While some children prefer to eat the same foods every day, others are easily bored with traditional school lunches and the usual sack lunch items. If your child is ready for something different, consider these nutritious lunch ideas. Use an insulated bag with a freezer pack or thermos as needed.
Bottle It Up
Many delicious lunches can be found inside a thermos. Consider making chili from ground turkey, chili beans, canned tomatoes, onions and chili seasoning. You can make a hearty vegetable stew from tomato juice, potatoes, carrots, onions, peas, sweet potatoes and celery. You can make a lighter vegetable soup from frozen mixed vegetables containing corn, peas, lima beans, green beans and carrots. Add chicken broth, canned tomatoes and garlic for a healthy, delicious soup. You can make chicken soup from chicken stock, diced chicken, whole grain pasta noodles, carrots, celery, onions and parsley. Add oyster crackers or whole grain crackers to these thermos meals. A bottle of green tea or apple juice makes a refreshing beverage for this lunch.
Chill Out
For the true variety lover, make a large dish of vanilla yogurt with added fruit such as peach slices, blueberries or strawberries. Add crushed pineapple for a tropical taste. You can also try adding a tablespoon of pecans, dark chocolate chips, coconut or dried cranberries. You can add the same toppings to a large dish of fat-free cottage cheese. Include a few miniature marshmallows to capture the interest of younger children. A thermos of orange juice makes a good complement for this meal.
Salad Alternatives
If your child likes to eat healthy but is tired of salads, try making a raw veggie bowl using kid-friendly vegetables like bite-sized broccoli florets, red pepper strips, cauliflower florets, snow peas, carrot wheels and cherry tomatoes. Add a few cubes of sharp cheddar cheese. Create a salad dressing by mixing a teaspoon of honey with a store-bought dressing such as French dressing. Store the salad dressing separately to keep the veggies crisp. A bottle of water is perfect with this meal.
Bountiful Bread
Try making a delicious homemade bread, which might include zucchini bread, banana bread or pumpkin bread. Add whole wheat flour and several spices to the batter. You can add nuts and dried fruit as well. Pack a thermos of skim milk along with about two slices of your homemade bread.
Member Comments