Packing healthy school lunches for your kids is a tough enough task — now how do you get them to actually eat what you put in their lunch bag?
There are a few things you can do to prevent them from trading their carrot sticks for chips or chocolate bars. For starters, variety is key. If you’re packing the same old sandwich day in, day out, it’s hard to blame your youngster for getting bored. You probably wouldn’t want to eat turkey on whole wheat every day — your child’s no different.
Get your kids involved in making lunch — we hear this from parents all the time. If their kids have a hand in assembling or packing their own lunch, they’re much more likely to eat it. Whether that means bringing them along to the grocery store to pick their favourite kind of fruit, or having them help you assemble lunch in the evenings, make them a part of the action.
We’ve assembled some of our favourite school lunch ideas and recipes from our guest experts — hope they inspire you to get creative with your little one’s midday meal!
Wrap it up: We love wrap sandwiches. They’re a great alternative to bread, easy to customize and fill, and kids seem to like them, too. Try this fancy tuna wrap from our friends at Sweet Potato Chronicles. If your kid isn’t keen on tuna, this lemon chicken wrap with goat cheese fits the bill. Lettuce wraps are a fun option — check out this chicken sesame variety! And for a colourful option, go for these mango rice wraps with red pepper and avocado.
It’s in the Thermos: When the weather cools down, Thermoses of soup, chili, or stew will fill up your little ones and keep them satiated all afternoon. This mushroom cheddar chowder is full of healthy ingredients and your child will love the cheesiness. The quinoa in this chickpea and tomato soup adds protein — and don’t forget to make the pesto toasts for alongside it. Chicken tortellini soup is a snap to whip up, and full of healthy veggies.
Loving leftovers: If you can manage it, double up on dinner, so that you can dish some out for your child’s lunch the next day. We’re not talking steak and potatoes, or something that requires multiple pieces of cutlery. Healthy pizza (veggies with whole wheat crust), frittatas, and pasta dishes are all good options for dinners-turned-lunches. Give kale and pepper calzones a try. Or perhaps chicken tinga. And we can’t get enough of Michael Bonacini’s harvest vegetable frittata.
Picnic lunch: We’re not talking multiple dishes in more Tupperware than your kid can fit in their backpack. When we say picnic, we mean easily portable and nibble-able. Sliced cucumber, carrots and cherry tomatoes that can be dipped in hummus or roasted red pepper dip. Pita wedges, whole-wheat crackers or baguette slices. Sliced apples to dip in almond butter (only if your child’s school permits nut butters, some don’t). Homemade granola bars. You get the picture — we’re thinking bite-sized and tasty.
We’re always looking for school lunch inspiration. Share your ideas in the comments below!