What’s For Lunch? The Daily Dilemma Of The School Lunch
My boys have only three days of school left for the current school year. I admit that my creativity in the school lunch department has been severely waning. With the notion that a good school lunch (according to my boys) contains three items—a main, a side, and a snack—I wanted to help those of you who like me, are trying to cross that school lunch making finish line.
Read on for three healthy, but tasty school lunches that you can prepare for your kids. Bookmark this post! When the start of school sneaks up on you this fall, you may be happy to have some ideas to help you jump back into lunch making mode.
By the way, here are a few of my thoughts on school lunches:
- Thermoses are cheap and let you pack tasty leftovers
- Insulated lunch bags and freezer packs are a must for keeping things cold
- Leak-proof containers can save your kids’ clothes and everything in their backpack
- Try to use reusable everything, if possible
- Include a utensil and a napkin when the meal calls for it
Finally, even though its easier, and previous generations may have suffered through this, there’s no need to insist that a bagged lunch means a sandwich plus chips and a cookie. This is especially true now that we have access to so many great ingredients and can find so many recipes online for amazing, healthier foods.
With those thoughts in mind, try making these fantastic lunches for your kids—and make one for yourself, too! You can find ideas below and at my new Web Stories view!
School Lunch 1: Roll-up Day
Main: Sliced turkey roll-ups. Sliced turkey, some slivers of cucumber, and cream cheese or any cheese, all rolled up.
Side: Grated Raw Vegetable Rolls with Dairy-free Dip. Prep the night before, and just roll up in the morning.
Snack: Half Grapefruit. Prepared by separating sections with a knife for ease of eating. Rio Star grapefruit are the undisputed favorite for school lunches due to their sweetness.
School Lunch 2: Fried Rice Day
Main: Cauliflower Fried Rice with Mixed Vegetables and Eggs. Make the night before for dinner, and just heat up leftovers and put in a pre-warmed thermos.
Side: Carrot sticks with Dairy Free Ranch Dressing Dip. Steal the ranch dressing recipe from my Chicken Cobb Salad recipe.
Snack: Strawberry Yogurt. Unsweetened Greek Yogurt with sliced fresh strawberries, lightly sweetened with maple syrup.
School Lunch 3: Hydration Day
Main: Simple Deviled Eggs. Let the kids help you make them the night before. Kids seem to love making these! Then chill and serve the number of deviled egg halves that matches your kid’s appetite.
Side: Sweet Melon Salad. Keep chilled and place in a leak-proof container.
Snack: Sliced Cucumbers and Hummus. Slice the cucumber and dipping in my Easy Classic Hummus recipe, which you can make on the weekend and snack on throughout the week.
And with that last lunch, school’s out. Welcome to summer!