As we get closer to the first day of school, it’s essential to be prepared in all realms. The kids’ backpacks are packed and ready, school supplies are bought, new shoes are ready to be worn, the uniform is washed and ironed, and lastly, as a mom, you should have some lunch ideas ready to go. The first few days are hectic; the kids are excited and anxious to start the new school year. This article will give tips and tricks about back to school lunches to make the prep a breeze.
Healthy Food Choices
While many schools provide hot lunches for the kids, some parents prefer to send their kids a lunchbox. To help your kids be more focused in class, you can pack them lunches that will satisfy their hunger and help them stay focused and motivated.
Let’s discuss some food choices that can help with the back-to-school blues.
Grains
Before buying your grains, make sure the first ingredient on the ingredient list is a whole grain, like whole wheat, whole oats, or brown rice. A great option is to make a sandwich from whole-grain bread, tortillas, pitas, or bagels. Additionally, you can pack a whole-grain side dish such as quinoa, brown rice, or even whole-grain crackers.
Protein
Proteins naturally include fat. Try to choose cuts of meat, fish, and poultry with the least amount of fat and oil. When preparing, aim to bake, broil, or grill, which minimizes your use of oil. If your child is more picky about meat and fish, you can add nuts, beans, and lentils to their lunches, which are also packed with protein. Protein will help keep your bellies full for longer stretches of time. Nut butter sandwiches or sliced cheese sandwiches are great lunch options.
Fruits and Veggies
A great source of vitamins. Aim for approxiamtely 1 to 2 cups of fruits and veggies a day. To make their lunchboxes look appetizing, use cookie cutters to shape apple slices or cut cucumbers differently than you usually do. This makes the fruits look enticing, and the kids are more excited to eat them. You can also go dry some days by adding a bag of raisins, cranberries, apricots, or dried banana chips.
Beverages
Water or milk is the best beverage option for keeping kids hydrated. Store bought drinks such as soda or energy drinks contain high amounts of sugar. Students should avoid caffeinated beverages, as they dehydrate and cause restlessness.
Easy Back To School Lunches
- Pasta Salad
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
- Falafel Lunch Box
- Omelette Sandwich
- Tuna Sandwich with Veggies
- Chicken Taco Salad
- Meatballs and Rice
- Chicken Pesto Wrap
- Bean and Cheese Burritos
- Cream Cheese and Veggie Roll Up
Tips for Picky Eaters
Add a Twist
Make back to school lunches fun. Younger children are influenced by how their food looks. Add in different-shaped food and make sure there is a variety of colours. This can grab their attention, and even if they usually don’t touch that specific food, they might be enticed to take a bite.
Cover all Food Groups
It can be difficult to include all food groups in your child’s lunch; however, if you have a picky eater, it’s time to get creative with healthy food choices.
An example would be sneaking cauliflower into mashed potatoes, adding spinach to their favourite green juice, or adding vegetables to your homemade pasta sauce.
Get the Children Involved
As time-consuming as it may get, have your children help out with healthy back to school lunches. Participation gives children a feeling of ownership in the outcome. Involving them also helps them see what was added to the lunch so they’re not surprised when they take a bite. Of course, involvement is not only for the cooking process; they can also choose what they want you to prepare or help with the grocery shopping.
New Foods Not For Lunch Time
As much as we want our kids to try new foods and be open to different food groups, back to school lunches are not the time to introduce them. School lunch is usually rushed, so they may not have time to finish, and they are also distracted by all their friends. The best time to introduce new foods is at dinner when the whole family is sitting together.
Don’t be Repetive
Back to school lunches usually get repetitive, with the same peanut butter sandwich, cut-up apples, and a carton of milk. Don’t be limited to traditional lunches; go out of the box and pack soups, grilled chicken salads, mac and cheese, etc. You can develop theme days such as Sunday Salads, Tuesday Tortillas, etc. This way, your child knows what to expect these days.
Planning Ahead
Packing school lunches can be time-consuming, and planning is the secret to a calm morning. Lack of preparation can lead to packing unhealthy snacks that we don’t want to eat. Do what you can the night before, cutting fruits and veggies or packing the nuts, dried fruits and water bottles. Pack fruits and vegetables into easy-to-grab containers. This will leave you with only the ‘lunch packing’ for the morning. Additionally, you can prepare a healthy snack corner so your children can quickly grab the snacks they want and toss them into their lunch bags.
Check out our article on Back to School Tips.
Conclusion – Back to School Lunches
Throughout this article, we discussed some healthy meal options for lunches and what’s best for you to include. We included some tips for picky eaters to make lunchtime more appealing. Such as adding colour and shapes, getting the children involved, and not being repetitive. You know your child best; communicate with them, give them options, let them help and explain the benefits of healthy eating. School lunches are an essential meal for your child because they are the meal that will keep them going until they get home.
How should should I pack lunch for my child?
Some tips for lunch packing: Reduce packaging, pack what you know your child will eat, prepare what you can beforehand. Lastly tell your child to bring home the food they don’t eat so you can adjust to what you know they finish and vice versa.
How do I keep my kid’s lunches cold?
Make sure to buy an insulated bag for this purpose. Additionally, you’ll want to add two ice or gel packs, ensuring the food stays cold until lunchtime.
