Kids Lunch Ideas

School has started and if you are like me, the hot lunches at school are just not going to cut it for your child. If you are faced with the dilemma of what healthy, fast, and kid friendly lunch to serve your child, here are some great ideas for you to try ...

Plain old PB&J, not anymore, mix it up by making a peanut butter, banana, and jelly sandwich on cinnamon raisin bread. Or try making a roll up with the same ingredients, or mix up that peanut butter completely by serving it with apples and granola on some whole wheat bread. For those of you who have daring children try peanut butter, bacon, and apple sandwiches.

Since there is not very much time to eat during lunch have your kids make their own trail mix. My son mixed cranberries, golden raisins, peanuts, and mini chocolate chips together and loves snaking on this while talking to his friends. Take your child with you to the store and have them pick out the ingredients, this will make them more likely to eat it, and it is a fun way to spend time with your child too.

Make your own lunchable, pack some deli meat, crackers, cheese, throw in some carrot sticks, with ranch dip, and let your kids make there own meal, with ingredients that you picked out and know the nutritional value of.

Instead of a plain old ham and cheese or turkey and cheese, turn them into roll ups with some fun extras added. For turkey and cheese use some cranberry butter, for the ham, add some bread and butter pickles.

Buy some reusable containers and give your kids fun snacks like red ants on a log, yogurt mixed with berries and bananas, apple sauce with cinnamon and sugar tortillas, or veggies and dip.

Have your child try something new: sushi, a Prosciutto with pesto sandwich or wrap, Chicken Cesar Pita, Asian chicken salad, or humus and veggies in a pita.

Get your child involved with the food that they will be eating for lunch. Discuss the options for their meals and let them decide what sound good to try. Making lunch together the night before is a great way to spend some family time, plus getting kids in the kitchen and teaching them new skills is never a bad thing.

Enjoy lunch and try something new...