When you think about packed school lunches, PB&J or ham and cheese sandwiches come to mind. While sandwiches certainly make for a nice school lunch, they are not your only option. Mix it up by fixing something different for your kids this school year and you’ll likely see far less end up forgotten in the bottom of their back packs.
It may take a little bit longer to make initially, but I do the majority of my Lunch Prep, known as Pick and Choose at our house on Sundays. I absolutely hate making lunches every single day….. enough said.
Make It A Wrap
A quick and easy alternative to a sandwich is a wrap. Grab some tortillas and fix your child’s favourite sandwich as a wrap. Wraps are also great for adding lots of lettuce and extra veggies. Hummus and cucumbers make a delicious vegetarian lunch option.
When you’re done adding your toppings, roll it up like a burrito and if desired, cut it in half. The wrap is good as is, or you can pack a small serving of salad dressing to dip. Ranch is always a favourite around here. Just make sure you pack it in a small, airtight container so your child doesn’t end up with ranch all over their lunch box (ask me know I know).
As always, I like to create family favourites with a twist, it’s keeps things interesting so the kids are less likely to just toss their lunch in the trash. I do hear that our lunches are very popular when it comes to trading! Here are a few of our favourite Wrap Recipes
Who Doesn’t Love Snack Food And Lunchables?
I have yet to meet a child that doesn’t love lunchables. But have you looked at the price of those found at the grocery store lately? Plus I’m not the biggest fan of the food options. Why not make your own version instead with fresh ingredients and food you know your child will eat. Start with some sandwich meat and cheese cut into bite-sized pieces. Add some fresh raw veggies like sliced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and baby carrots. Throw in some fresh or dried fruit and you have a delicious, healthy, homemade version.
Of course you can turn any of your child’s favourite snack foods including popcorn, trail mix, crackers, cheese, fruits and veggies and the likes into lunch. Grab a container with lots of little dividers (bento boxes are perfect) and fill them up with kid-friendly favorites.
For us, the problem is my kids forget or lose their containers half the time, so though I don’t love using disposable containers, I have to admit that I do. The good news is, that these containers are sturdy enough to be re-used when they actually bring them home.
Healthy Salads For Lunch
Salads are another great lunch option, particularly for older children. Get a container with a tight fitting lid and add all your child’s favourite salad ingredients minus the dressing in there.
Start with a bed of lettuce greens, add raw veggies, croutons, bacon bits, nuts and seeds and the like. Top it with a source of protein like cheese, hard-boiled egg, ham or turkey, or even some grilled chicken.
Pack dressing in a separate container along with a fork and napkin and lunch is done. You can assemble the salad the night before and store it in the fridge.
The key is to make sure all your ingredients are very dry. If you’re washing your lettuce, use a salad spinner, or dry it on some paper towels before starting to pack it. Cutting everything into small bite-sized pieces will ensure that the lunch time salad is easy to eat.
These little pre-portioned, disposable 2oz cups are perfect for putting salad dressing in. I buy mine locally at the party stores but these are a much better deal on Amazon, so I’ll be stocking up! Full disclosure, this is an affiliate link and I will make a small commission should you make a purchase using this link.
Making all these delicious wraps and salads doesn’t have to be super time consuming, I generally make four days worth of lunches on Sunday for 5 people. It takes an hour, but then I don’t have to worry about lunch for the rest of the week.
Between Meal Planning for Dinners, and Pick and Choose for lunch, I spend about 2 hours or so in my kitchen on Sunday but the rest of the week is a breeze. Easy cooking, easy clean up, no stress, less mess, more time for relaxing with my family or hey, blogging! I highly recommend it.
