Lunch Box Ideas - Marquette,MI

My son loves it when I make salads for him. I put shredded lettuce and cherry tomatoes in a plastic ziploc container. In a ziploc baggie, I put shredded cheese, croutons, sunflower seads, and bacon bits for him to add to the lettuce at school. I'll throw in some ranch packets or put some ranch in another plastic container. Sometimes, I'll cut up some lunchmeat for him to add to the salad as well. HE LOVES this lunch!

Also, wraps are always a favorite. Ham/Turkey/Roast Beef sandwiches on croissants are yummy. Sometimes just substituting a simple ingredient like croissants for bread make a HUGE difference.

Ants on a log...celery and peanut butter with raisins lined up on them are good.

If you really want a TON of ideas go to www.allrecipes.com and do a search for "Healthy School Lunches". I love love love this website.

Hope this helps!

www.easylunchboxes.com

absolutely LOVE these! I send one with my husband every day with leftovers from dinner, or some kind of wrap or sandwhich with veggies and fruit. I also pack a couple for my kids and I for picnics (they're not school-aged yet) every day. They have some great lunch ideas on this site too--hope this helps!

I had to get creative when I found out my kid has a peanut allergy. I always put a fruit, veggie, cheese, bread or crackers and some sort of protein in my kid's lunch. Kind of like a cheese plate served w/wine...only w/o the wine. I use a bento box type holder w/a cover. Just make sure your lunchbox has enough room to hold that kind of container.

Apples, bananas, oranges, plums, peach, pears, grapes, blueberries, kiwi, even an all natural 100% fruit leather or fruit bars (no sugar added).

Carrots, celery, raw spinach leaves,strips of bell peppers, sweet potato chips, avacado, tomato, cucumber.

Beans, hummus, boiled egg, fajita meats like beef and chicken (my kid doesn't mind eating this cold) , cut up summer sausage like salami or sopresetta.

There are so many kinds of cheeses you can put in a kid's lunch - feta, blue cheese, gouda, fontina, cheddar, applewood, the soft cheese in the triangles (can't think of the name for my life!), slices of swiss or American - anything really.

For breads I use pita bread or chips, croissants, sweet Hawaiian bread, small tortillas, ciabatta, Mexican bolo rolls...even chunks of french bread - any kind of bread really. I try not to put in Cheez Its or Goldfish b/c that's all the schools give as a snack and my kid won't eat it all day.

hth!

Wow these are some great ideas! Thanks for asking this question! My almost 9 year old has to take his lunch everyday to daycare during the summer and takes his lunch every day to school (gets to buy his lunch on Fridays IF he has had good behavior all week at school, that is a reward for him!) Will school starting up I need some fresh ideas so he doesn't get stuck with sandwiches or lunchables everyday.

You can make a big batch of almost anything and freeze them in individual baggies to rotate lunches - pasta, hamburgers (yes, they are good cold!), diced chicken with veggies and rice...even breakfast for lunch - like a milk free pancake with egg sandwich.

bagel with cream cheese and jam
ants on a log (celery, pnut butter, raisins)
peanut butter sandwich on a tortilla
pizzas made on english muffins
cheese and crackers (lunchable style) - very easy to do yourself
trail mix
save the little yogurt containers to put things in
dip with veggies, pretzels or chips

My son really likes to take wraps. and he has a little Thermos too, so he can take meatballs, soups, etc.