Healthy Back to School Lunches that Your Kids Will Eat

Although school districts are creating healthier menus for our kids, packing a lunch for them assures that they will actually eat it. I have volunteered in the cafeteria and I was shocked at the amount of food that is wasted each day. Some lunches didn't even look touched, the fork unmoved. I am sure that most parents have no idea that they are paying for food that is thrown away. Most likely it is because the child doesn't like it. Not to mention that without proper nutrition, your child may be hungry and their school work may suffer.

I can tell you from experience that it pays to make sure you are providing your child with a healthy lunch that they like and will eat. I was sending an apple in my son's lunch every day when he was in first grade. One day, about two weeks after school began, my son told me not to give him apples because he didn't eat them. What? I was quite puzzled and wondered what he had done with all of them. Ugh! He threw them away. I figured he threw away about 10 perfectly good apples. So, I decided to start asking him what he wanted in his lunches.

So, the solution is to pack your child a lunch that they will like enough to eat. First, find out what your child likes to eat. Next, take them shopping with you and get their help choosing a variety of healthy lunch options. Finally, do not pack the same lunch every day - give them a variety. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, a bag of chips, and a snack cake can get very boring and isn't exactly creative or healthy. Here are several ideas for healthy and creative back to school lunches that are quick and easy to prepare.

Tortilla Roll-ups

Tortillas are a great healthy alternative to white bread - no crust wasting either! Choose a tortilla that is high in fiber, spread low-fat peanut butter, and roll up. You can also slice a banana and lay it on top of the peanut butter before rolling. Another creative back-to-school lunch idea using tortillas is to layer with a slice of their favorite deli meat and a piece of cheese and roll. Send a baggie of cherry tomatoes or other vegetable that they like tossed lightly in sweet Italian dressing and a whole piece of their favorite fruit - plum, pear, banana or apple. Be sure to choose a small piece of fruit so they can manage it.

Mini Cracker Sandwiches

Allow your kids to make their own mini sandwiches at lunch. Give them whole wheat crackers, 2% cheese, and lean ham or turkey. Be sure to cut the cheese and meat so it will fit on the crackers. If your child likes pickles include a few sweet or dill. Pack raw carrots or sliced cucumbers with a little ranch dressing and a baggie of red and green seedless grapes.

Salami and Cream Cheese Bites

Salami with cream cheese spread on top and rolled up is a favorite in our house. You can even include a spinach leaf before rolling - they will think it is lettuce! If desired, slice the salami roll ups in half for mini bites. Mini fruit kabobs using their favorite fresh fruit are fun! Melons, strawberries, and grapes work well and can be skewered on a toothpick.

Pretzel Sticks and Peanut Butter

Pretzel sticks are a favorite snack and when dipped in low-fat peanut butter they make a tasty treat and a creative lunch full of protein and crunch! Pack an individual serving of yogurt and a delicious fruit salad with your child's favorites - include different colors for appeal and nutritional variety.

A few other items that most kids like and would make a great addition to your healthy lunches are mozzarella cheese sticks, oranges that have been peeled and sectioned, and dried fruit such as raisins, cherries, cranberries, banana chips, and dried apples. Trail mixes are great too! My kids like raisins and peanuts. Have your kids make their own trail mix using dried fruits, different nuts, mini pretzels, sesame sticks, and anything else that would create a healthy lunch snack. Some other snacks to replace high fat chips are pita chips, bagel crisps, flavored rice cakes, and microwave popcorn prepared and bagged the night before.

These are just a few suggestions for creative and healthy back to school lunches. With a little creativity and help from your child, you can come up with some very interesting items to pack for lunch. Just be careful because all of their friends will want you to pack their healthy back-to-school lunches too!