The challenge, as parents, is to create lunches that are reasonably healthful and palatable to kids, that can be carried off to school or play dates and left at room temperature for hours. The place to begin is at the grocery store where children can get involved with food selection. At home, try brainstorming a list of lunches that you both agree on. And don't forget to include a few fun items that your kids can help to prepare. To keep things cold, freeze juice boxes or put in a commercial ice pack.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Sandwich Shapes
Cookie cutters can be used to turn a peanut butter, cheese, tuna fish, or cold-cut sandwich into something special. Since some children shun bread crusts, shaped sandwiches are an alternative to cutting off the crusts. Most children are glad to chow down on their favorite shapes, no matter what's inside.
Homemade Lunchables
Buy a plastic sectional container. Cut lunch meats and cheese into fun shapes, such as triangles or sticks. Or use small cookie cutters for stars, hearts or teddy bears. Add some wholesome crackers, fruit or yogurt. Top it off with a fun dessert. The container can be brought home and reused. This is an inexpensive and healthy alternative to prepackaged lunches, and a way to add some fun to the lunch box.
Vary the Bread
Instead of regular bread, make turkey, tuna, or peanut butter sandwiches on pita, bagels, English muffins, hot dog rolls or even hamburger buns. As an alternative and popular today, roll the meat or mixture up in a tortilla and serve these whole or sliced into pinwheels.
Stuff an Apple
Pick an apple or your choice and remove the core (with a little extra space) with a knife and spoon. Fill this hole with peanut butter and top with raisins. Another favorite is cheddar cheese spread topped with chopped nuts. Put this apple into a plastic bag sealed with a twist tie.
Fruit Kabobs
What child wouldn't like fruit-on-a-stick? For safety reasons, skew pre-cubed fruit on a plastic drinking straw, such as those used for coffee stirrers. To keep the fruit from turning brown, dip it into lemon juice. Pack these into a plastic container to avoid crushing the fruit. Another kebab idea is to layer cubes of cooked chicken breast or turkey, ham, cheese and little grape tomatoes.
Variety for Peanut Butter Lovers
Try pairing one of the following ingredients with peanut butter for a taste twist on the classic combination.
- Sliced bananas
- Honey
- Bacon
- Sliced apples
- Raisins or chopped, pitted dates
- Grated carrots
- Wheat germ and honey
Lunch Box Favorites
Tuck these into your child's lunch box. All are healthy and fun.
- Vegetable sticks with a small container of salad dressing for dipping
- Celery sticks filled with cream cheese or peanut butter and raisins
- Cheese sticks
- Dried fruit or fruit leather
- Tortilla chips with a small container of salsa
Don't Forget Dessert
Children are notorious for trading their dinosaur-shaped sandwich or apple sauce cup for a chocolate bar. Limit the temptation by providing something sweet in the lunch box. A mini candy bar, Hershey's Kiss or a cookie is usually enough to keep a child from trading it all for whatever sweet stuff the child can find from a friend. Make sure children know to eat their sandwich and veggies first, and save the best for last!
Lunches never have to be boring. With some creative ideas and good healthy foods, parents will feel comfortable about their choices and the children will look forward to a fun meal each day.
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