When I think back to my school days and my lunchbox, I dread it! I recall tuna sandwiches with soggy bread, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, again, on soggy bread. I, also, remember a bag of Frito corn chips - which I hated, but my brother loved - and a can of "fruit cup". If I was lucky, a Snack Pack pudding. It took years for me to even enjoy lunch again, and for that matter sandwiches.
With school starting soon, or possibly already has, it's time to think how to make our children's lunches and snacks healthful and fun!
With two children of my own, I understand how difficult it is to feed children and feed them well. I try very hard and sometimes feel like I am fighting a losing battle. Then, I read another article about how we are raising inactive children and filling them with prepackaged goodies that could possibly be linked to future health issues.
Yes, I am a food writer. Yes, I love to cook. But like you, I have very little time on my hands. With children, a husband, pets, household obligations and my career, yes, I too find it completely impossible to create healthy meals purely on fresh ingredients. As much as I hate it, I simply do not have the time.
So, I try to keep their diets varied, so they don't get bored. I try to make their food simple, so I can get sleep at night. I try to keep it healthy too.
The first thing to consider when packing lunches is a suitable carrying container. You may think I am crazy when I say this, but the Zojirushi Thermal Japanese Bento is my favorite. It is expensive, but it keeps hot foods hot and cold food cold. It containes four containers, which makes adding a variety easy. The bowls are microwaveable. It comes in a great carrying case, and includes chopsticks (as this is a Japanese lunchbox). I bought a set of camping utensils for $2.99 at Target to use instead.
Another thing to consider when making lunches or snacks for children is presentation! Kids love foods that look like fun! The Japanese are a great example of this! Cooking Cute showed me how to make my lunches more appetizing for my son last year. I used the vegetable cutters and made shapes out of carrots, cucumbers, apple pieces, bell peppers or any other larger vegetable. Served with a suitable dipping sauce, it's a great way to encourage eating fruits and vegetables by making it fun to eat! I have served mine on cute little colorful toothpicks (available at party supply stores or Oriental Trading Company). I, also, bought the hard-boiled egg molds and sent him to school with an egg that looked like a fish! You can do the same with rice by using sticky rice and placing it in a rice mold! I bought my equipment on eBay! You can also buy those markers for decorating cookies. They are found in the baking section of the grocery store. I have used mine to draw pictures on my son's apples. As a major Star Wars fan, I was amazed at how well I could actually draw when a mother decides that she will draw General Grievous' face on an apple! Use cookie cutters to make shapes out of sandwiches.
Another thing to remember is that children get bored too, so venture into packing breakfast for lunch, or perhaps leftover dinner. Remember, it is more important for the children to eat and eat healthy than to give that child a traditional lunch.
Portion sizes are another idea to remember. These days, schools do not give our children a long time to eat, so pack smaller portions and a variety. Your child is more apt to eat half of a sandwich as opposed to a whole one.
For a drink, I tend to like to send bottled water. If you child is not into fruits and vegetables, getting them used to juices may be helpful for you to add nutrition to their lives. I feel the same about milk and soy milk. If they are not eating a lot of protein recently, then I will add that to their lunch.
Lunch and Snack Ideas
Crudites: fresh vegetables served with a salad dressing (we use a vinaigrette, but ranch dressing is very popular).
Cut up fruit with a yogurt dip - add some orange juice to the yogurt to make have a more orange flavor.
Cheese and crackers - try different cheeses and different crackers.
Edamame - steamed soy beans with sea salt.
Hummus with homemade pita chips.
Homemade chips with salsa. (Though chips are not healthful, the salsa is. So, I find this useful when I want them to eat more vegetables.)
Mini-containers filled with dried fruit, nuts, seeds and olives; or make your own trail mix.
Use a cupcake pan and line with pastry and make mini-quiches (eggs, cheese, vegetables).
Try other cuisines for inspiration! Like pierogies, mini-calzones, empanadas, samosas, dumplings, pasties or spanakopita. Try similar recipes and adapt them to your child's tastes. For example, my son does not like quesadillas, but when I turned it into a pizzadilla, he loved them!
I use the Rice Krispy Treat recipe, but use Cheerios, dried fruit, nuts and cinnamon.
Try wraps, burritos or falafels instead of sandwiches. You can use different types of wraps too. For younger children, this is a perfect way to play to their love of colors!
For more recipes ideas, as well as ideas to get children more involved in the kitchen, check out these books:
For added inspiration, check out these photos:
If you have any ideas to share with readers, please do so here!
**********Check out Lori's ideas for vegans!******************
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Comments: 30
Coincidentally, I had just looked at the Zojirushi Thermal Japanese Bento kits not too long ago and had mentioned it to my daughter Marion in Memphis for her son to take to school!!!
Another nutritional lunch can be a burrito wrap with an assorment of protein (chicken, beans, cheese) and tomatoes and greens........ it would be a bit different than the usual boring school lunches and easy to eat and have a bit of a balanced meal all in one... starch, protein and fresh salad. With fruit as a desert, they would have a bit of each food group at one sitting!
Wonderful ideas and suggestions.
I give Trev leftover pasta (homemade not packaged) with some peas or broccoli, same with leftover macaroni & Cheese, Grilled Cheese Bagel (my creation) OR grilled cheese sandwich on good bread from the bakery, a handful of grape tomatoes, and I always give him either a banana or some grapes. Sometimes a few chunks of melon. Not big on fruits. Once a week I send him with some chips, once a week with some fruit snacks (I know there is no fruit in them but I allow him once a week something candy-like), and once a week some popcorn. He likes Pizza Goldfish and they are baked so I allow them a bit more. Now that he is starting 6th grade, there is no snack time. I will give him either a sandwich OR pasta and fuit and a drink. If he wants something else, I'll give him $1 for snacks. At his age, you pray that he goes for the healthy snack instead of the chips. You are sending such wonderful healthy food with your children. That is great. Trev won't eat hummus, or beans, and he won't eat a more varied vegetarian diet SO I do what I can.
Don't forget notes to inspire the child in school during the day. For example: Have a good day. I love you. or.. Enjoy your food.
If the child can't read, have his teacher read it to him/her. Its a good way to have communication w/ your child and to have them do better in school.
What a great article. My husband takes his lunch to work everyday. I make an extra potion of what we have for dinner, and the following day he takes the left-overs to work. Luckily, the company he works for has a refrigerator, and a microwave that he can use. The Zojirushi Thermal Japanese Bento kits looks like something that he may want to use. I will look into it. Thanks for the tips, too!
Remember that kids love to help (how many times did your toddler tell you he could "do it himself"?). They're more likely to be interested in the lunch that they helped choose and put together.
Good ideas Jennifer!