Fun and Healthy Brown Bag Lunch Ideas for Children

Back to school means new clothes, new supplies and new teachers. Help your student stay out of a rut with new ideas for a healthy brown bag lunch. Packing a lunch will be more fun if their lunch box holds a surprise or two instead of the same old pb and j.

For a new spin on a sandwich, experiment with different breads. Using an English muffin or a bagel can change the texture and create a little interest. For example, put those leftover flour tortillas to work by spreading one tablespoon of onion and chive cream cheese on a taco-size flour tortilla, adding a slice of turkey lunchmeat, rolling the tortilla into a tube and securing with a toothpick.

Another option is to skip the bread entirely. Try spreading peanut butter on apple slices sprinkled with lemon juice to prevent browning instead of peanut butter and jelly. Peanut butter is one ingredient in that camp favorite ants on a log, which is simply celery stalks spread with peanut butter and garnished with raisins.

Making fruits and vegetables more appealing and easy to eat is as simple as adding a dipping sauce. Stir a sprinkle of cinnamon in plain or vanilla-flavored yogurt for a fruit dip that goes with apple slices, strawberries or sliced bananas.

For a savory veggie dip, try hummus. Store bought varieties come in a range of flavors. Hummus is great with crunchy vegetables like carrots and green peppers, and it's also good with pita chips, which you can make by rubbing a pita cut into wedges with olive oil and toast for 10 minutes at 450 degrees.

Sometimes replacing a sandwich with soup or salad can break the boredom of bringing a lunch. A thermos of tomato soup and a separate container of shredded mozzarella cheese and diced pepperoni, mushrooms or other favorite pizza toppings is one easy way to make a healthy yet tasty soup. At lunch time, simply stir in the pizza toppings and cheese

Pasta salad, made with one cup of cooked whole wheat or tri-color rotini pasta and three tablespoons of low-fat Italian dressing, can be tossed with carrots, cucumber, celery, green pepper or any other favorite raw vegetable for another healthy alternative to a sandwich.