yogurt or mayo, a squirt of mustard, salt and pepper and fruit or nuts if you have them on hand. Wrap it up in a tortilla and you have a simple protein packed lunch!
School Lunch Idea #4: Pita pocket pizzas. Packed with nectarines and yogurt, a hard boiled egg, and veggies and ranch dip.
These pita pocket pizzas are the perfect alternative to the highly processed lunch kits. Cut a pita in fourths and use two quarter. Fill the pita with pizza sauce, cheese and salami. You can toast them in a pan if your kiddos like the cheese melted or leave it cold.
School Lunch Idea #5: Tortilla “sushi” rolls packed with fruit, hard boiled egg, and sliced veggies.
Okay let’s be real, this one gets made after chicken and rice night or after at home sushi night. I don’t routinely sit around making sushi before school! You can mix and match adding whatever veggies you have on hand and tucking in a bit of meat too if you have it. You could also totally use real seaweed sheets instead of tortillas, my kids just refuse to eat the stuff.
Once you are done it’s time to pack it up. These Built NY lunch boxes have 4 layers. The bottom which houses all the food, then the ice pack comes in:
A tray that holds silverware and a salad dressing tube (I usually take out whatever they don’t need that day and store it so it doesn’t end up lost at school).
And the lid! It snaps on nice and tight which I appreciate.
I also pack them their Contigo water bottles, they are the only water bottle we have ever found that doesn’t start leaking over time. We’ve had one of these for over a year now and it’s still going strong!
Finally it’s time for lunch! Enjoy!
