My kids (particularly my son) love school lunch.
They like the daily variety. They love chocolate milk. They like a warm meal… especially in winter. They love dessert almost everyday. They love Pizza Fridays.
They don’t want to take home lunch. “Home lunches are boring!”
Oh boy, what a dilemma! Chocolate milk and dessert everyday is not healthy. Processed foods everyday is not healthy.
What’s a mother to do?
So I’ve struck a bargain with my kids. Four days a week they will have home lunch. And I promise, I really promise, to try to make them awesome. I promise to include foods they love. And once a week, they can choose to eat a school lunch (my guess it will be Pizza Fridays.)
Now that I’ve made the bargain, I’ve been wracking my brain for school lunch ideas that will keep things interesting and healthy for the kids.
If I’m honest with myself, school lunches also need to be EASY.
Here’s a few ideas I’ve had… I’d also love to hear a few of your favorites.
- Sandwich wraps- My kids will love a turkey, cheese and veggie wrap… it’s a perfect way to break up my old standby of PB & J.
- I’ll mix up the old sandwich routine with some pasta salads… especially if I have something leftover from the night before.
- I’d like to invest in a small thermos
for soup or warm leftover on cold days.
As for the side dishes…
- Frozen Edamame from Costco. By the time lunch rolls around they’ll be perfectly thawed. -Thanks Marcie for that idea.
- As a compromise, I’ll throw in a few “fun” foods, like Pirates Booty – my girl’s absolute favorite.
- Frozen Simply GoGurts will help keep the lunch cold.
- Cheese- string cheese, Babybel Bonbel, or a Light Laughing Cow wedge
- My favorite local apple grower, S and R Fruit will sell me very small apples. My kids prefer a whole apple, since cut apples are turning brown by the time lunch rolls around. If the apple is small enough, they can eat a whole apple and waste not.
- Every once in a while, I’ve got to throw in a homemade cookie or peanut butter bar.
And last but not least… I can’t forget to put a note in their lunches. My mom used to write a sweet or encouraging note on my napkin and I still remember how that made my day…
I just ran across the Owl Lunch Bag