Nowadays you will find an array of healthy lunch ideas all over the internet, which in the real world my 5 -year old would scoff at 90% of. There is also an abundance of cute, aesthetically pleasing lunch box inspo posts that she would be thrilled to find in her lunch box (even if she won’t eat them); however, as a full-time working mom I do not have time for intricate meal prep on a daily basis (kudos to the moms that do!).
My daughter has been in a Montessori school since 18 months and at the time of this blog is in Kindergarten so we have a few years of hits and misses under our belt. Since filling her lunchbox with overly processed lunch options is not an option in our home, I have spent countless hours scouring the internet to find healthy lunch ideas that my picky, little eater would love and wouldn’t take a lot of effort to prepare.
One tool I learned that has made lunch planning a breeze in our home is the lunchbox ‘Rule of 5’. The rule of 5 states that there should be at least 5 items in your child’s lunch to cover the main food groups that children need on a daily basis. The five items are: 1 veggie, 1 fruit, 2 protein-rich foods, and 1 whole grain or starchy veggie. Keeping this in mind, the following are a few examples of what I typically pack for her lunches:
Option 1 – Red pepper slices, red grapes (cut up), black bean quesadilla, greek yogurt
Option 2 – Caprese skewers, blueberries, baked salmon, baby carrots, pita bread triangles
Option 3 – Apple slices, broccoli, butternut squash mac and cheese, grilled chicken cubes
I always aim to keep the foods aligned with what I know my daughter likes, but every now and then I introduce a new food, which more often than not she loves! I also normally add a treat for fun along with a cute note (click HERE for the ones we like).
Below are some of our tried and tested favorite dishes (with links to the recipes) for you to consider for your picky little ones:
Black Bean Sheet Pan Quesadillas
5 Ingredient Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Additionally, here are a few other tips for success I’ve learned along the way:
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To keep cold foods at a safe temperature use 1 or 2 ice packs in an insulated bag. You can also use frozen fruit as a smart way to keep lunches cold and they will be thawed and ready to eat by lunch time.
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Pack hot foods in a kids thermos to keep the food warm until lunch. Pre-heat the thermos by pouring hot water into it and keep covered for a few minutes to heat up. Wipe dry after pouring out the water. I also like to line the inside with paper towels so her food does not get soggy.
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Take advantage of nights and weekends to prep items for the week. You can pre-cut vegetables and portion them into reusable containers. You can also make pasta salad ahead of time and pack it for multiple days.
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Some schools do not allow nuts or nut butters (ours does not), As an alternative you can use sunflower butter for yummy P&J Sammies.
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To clean up drips or crumbs, wipe out the inside of your child’s lunch box with a warm, soapy cloth and air dry.
I hope that this post makes school lunch packing a little bit easier! You got this mama!
