Healthy Lunch Ideas for Back-to-School Time (For Your Kids and For You!)
August 30, 2017It’s officially back to school season! The kids are getting back to their normal schedules and for parents, it’s also a great time to hit “restart”. For my family, summer is tough from an “eating healthy” standpoint – there is lots of ice cream, special treats, parties, etc. As much as September can be stressful, I also like to get back to a normal schedule and back to a routine. I also see it as a way to get back on track to healthy eating habits. Lunches are one way to do that!
As a busy working parent, I actually dread getting lunches ready for everyone. The sight of those gorgeous Pinterest-worthy lunches where the sandwiches are cut into intricate shapes to create themes and faces with other fruit/veggies makes me cringe and also feel guilty. I have to face it. I’m just not that type of mom. But, I think that packing healthy lunches for my family is an important way to start the school year on a high note for the whole family. I find that if I have a few go-to ideas that are quick and easy, it’s much more manageable. I also try to pack similar lunches for my husband and me to bring to work as I pack for my kids for school. That way, we’re all eating healthy as a family. Here’s my plan for nutritious balanced lunches for Week #1 of Back to School (Nut-free)!
Monday
- Hard Boiled Eggs
- Hummus & Pita Chips (Like this Cedar’s Snack Pack)
- Blueberries
- Carrots
- Cheese Stick
Tuesday
- Turkey Roll Ups
- Red Peppers
- Pear
- Yogurt (Love these Green Mountain Greek Yogurts!)
- Popcorn (We love Skinny Pop)
Wednesday
- Grilled Chicken Salad with Tomatoes, Cucumbers & Cheese (my kids prefer a deconstructed salad, while I mix it all together for my husband and me)
- Whole Grain Bread or Roll
- Apple
Thursday
- Black Bean, Sweet Potatoes and Quinoa Salad (Love this recipe, or just add your own dressing to flavor it)
- Piece of Corn Bread
- Dried Fruit (Like Peeled Snacks Organic Dried Mango)
Friday
- Grilled Chicken Quesadilla (use chicken from Wed.!)
- Tortilla Chips (Like these from Way Better Snacks)
- Grapes
- Chocolate Chip Cookies for a treat (Like these Home Free GR Mini Cookies)
Tags: back to school, eat, eating, food, healthy, kids, llunches, lunch, nutrition, snacks