Healthy Back to School Lunch Ideas

School is fast approaching and parents have to think about what to put in their child's lunch. School menus are sometimes high fat and high calorie although school lunch menus are coming around to feeding children healthier foods. Salad bars and soup bars are starting to pop up in lunch rooms.

Following are menu suggestions for ensuring that the children in your care get good nutrition to keep their brains working. You can add or subtract quantities according to the eating habits of the child.

1. Peanut butter and banana on whole wheat raisin bread
Wedge of melon (honeydew, cantaloupe or watermelon
Favorite snack mix

2. High protein cheese spread on a whole wheat tortilla
Sliced tomatoes and cucumbers
Oatmeal raisin cookies

3. Slice of frittata
Corn Muffin
Cherry tomatoes
Peanut butter cookies

4. Beef noodle soup
Co-jack cheese
Bran muffin
Sliced apples
Popcorn

5. Tuna spread on whole wheat
Natural corn chips
Banana
Protein bar

6. Chicken noodle soup
Nectarine
Whole wheat crackers
Flavored yogurt

7. Farmer cheese
Whole grain dinner roll
Grapes
Peanuts

8. Banana bread spread with cream cheese
Carrot and celery sticks
Animal Crackers
Pear

9. Sliced roast beef and swiss cheese sandwich
Applesauce
Pound cake

10. Cream of tomato soup
Shredded wheat wafers
Dill pickle spears
Oatmeal cookies

11. Swiss cheese
Pumpkin raisin muffin
Plums
Gingerbread

12. Lettuce salad in whole grain pita bread
Cinnamon flavored graham crackers
Fruit salad
Granola Bar

One problem encountered when packing a lunch is that by the time lunchtime rolls around the bagged lunch can be squished and unrecognizable. It pays to invest in a plastic or metal lunch box and write the child's name all over it. You might even let the child do some artwork on it to truly make it theirs. Reusable containers which are see through let the child know what is in them. Thermos containers will keep soups hot or milk cold. Also pack food which is finger friendly. Kids love to eat with their fingers and the schools in our area always make sure the kids wash their hands before eating. If needed, pack paper napkins or wet wipes in the lunch.

Lunches can also be made from the leftovers from other meals. Have a roast for dinner and make roast beef sandwiches for lunch the next day. Make chicken noodle soup for supper and have it for lunch the next day. Any leftovers also can be frozen and used later in the week if need be. Slice leftover meats in to thin slices and freeze them between layers of wax paper for easy retrieval. The sandwich can be made with the frozen meat and by lunch time it will have thawed out. Try freezing the bread too or if you wish make individual sandwiches and freeze the whole sandwich. When making lunches put the frozen sandwich in the lunch and it should be thawed out by lunch time.

There is no need for lunches to be boring. Just look around the kitchen and see what you need to pull together to feed everyone.