We’re just five weeks into the back-to-school routine and, already, I’ve noticed my son’s lunch coming home uneaten. The daily PB&J with goldfish seems to get old fast and I don’t blame him. When I ask what he wants for school lunches though, I always get “I dunno.” Even a trip to the grocery store doesn’t seem to provide much inspiration.
It can be tough to come up with lunchbox ideas that kids will really eat. I’ve been searching for some new ideas and found a few that I thought might be worth a try.
- Deli meat and cheese roll-up. Ditch the bread and roll up deli turkey or ham with your child’s favorite sliced cheese.
- Hard boiled eggs. Pair with cheese cubes and fruit for a healthy and filling meal.
- Muffins. Bake a batch of muffins (such as banana, blueberry or zucchini), freeze and pull out one or two for lunches as needed.
- Fruity chicken salad. Make chicken salad with apples, grapes and pecans. Serve in a bowl with crackers or on a sandwich.
- Cheese quesadillas. Although quesadillas are usually served hot, they taste just fine cold. Try adding thinly sliced apples or shredded chicken to the quesadilla for variety.
- Cream cheese and cucumber sandwich. Pair with a fruit cup and carrot sticks.
- BLT wraps. Roll bacon slices, chopped tomato and sliced lettuce in a whole wheat wrap.
- Chicken nuggets with dipping sauce. Keep the chicken nuggets warm in a thermos. Send a small container of ketchup or your child’s favorite dipping sauce.
