Healthy School Lunches You Can Pack For Your Kids (And You)

No matter how you slice it, everyday sandwiches get boring pretty quickly. School and work lunches don’t have to be boring or unhealthy. They also don’t have to be expensive or overly creative. A healthy lunch just needs to be nutritious and varied.

With food allergies and childhood obesity being a concern for some families, knowing which foods to pack can be challenging. Combine the need for healthy foods and busy schedules, and you’ve got a recipe for frustration about what to pack for your kids’ school lunch, not to mention what you’ll eat at work.

And with many kids also attending day camps during the summer months, packing lunches can be a chore all year long.

While most of us would like to cut back on processed foods instead of packaged ones, many just don’t have the time to make all of our food from scratch, try a variety of different recipes, and pack it in container the size of a glass. single serving.

Convenience foods are a must for most of us. When I say convenient, I don’t mean the overly processed and packaged varieties, I simply mean foods that are quick and easy to prepare and pack as a healthy lunch. Also, recipes with a limited number of ingredients require very few steps to prepare. The homemade hummus and guacamole are two perfect examples.

Picky eaters and food allergies can also nullify healthy lunch ideas. While not all foods will work in every lunch box, there are some basic ideas that will work for anyone in the family who needs a packed lunch.

One of the main ingredients for a healthy and varied lunch at school or work is a good food container. There’s nothing better than a quality insulated food jar that won’t leak and keeps food hot or cold for an extended period of time. Imagine the appeal of a meatball sub (turkey meatballs on a whole wheat bun)vegetarian chili or crisp salads and cold soups on warm days.

Do you need insulated food jars but don’t know which ones best suit your family’s requirements? Shop around, compare features and prices before making a buying decision. Whether I shop locally or online, I often visit sites like Amazon.com to read customer reviews before making a purchase decision. When it comes to food jars, choose brands like Thermos and Mr. Bento, which generally have good ratings and many testimonials from happy customers.

As for what to pack, take your kids to the grocery store and explore the aisles. Start a discussion about which foods and which food combinations attract the most.

If you want your children to be more adventurous in food, set an example by trying some new foods as a family. You may be surprised at how well a new food works. Try to try a new food each week, such as avocados: add them to salads, sandwiches, or use as a healthy topping for baked tortillas or whole-grain crackers.

Encourage young children to try different foods by making a game. Select a new food each week based on a different color of the rainbow from a different letter of the alphabet.

When it comes to snacking convenience, think beyond the typical bag of chips and explore other satisfying, crunchy snacks like brown rice or lentil chips and things like whole-grain pretzels or prepackaged breakfast cereals. to go.

Increase the nutritional value of everyday foods by adding a new ingredient like flaxseed to smoothies, muffins, breads, salads, yogurt, and cereals. Whole flaxseed is a good source of fiber (stays crunchy in milk and yogurt) and when it grinds (grind whole flaxseed with a coffee grinder, blender, or food processor) has omega-3 benefits.

For nut-free settings, like daycares and schools, experiment with alternative protein sources like quinoa. (sharp-wah). This protein-rich super grain contains a healthy balance of essential amino acids. It is gluten-free, a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorous, easy to digest, and high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa can be served hot as a breakfast cereal or cold as a salad.