For many kids, their school lunch is the best part of the day.
It’s a chance to hang out with friends, eat something different from what they have at home, and learn about food.
If your child is still young enough for preschool or kindergarten, you’ll want to pack a lunchbox that’s not only nutritious but also easy to open and eat.
You’ll also want to make sure there are no potential choking hazards or foods that could cause allergic reactions.
Include items from at least three food groups.
You should try to include a protein, a vegetable, a fruit, and grain in your child’s lunch. A dairy product if they are not allergic to it.
To make sure you’re sending the right foods for your child’s health needs, remember these guidelines:
- The protein should be low in fat and high in protein. Examples are nuts, seeds (such as sunflower seeds), or tofu cubes.
- The dark leafy green vegetable should be either raw or steamed. You can am.
- Add fresh fruit
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Allergy friendly lunch ideas
These days, it seems like there’s a new food allergy every week—and if you have a child with a food allergy, you want to make sure they’re eating safe foods at school.
Here are some ideas for allergy-friendly school meals that will keep your kid happy and healthy!
- Nut-free lunch ideas:
- Nut-free granola bars
- Applesauce with nut-free sunflower butter or peanut butter
- Hard boiled eggs, sliced cheese and crackers, or hummus and veggies
- Egg-free lunch ideas:
- Eggless salad
- Peanut butter and jelly sandwich with eggless bread (look for yeast extract in the ingredients list)
- Lactose intolerant child? Try these options instead:
- Lactose free milk with an extra serving of protein like nuts or nut butters.
- Gluten free options: Gluten Free pasta, Rice Pasta, Quinoa Pasta (you can make your own), Corn Tortillas (you can make your own)
Have your kids help pack their lunch boxes.
Before you start packing, have your kids help.
Kids are more likely to eat healthy foods if they’ve helped make them.
They can also pack the lunchbox or even do it on their own if they’re old enough, which will give them a sense of responsibility and independence.
Opt for easy-to-eat foods.
- Include foods that are easy to eat.
- Include foods that are easy to pack.
- Include foods that are easy to store.
- Include foods that are easy to prepare.
- Include foods that are easy to clean up.
- Include foods that are easy to transport.
Send reusable containers instead of plastic bags.
Instead of sending plastic bags, try sending reusable containers.
These can be used over the course of several weeks to help reduce waste and save money.
Reusable containers are also a great way to encourage kids to pack their own lunches, which is always a good thing!
How to keep food warm in lunch box
- Use a microwave. A kid-friendly lunch doesn’t have to include soup or leftovers from last night’s dinner. Microwave any dish that can stand up to being heated up again.Then add it their stainless steel thermos. Ta-Da!
- Use a slow cooker. A slow cooker is the ultimate in reheating convenience.
Look out for choking hazards
Food Choking Hazards for Young Children
If you have a young child, it’s important to be aware of the food choking hazards that could pose a danger to him or her. The following foods are particularly dangerous for children under the age of 4:
- hard candies
- nuts and seeds
- popcorn kernels
- grapes, cherry tomatoes, and other small round fruits and vegetables
- chunks of meat, fish, or cheese (especially if they’re harder than your teeth!)
List of healthy school lunch ideas
Main dish- cold school lunch ideas
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Flour tortilla +turkey+cheese roll ups
- Vegetable + hummus wrap
- Cold pasta salad
- Avocado toast
- Bagel and cream cheese
- Macaroni salad
- Zoodles (zucchini noodles)
- Ham and cheese sandwich
- Pizza Quesadilla
- Peanut butter and banana roll up
- Chicken salad
- Homemade lunchables
- BLT sandwich
- PB&J on a Hawaiian roll
- Cheese and spinach quesadilla
- Chicken and cheese taquitos
- Tuna fish
Main dish- warm school lunch ideas
How to keep food warm in a lunch box
One of the most important things you can do when packing your child’s lunch is to make sure it stays warm.
- The best way to keep food warm is to get an insulated container- thermal insulated container. Opt for one that is stainless steel, that will keep your food warmer longer, If you don’t have one yet, try this one from Amazon.
- Use HOT water to heat up your child’s thermos (heat water, put in container, let it warm up, then empty the water and transfer your prewarmed food into thermos). That way, once the item is heated and the container is heated. Lunch will be served warm.
- Aluminum foil is an inexpensive hack to keep your child’s lunch warm.
- Warm water bottles is another inexpensive hack, to try.
- Make sure to keep hot and cold items separate
- Insulated lunch box
- Spaghetti and meatballs
- Chili
- Ramen
- Chicken tortilla soup
- Grilled cheese
- Curry
- Chicken noodle soup
- Burritos
- Broccoli cheddar soup
- Chicken nuggets
- Macaroni and cheese
- Tomato soup
- Pineapple/bbq meatballs
- Beef stew
Fruits and vegetable for school lunches
- Apples
- Oranges
- Strawberries
- Banana
- Cherry tomato
- Avocado
- Applesauce
- Blueberries
- Peaches
- Celery
- Carrots
- Edamame
- Melons (watermelon/honey dew)
- mangoes
Sides and Snacks for school lunches
- Yogurt
- Pudding
- Chips
- Bell peppers and hummus
- String cheese
- Beef jerky or beef sticks
- Popcorn
- Roasted chickpeas
- Mixed nuts
- Snap Peas (chips)
- Veggie straws
- Granola bar
- Pringles
- Trail mix
- Kale chips
- Fruit leather
- Rice Krispies treats
- Dark chocolate covered almonds
- Fruit snacks
- Cookies
Drinks for school lunch
- Water bottle
- Fruit smoothie
- 100% juice
- Honest Kids juice
- Tea (hot or cold)
- Milk (plant based or dairy)
Make lunch time a sweet surprise
- You can make packing lunches for kids fun by having a theme (S’mores, picnics, etc.)
- Leave funny jokes in their lunch bag
- Add a sweet note of encouragement
- Draw a picture
We hope you’re now on your way to packing a healthier, fun lunch for your children!
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