Good Lunches for Kids

A healthy lunch for kids doesn't have to be a lunch that doesn't get eaten. While it's easy to monitor what kids eat for lunch when they are at home, it's all too common for kids to take a lunch to school and trade it or trash it if they don't like the contents. Fun food and attractive packaging can keep lunches interesting without sacrificing quality. Children need to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, along with plenty of calcium rich foods, protein and whole grains, which are all easy to pack into a lunch.

Main Dish

Sandwiches are a staple of lunches, but they don't have to be boring. Use cookie cutters to cut sandwiches into fun shapes, or try wraps instead of sliced bread and cut them into pinwheels. For the best nutrition use whole grain bread. Whole grain crackers with cheese, hummus, tuna or egg salad is a good alternative to sandwiches. Leftovers from a favorite dinner is another good alternative. Cold roast chicken can be served as-is, but heat up entrees like spaghetti in the morning and put in a thermos to keep warm for lunch.

Side Dishes

Finger foods are easy to eat side dishes that kids enjoy. Raw vegetables with spinach dip ensure good nutrition. The classic ants on a log, with peanut butter and raisins on celery, is still a favorite with young kids. Hard boiled eggs and nuts are good protein sources. Containers of yogurt tend to be kid-friendly and are a good way to get calcium in a lunch. Including fruit in a lunch is important for the vitamins. Sliced apples or pears and grapes are easy additions to lunch. Whole mandarin oranges are easy to peel and are a sweet treat. You can make a fruit salad with your child's favorite fruits and send some in a container.

Dessert

Denying desserts to kids can backfire. The trick is to teach them to appreciate healthy desserts while occasionally allowing a sweet treat. Moderation is the key. Include healthy cookies made with oats, dried fruit and alternative sweeteners. Think of popcorn as a dessert, but watch how much salt and butter you use. Trail mix with nuts and chocolate chips includes sweets with a good protein source. If your child begs for sweets, include a miniature candy bar as a treat once a week.

Tips

Kids like pretty or fun packaging. Place baby carrots, grape tomatoes or cucumber slices in a colorful cellophane bag and tie it with a ribbon to make vegetables seem out of the ordinary. Wrap a sandwich in gift wrap and top with a bow. Pack a lunch in a colorful Japanese bento box or a fun, insulated, reusable lunch bag. Let kids help prepare lunch the night before, and let them help choose what the lunch will contain, because even the most attractively packaged meal won't be consumed if your child doesn't like the food.