It’s back to school time which means it’s also back to packing lunchtime for many parents. It can be challenging to come up with lunch ideas for school that are both healthy and appealing!
Keep it Simple
If you already feel overwhelmed then stick to the basics at least until you get your routine down and back into the swing of making lunches.
One of the easiest school lunches is a sandwich. Plain peanut butter or hummus spread on pita bread makes a tasty change from jelly or cream cheese. You could also make sandwiches with slices of meat and cheese. To mix things up try different kinds of bread, use a cookie cutter to make shaped sandwiches or make a wrap.
Another simple idea for lunch is leftovers! Make a little bit more of your dinner items so that you can pack them up for lunch. If you’re worried everything will get eaten before you can pack up leftovers, portion the amount you’ll have for lunch first and put it into the refrigerator.
Let Your Kids Make Their Own Lunches
One way to make your life a little easier is to get your kids into the kitchen if they are old enough. School lunches are great for letting them get creative. Let each child choose what they would like to eat for the next day! Your children will feel part of the cooking process and will be excited about their school lunch when they’ve been part of creating it.
Have Some Reserves
Having a few last-minute school lunch items in your pantry at all times can be a real lifesaver. For example, a can of tuna fish that can be put into a sandwich in literally seconds! There are also individual salad kits that you only need to add dressing (or oil and vinegar) before eating. Additional ideas for grab-and-go lunches include whole-grain crackers and slices of cheese, carrot sticks, yoghurt and fruit.
Chances are you have plenty of items in your refrigerator or pantry that aren’t enough to make up a whole meal. These are great options to have in a lunch box. Your kids will feel like they have a special snack tray to enjoy!
More Quick Lunch Ideas
Here are three more lunch ideas that you can make a night ahead or in the morning. These recipe ideas are designed to use ingredients you already have on hand.
The first school lunch idea is a sandwich that is quickly assembled using pita pockets, cheese sticks or chunks of cheese and deli meat (think ham or bologna slices). For vegetables, try cucumbers but cut them into smaller slices so that they’re easier for school-aged kids to eat with their hands. Serve carrots or celery with hummus for dipping.
The second school lunch idea is cold pasta salad. It can be made ahead of time and then stored in the refrigerator overnight. For this recipe, you’ll want to cook a box of pasta according to package directions. Drain the water from the noodles and run cold water over the pasta until cooled down. Dice up your favourite vegetables like carrots, green peppers, celery, or tomatoes. Add to the pasta with shredded cheese and enough Italian dressing to coat everything. Mix and add to containers.
The final easy lunch idea is lettuce salads. Using a prewashed bag of mixed greens saves time. Add any favourite vegetables and fruits like cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, or even fruit like peaches or strawberries. You can also include sliced cheese or hard-boiled eggs too. Leave off the dressing to let kids add at mealtime.
For school lunches that are easy and quick to make, these ideas work great and will make your lunch preparations smoother.
