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pita pizza, cucumber yogurt dip, berries, Mini Babybel cheese, apple chips, carrot and cucumber sticks
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School lunch. While summer is actually in sight (believe it or not) and I’m sure you can’t wait to not have to make and pack lunch every day, there’s still a few months of school to get through. As those of you who follow me on Facebook and Instagram know, I’ve been posting a picture of my kids’ school lunches every day for years there, and so to help you get through this last long stretch until summer, today I’m sharing a bunch of my favorite lunchbox combo ideas here on Weelicious.
You can pack these recipes in separate containers in a brown bag, or in reusable bento style containers like these from “Planet Box, Laptop Lunches or Get Yubo.
Scroll to the bottom to see some of my favorite tips for making school lunch unbelievably easy. And if you’re still in need of more inspiration, you can always pick up a copy of my book, Weelicious Lunches or leave a comment below telling me some of your favorite lunch box idea for a chance to win one of two signed copies. I love learning new tricks!
olive tapenade cream cheese sammies, yogurt w/ honey, kiwi, strawberries, broccoli salad, freeze dried strawberry
brown rice w/ sesame seeds, Mini Babybel cheese, mango, watermelon, rice crackers, vegwee dip w/ carrots
baked blueberry doughnut, chickpeas, grapes, roast vegetables, salami
crispy chicken nuggets, corn wheels, homemade potato chips, donut peach, figs
PB&J sushi sandwiches, shaved veggie salad, berries, rice crispy balls, edamame
faux nutella matzo sammie, green hummus, carrots, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, Asian pear, dried apricots
mexican fried rice, cheese cubes, Mini Babybel cheese, carrots, berries, olives
corn dog mini muffins, oatmeal raisin cookies, hearts of palm, cucumbers, passion fruit & mandarins
lentils, quinoa, sunflower butter bran muffins, grated carrots, pickles, strawberries, blueberries
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yogurt, salami, passion fruit, blackberries, avocado w/ lime, Way Better Snacks sweet potato tortilla chipsBob’s Red Mill Granola
cheesy meatloaf bites, strawberry fruit leather, corn w/parmesan cheese, pomegranate seeds & orange ginger cookies
black beans, rice, maple roast veggies, spelt pumpkin muffins, melon, berries, dried strawberries
BBQ chicken bites, figs, plums, tomatoes, dried cherries, whole grain fruit-filled bars from Weelicious Lunches
Time saving tips for the night before_
* Cut up veggies and serve alone or alongside hummus, salad dressing or your child’s favorite dip.
* Wash whole fruits
* Cut up apples or pears and toss the slices with a squeeze of lemon or orange juice to prevent browning.
* Go in your fridge and peek through leftover containers for_
– brown rice that can be tossed with black beans or sesame seeds (for added protein).
– cooked pasta that can be mixed with pesto or tomato sauce and a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese.
– chicken that you can slice and put inside a wrap, sandwich or serve on it’s own with some BBQ sauce for dipping.
– baked sweet potatoes simply on their own make a fabulous hand held meal.
* When you bake cookies, freeze a few baked or unbaked cookies first on cookie sheets (so they don’t stick together) and then transfer them to labeled zipper bags. Pop a few out and quickly bake them whenever you need an easy sweet treat.
And no matter what, always try and make sure lunch is balanced by including a fruit, vegetable, protein and carbohydrate!
This post contains affiliate links for which I receive payment. While I receive compensation as a brand ambassador, all opinions are my own.
Fruit and muffins are favorites in our house.
I like sliced apples, cheese, carrots, and lunchmeat. It is a fun and easy lunch.
I always send lots of fruit. Can’t keep my refrigerator stocked they eat it so fast. Thank goodness it’s watermelon season!
Two of my son’s favorite lunch box items: meatballs with pasta and rigatoni with cheese. Once I got used to it, cutting up the cheese and stuffing it inside the rigatoni only takes less than 10 minutes in the morning. Of course, some veggie and fruit goes along as well.
I love jelly and almond butter on a whole wheat wrap and some slivered almonds (before I roll it). Sometimes I will even add some apple slices to make it extra tasty & a little more crunch.
We’re not quite at the packing lunch for school phase, but I’m already mentally preparing and keeping track of good ideas!
I keep it simple a pb and j roll up and an apple with a homemade granola bar!
My daughter is only 2, so I don’t pack a lunchbox yet. We are always looking for ideas to get her to eat healthy foods though, and so far I have found that fun shapes are appealing, as are a small amount of lots of items. And sectioned off plates or containers.
I send hot soup in Thermoses during our cold winters (always a hit), my kids also love a little Ploughman’s Lunch with some crispy bread, a hardboiled eggs, some pickled veggies and ham cubes. Cereal and cold milk too on days when I do a hot brekkie. And love notes! They love little love notes in their lunches. 🙂
I am rocking three years of packing lunches for my daughter. I have found cutting the meat and cheese into fun shapes it is more likely to get eaten. Also food that is put into a colorful silicon cupcake mold is more likely to get eaten. For example if I just put baby carrots in the lunch box maybe 50% will get eaten. If I put the same amount in a colorful silicon cupcake mold it will come back empty.
i so need help with school lunches! my kid starts kindergarten in the fall and is super picky as it is. most everything he eats now is hot foods and i don’t know how i’m going to come up with filling meals that don’t need refrigerating or microwaving before eating! totally need this book! thanks!
Fave lunch box ideas. . I try to keep it simple, colorful and cut certain foods in fun shapes. My oldest is all about dipping sauces. like you, I do prepare as much as I can the night before. I do have a harder time with hot lunches and I actually balance packing lunch and allowing my daughter to buy her lunch at school (so she can feel a little more independent). 🙂
I put vegetarian refried beans and a little shredded cheese on a whole wheat tortilla and then fold it in half. Toast it lightly in a pan with a little butter and cut into wedges. My 18-month old loves it and it works nicely in her lunchbox for mother’s day out.
my kids love snacky lunches. granola bars, fruit, raw veg, cream cheese crackers, etc.
My kids like deconstructed lunches that they can put together themselves. So I give them components of a salad, but separate and let them go to town. They also really love to mix fruits and veggies together, which means they are getting what they need, in terms of nutrition, in one bite.
My son loves sausage so anything with sausage (usually balls), chickpes, roasted peas, lots of berries, and a treat (mini muffins or cookies which we made).