School Lunch Ideas

My boys love the idea of having an english muffin with a tiny bit of spagetti sauce, cheese, and whatever else they want for a quick little pizza at school. For a side they love celery with peanut butter and raisins (ants on a log). Or better yet, my kids love it when I cut up an apple and sprinkle brown sugar and cinamon on it. That is their absolute favorite, good luck!!!

Here are some ideas for you to consider. There are some wonderful inventions out there.

There are holders for salads that also have separate space for dips.

They have holders for cereal, etc., with space to keep milk separate.

They have "thermoses" that you can store two different foods in. For instance, the top will keep soup hot while the bottom keeps salad cold. Any hot and cold foods can be used. You can even put soups or lasagna in the hot part. Anything that needs to stay hot and cold.

I would do some things once a week (to keep them fresh), others every couple of weeks. Here are some ideas for things to prepare in advance to grab quickly:

crackers, maybe even with peanut butter
cut up carrots/celery/melons/berries
salads

You can also keep these things in stock. Individual servings of:

fruit, canned or fresh
string cheese
yogurt
nuts
granola
granola bars

some things to make

sandwiches (choose from any of these)

turkey, chicken, ham, roast beef (not necessarily sliced, from your own cooking as well)
an assortment of pickles and vegetables
cheeses

you can also send things like:

pasta and sauce - hot
lasagne - hot
soup/stew - hot
shephard's pie - hot - simply mashed potato with choice of meat and veggies - it is a casserole
pinwheel sandwiches - flour tortillas with your choice of toppings - rolled up and sliced round
cold pizza slices
mac and cheese with choice of veggies and meats - hot
muffins/breads - homemade or not - oatmeal, zucchini, carrot, apple, banana, chocolate chip
homemade fruit leather
dried fruits
homemade trail mix

For cold lunches, I would consider keeping and ice pack in the luch boxes. Not if there will be foods that need to stay hot.

Also, milk and water are the best drink choices, but a 100% juice will not hurt every once in a while.

Hope this helps somewhat.
S.

My daughter is also going into third grade and likes to bring her own lunch. I find her favorite lunches are ones her classmates find a little unusual. She loves cucumbers and carrots with hummus or a ziploc with turkey peperoni and cheese, then some crackers on the side. She can be a little difficult, because she doesn't like sandwiches. One of her absolute favorites is pretend sushi. I roll up turkey or ham with some shredded carrot on a tortilla, then I slice it like sushi. It looks really cool and is very quick to make.

You could always heat up leftovers in the morning and put them in a thermos...stuff like spaghetti and meatballs would probably work well. You could make wraps or salads too. Good luck!

K.

This is a great site.

http://www.laptoplunches.com/newsletters/AugustNewsletter...

Try this link!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Holidays-and-Events/Events-...

i read in the parenting magazine that a wopman said her daughter wasn't into the sandfwhiches so she took a thermos to school with soup in it. i also read that if you make a sandwhich on frozen bread then by lunch time it will have been thawed and more fresh. freeze the juice box and put on top of sandwhich, i hope this helps you out a little.

My daughter is in daycare and they don't allow peanut butter due to allergies. So someone suggested strawberry cream cheese and strawberry jelly. She also loves Fluff & PB at home. When I'm in a rush I'll just throw one of the Lunchables in her bag (that also includes drink & snack)My daughter always loves it. Maybe you could make a written schedule (Ex. mon- pb&J, Tues- Fluffernutter, Wed- Lunchable, Thurs- Pb&J, Friday- Pasta salad)

Good luck!

Hi Barbra, give these a try: http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/ff/bts/lunchideas.htm?e=email

lots of variety & fun!!!!

I know a lot of kids like lunch-ables but there is a neat way to make them yourself. I bought little cookies cutters and out of cheese and what ever lunch meat I cut out shapes, hearts, flowers, shamrocks etc. Then I put it with some crackers in a sandwich container and they have their own cheaper lunch-able. Don't forget egg salad or tuna or even chicken salad. I know that my god daughter likes to have cut up apples in peanut butter or cut up bananas in peanut butter. Yogurt a piece of fruit and some crackers is a good lunch too.

When I read your question, I immediately thought of my sister. She is a vegetarian, and she told me about this website, www.veganlunchbox.com, which is pretty funny sometimes. I am not a vegetarian, but this website is just a mom putting her child's lunch for the day on the internet. It is always healthy, and also vegan, which must present its own set of challenges. Even if you are not a vegetarian, it is a good site, because its funny and it can give you some good and healthy ideas.
Good Luck!
PS, I have the PICKIEST children in the world, so I don't really have sound advice, but I always thought this site was cute.

Lunchables are always good for calcium and protein also. You can always include a slice of bread for her to make her own sandwiches. Deli meat and a tortilla is a great quick lunch too.