Summer break is ending, and school is around the corner. Most parents I talk with loath the idea of going back to packing 5 lunches a week for their child. Or multiply that by 2, 3, or maybe even 4, and you’re feeling overwhelmed. If you’re looking for something other than peanut butter and jelly and a turkey sandwich, I’m here to help. I have a week’s worth of lunchbox ideas plus a few tips and tricks to spice up the kids’ lunchboxes, and to give you the boost of confidence you need going into the new school year!
A few tips:
Talk with your child and make a list of their favorite snacks and lunch items. Then, when you’re out of ideas, you can look at the list and pull from it! You also can sneak some new items in while mixing in some of their favorites!
Try to switch up the snacks. Don’t pack the same snacks each day; you can alternate them or even pack them only a few times each week if they are non-perishable.
Non-perishable snack ideas: cheese crackers, applesauce, pudding, fruit cups, granola bars, fruit leather, beef jerky, trail mix, dried fruits, fruit snacks, popcorn, and boxed drinks, to name a few.
Perishable snack ideas: fresh fruit, fresh veggie sticks, ants on a log (celery sticks with peanut butter or cream cheese with raisins on top), ranch dip, hummus, yogurt Yo-Squeezers, yogurt smoothies, cheese sticks, and Boursin cheese spread can be good choices.
Buy a rotisserie chicken on Sunday and use it in different ways throughout the week for both school lunches and dinner!
Check with your school if they have any food allergy restrictions. Some schools ban peanuts altogether.
Purchase only the amount of lunchmeat and bread you need for the week. Most lunchmeat varieties stay fresh for only 3 days! You can ask your Publix deli associate for the exact amount you need (less than a pound, no problem)! You can also split loaves of bread in half so you buy only what you will consume! Just ask a bakery associate to split the loaf.
Buy a few bento box-style lunch containers. These will help you with portion control; you can put the lunch together the night before, then stick it in the refrigerator for the next morning. You can find the boxes at your local Publix.
If your child plans to take lunch all school year, invest in a good insulated lunch box and ice packs to keep food cold. You can even find lunch bags that you freeze so the ice pack is the entire lunch bag and it thaws throughout the day!
Substitute crackers for bread and make your own “Lunchables”-style lunch for your child. It will cost half the price, and you’ll know exactly what they’re eating.
Buy a package of Post-it notes and write your child a small note with lunch each day. My mom did this until I was in high school, and I looked forward to it each and every day! Even once I was in high school, she would still sneak them in my lunch bag!
Sample Lunch Menu
Here is a sample menu that can help get you jump-started for the school year. Of course, you can edit any items from the menu that your child might not particularly like.
- Monday – tortellini pesto pasta salad (buy refrigerated tortellini, cook according to package), toss with pesto and thawed (from frozen) green peas. Mix well and chill, sunbutter and apple slices, tomato-mozzarella salad, raisins, and a homemade granola bar.
- Tuesday – chicken and cheese quesadilla (cooked and cooled), chips with salsa, avocado, cucumber, tomato salad, fruit kabobs (alternate strawberries, blueberries, pineapple on a skewer; make sure to cut the pointy side off), and a cherry yogurt YoKids Squeezer.
- Wednesday – chicken salad sandwich on a mini croissant, cucumbers and carrot sticks with ranch dip, grapes, Snappea Crisps, and yogurt covered pretzels.
- Thursday – turkey lunch meat rolled up, string cheese stick, pretzel crisp, berry yogurt YoKids Squeezer, kettle cooked apples, and a homemade granola bar.
- Friday – pepperoni, cheddar cheese, and crackers, carrot chips and hummus, blueberries, yogurt-covered raisins, and an organic fruit snack
Hope these ideas help give you the confidence going into another school year and leave the lunch boxes empty by the end of the school day!
