School Lunches

I dread making school lunches! My kids hate buying school lunch and I don't encourage it. So every night and morning I am left packing 3 lunches for school. I try to pack the healthiest lunches I can and I try to mix them up so the kids don't get sick of eating the same things.
As a teacher, I get to visit the school lunch room on a daily basis. I am always alarmed at the short amount of time that the kids really have to eat, how they prioritize their eating, the amount of food that is thrown away, and the junk that is consumed. These visits have impacted the way I make lunches for my kids.
My first tip for you is to buy compartmentalized Tupperware. This will help you with portioning. Instead of sending 5 portions of chips in a over sized baggie and 2 carrots, you can balance it out. My second tip is eliminate the junk. The junk will be the first thing your kids eat and sometimes the only thing they will eat. I try to send a treat once a week to surprise the kids with. Always pack a  protein, fruit, and veggie. Stop sending juice boxes and chocolate milk. Water is what they really need. There is no better time to make these changes than the beginning of the school year.

Lunch Ideas- most can be packed the night before
whole grain pasta salad with veggies and cheese
quinoa salad
avocado/cucumber/mozzarella salad
hard boiled eggs
cold pita pizza
pita pockets- sandwich made in a pita
crackers/meat/cheese
cold chicken fingers- I make these homemade on the weekend and pack them for lunches. I bread them in almond flour and cook them in coconut oil
veggies with hummus
celery with peanut butter or cream cheese
apples with peanut butter
quesadillas
wraps
burittos-bean and cheese- kids will eat them cold
pickles
yogurt
granola
tuna/chicken salad
left over breakfast-pancakes or waffles are really good cold with peanut butter
fruit- apples, grapes, berries, bananaa, orange slices, pears, peach slices, apple sauce
Veggies- carrots, cherry tomatoes, celery, peppers, cucumber, broccoli, peas, edamame
home made muffins

Nina Pears