My daughter returns to school in two weeks, so I
am starting to think about packing her lunch box. Even if you homeschool, a busy day might
leave you short on prep time for the midday meal. Below, I list a week’s worth of lunch ideas,
for the lunch box, or the busy family at home.
As you know from reading other posts, I make most
of our meals from fresh whole foods. My
daughter attends public school, and even though our school district makes an
effort to include whole grains and fresh foods on the menu, much of the
offerings are processed and/or overcooked, often with lots of added sugar and
salt. So, I try to limit her school
lunch purchases to once a week. Even though her school lunch is inexpensive,
buying often can add up, so bringing lunch from home saves money.
One way to stock the lunch box with something
besides sandwiches is to make use of leftovers from dinner or weekend lunch (another great way to save money on lunch
instead of making something special). My kids won’t always eat something a second
time, but there are some things they really like. In the plan below, I share some of our go to
leftovers (and suggest some from recipes I have posted on this blog). In particular, I list the things my daughter
likes to eat cold, because she doesn’t have time to wait in line for the
microwave (she is a slow eater). Plus,
our ceramic food containers (no plastic in the microwave) are too heavy for her
to carry back and forth.
The key to packing a varied lunch is to have a
good set of plastic containers. Just a note: I am not a big user of plastic
containers. I use glass as much as I
can, but glass is not practical for carrying to school (or anywhere).
I was planning to recommend the plastic jars we use, but apparently they have been discontinued. I suggest a set of round or jar shaped plastic containers with screw-on lids that your child can easily operate. Unfortunately, screw-on lids are not spill proof, but jars that seal well are difficult for children to open. If you plan to send liquids, try a soup thermos. Whatever you use, make sure you get something that is made without BPA.
I was planning to recommend the plastic jars we use, but apparently they have been discontinued. I suggest a set of round or jar shaped plastic containers with screw-on lids that your child can easily operate. Unfortunately, screw-on lids are not spill proof, but jars that seal well are difficult for children to open. If you plan to send liquids, try a soup thermos. Whatever you use, make sure you get something that is made without BPA.
Also, don’t neglect the safety of the lunch box or
bag that you buy. Look for ones that are
lead free, BPA free, and PVC free to avoid exposure to dangerous substances.
If your children are not in the habit of drinking
water at lunch, try sending it one or two times a week, or dilute juice with water to cut back on sugar. Get a BPA free
water bottle and send a non-sweetened drink along with the usual to start a
healthier habit. Sometimes, I send
chamomile tea, and this year, I may try sending naturally flavored water.
In addition to the protein choices I list below, I
send fruit every day. Most days, I send
the fresh fruit that is in season (we cut up big fruits like pineapple and keep
them in the refrigerator so they are ready to go). Occasionally, I pack dried fruit.
5 Healthy Lunch Ideas
Monday = Sandwich day.
Peanut or other nut butter and jelly or
fruit sandwich, with cut up veggies on side (carrots, cucumber, jicama). See my post about the healthier version of this sandwich.
Tuesday =
Pasta day.
Leftovers, such as pasta with sauce,
pesto, or fresh tomatoes and sunflower seeds, plus salad on the side. Boil vermicelli or angel hair quickly in the
morning if you don’t have leftovers.
Pour sauce or pesto from a jar or pull it from the freezer. Or, pack leftover Sesame Noodles. Add a cheese stick or grate cheese on the
pasta for more protein.
Wednesday =
Bean day.
Refried beans and veggies wrapped in a
tortilla or a pita pocket filled with hummus and veggies. Or, leftover Curry Lentils or Cilantro Lime Chickpea Salad.
Thursday =
Yogurt day.
Plain yogurt with fruit and granola and
a trail mix of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit on the side.Trail mix of pecans, peanuts, raisins, & sunflower seeds. |
Friday =
Egg day.
Leftovers, or boiled eggs with a salad (boil extra eggs at breakfast
earlier in the week), or
buy from the cafeteria.
Of course, there are many other healthy things to
pack for lunch. I hope you’ll leave your
favorite lunch ideas in the comments.
Need ideas for healthy breakfasts? Find them here.
In 2013 I am linking with: Motivational Monday,
Better Mom Monday, Welcome Home, Try a New Recipe Tuesday, Back to School, Weekly Kids Co-op
In 2012 I linked with: Catholic Bloggers Network, Menu Plan Monday, My Favorite Things, Tiny Tip Tuesday, Your Green Resource, Frugal Friday, Tea with Saint Anne, For the Kids Friday, and Food on Fridays.
I actually need this for me. I never find the time to make myself a healthy lunch. Thanks for sharing at my Our Favorite Things Link Party.
ReplyDeleteI hope this helps, Karri. I only work in the office twice a week, and on those days, I have been known to pack up my daughter's lunch and forget to pack mine! I may try packing the night before this year.
ReplyDeletePacked lunches, wow that reminds me of my younger years!! Your packed lunches sound good!!! Thursday sounds the best to me!!! Thanks for sharing all your wonderful tips, Elisa!! God bless!!
ReplyDeleteJennifer, I like yogurt for lunch too. It also makes a great healthy snack!
ReplyDeletePacked lunches are really good for kids. It's a healthy snack! Thanks for sharing all these ideas.
ReplyDeleteHealthy Lunch Ideas
Thank you so much for linking up with Motivational Monday - my children will thank you for that as I'm sure they are fed up with sandwiches. Some really great ideas - thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI love all of the tips and suggestions! :-) Thanks so much for linking up with "Try a New Recipe Tuesday!" Hope to see you again soon. God bless!
ReplyDelete