It’s that eagerly-anticipated time of the year again! The school holidays are over and your kids are heading back to school soon and getting ready for the new term (or new grade). You may have their stationary and school uniform boxes ticked, but what about school lunch box ideas? Chances are they’re getting tired of the same old peanut butter and jam, and who can blame them? That begs the question, what can you put in a lunch box instead of a sandwich?
Luckily, we’ve got the answer to the new school lunch ideas to make parenting that much easier. Use the 8 school lunch box ideas listed below to create a school lunch that your kids will thoroughly enjoy! You might never have leftover lunches to put back in your fridge ever again. Add a healthy lunch to other backpack essentials for your kid’s school bag, and they’re A for away.
Lunch Box Idea Tips
Before we dive into the school lunch ideas, let’s look at some tips that will help you out along the way:
- Ask your kids for their input and get them to help with the packing process. You’ll be instilling them with a sense of pride and responsibility while avoiding any, “but I didn’t want this” conversations if they’re helping you out.
- Create a variety of lunch and snack box ideas instead of sticking to a few basic ones. We all know that school can sometimes be a drag for kids, so don’t add to that with repetitive lunches.
- Pack portion sizes based on their activities for the day. If it’s a busier day than usual, they’ll need more lunch to help them get through the entire day.
- Make sure to include a variety of different food groups. Protein or carbohydrates alone won’t do the trick as efficiently as a combination of the food groups together will.
- Remember to give your kids enough water every day to help them stay hydrated, healthy and happy.
Lunch Box Ideas
Right, now it’s time to look at the assortment of 8 ideas you can pick from to make your child’s lunch a gourmet meal every day.
- Vegetable and hummus wrap + apples + yoghurt
- Chicken salad + oranges + trail mix
- Egg or tuna salad + grapes + crackers with hummus
- Sausage and mushroom pasta + baby carrots with sweet chilli sauce + muffins
- BLT sandwich + watermelon + pretzels
- Burgers + fruit salad + rice cakes with nut butter
- Chicken & veggie stir fry with rice + Bananas + granola bars
- Veggie and chickpea stir fry with quinoa or couscous + strawberries + dried fruit
Snack Box Ideas
If your child is going to school for a half day over the weekend, they might only need a snack box to take with them. Or maybe they have a super long day ahead when a snack box is needed, over and above lunch. Here are some snack box ideas to keep them going:
- An assortment of vegetables (carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.) with a hummus or sauce dip.
- Roast potatoes, carrots, and boiled eggs.
- An assortment of fruits for a mouth-watering fruit salad.
- Overnight oats with dates and fruit.
- Chia seed ‘pudding’ topped off with fruit.
- Biltong, and an assortment of nuts and seeds.
Conclusion
With these school lunch box ideas, you’ll never have to worry about your kids going hungry. You might even get a few requests from other kids at their school after seeing the delicious lunches you pack. While you’re taking care of filling your child’s tummy, remember that SweepSouth offers a variety of cleaning services and gardening services to fill your home with love and happiness.