It's our (well, not mine, technically) first day of camp tomorrow, so we're back to packing lunches. This also means we're back to the stress of getting our act together for the packing. I suppose there are people who stay this organized all the time (I also imagine those are the people who make having 3, 4 or 5+ kids look relatively easy.) I am not one of those people. I really do have to get into a groove, or a system to be efficient and actually send my child off to school or camp with things that we're both happy about. Not always so easy. Over the past couple of years, though, I've come up with some good shortcuts and tips to make it a little easier.
1- Hands down best investment you could make in the "lunchmaking process"- A Laptop Lunchbox. Not even just because we sell them, but because you automatically want to fill all the little containers and as a result (usually) end up packing a really balanced lunch. For a little extra help, these come with a little how to/ recipe book that gives you even more ideas!
Right now, the original (slightly smaller than the 2.0) Laptop Lunch System is being phased out, and is only $29. Trust me, it's totally worth it! http://www.monkeygrassonline.com/laptop-lunch-lunchbox-system.html
2- Make a list of the things your child(ren) likes to eat, and sort it by type of food. I actually did this on little cards, color coded, so he can choose one of each and make his menu for the week. Of course, only give them the items you have if you don't want them to invariably pick all the things you don't have!
3- If you start out the week with your fruits and vegetables sorted and organized and/ or cut, you'll be ready to pack them in the containers the next morning. We usually try to start with more perishable fruits, like berries, and finish the week with the apples/ pears/ bananas.
4- Planning your menus for lunch (and dinner) really will save you money, since you can almost totally avoid buying individual packages and buy things like larger containers of Greek, Plain, or Vanilla yogurt and pack with berries for a healthier and lower sugar punch. If your child is really finicky, though, that's when giving them the buy in by helping choose or shop really helps cut down on waste and frustration.
5- I can't stress the "plan ahead" notion enough. While leftovers generally don't seem to bother my son, there's little I want to eat the next day unless it was fantastic. However, if we're grilling chicken, such as we're doing this evening (to go in a big salad), I'll grill some extra, chill it, cut into chunks, and send with him tomorrow with some barbecue sauce or honey mustard to dip it in. With basic things like this, it's easy to get creative so they don't just feel like they're taking last night's dinner to school.
Our Top 10 Go To Lunch Box "Main Courses"
1-Grilled Chicken, Steak, or Pork Tenderloin Chunks (Any simple meat can go well with a little yummy dipping sauce.)
2- Deli Turkey, Chicken or Ham Roll Ups- same goes here for the dipping sauce. Another idea is to wrap the rollup around a whole or lengthwise split string cheese.
3- Pasta Salad- If you use a pasta they like, kids will usually eat this up as a main dish- also easy to use as a vegetarian option, if you can sneak in some chickpeas or other protein rich beans.
4- Cold chicken nuggets. Yeah, this is not one of my favorites, and I wouldn't take it in my lunch, but the little guy loves 'em. The trick is to bake them a little crunchy, the night before, then pack them in the container with a little square of napkin to keep the condensation from sogging them up.
5- Mini subs- While our guy is a big eater at home, when he gets around his buds, he is much more easily distracted. Rather than send him with a big sub, I buy whole wheat hot dog buns at Whole Foods (they have a little more body) and pile on the turkey, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, etc., and cut in half. They're the perfect size for the Laptop Lunchbox, and I know he's not going to throw half of it away.
6- Quesadillas: Surprisingly good cold. Sometimes we'll take whatever left over chicken, etc. we have, and just toss it in with a smidge of salsa, and some shredded cheese, then either cook on a lightly greased skillet or in the oven, turning once, when it's lightly browned and cheese is melted. Cut into wedges and send with salsa or guacamole- though often just that bit of salsa added in is enough for him.
7- Pinwheel Sandwiches- Spread a thin layer of seasoned cream cheese on a tortilla or sandwich flatbread (sometimes I just stir together a bit of mustard with cream cheese- fits the bill perfectly), then layer turkey, chicken, ham or whatever they like/ you have, making sure you put some vegetables in there too. (Good choices? Thinly sliced red bell pepper, lettuce, grated carrot, thin sliced tomatoes-patted dry). Roll up tightly, and either send roller/ wrap style, or slice horizontally into pinwheels.
8- As you may have noticed from our list, we don't do alot of of sandwiches. However, to add to the list of subs and pinwheels, another interesting sandwich is to just to "make it mini". Use mini bagels, pitas or regular bread cut into neat squares, bars, or triangles to keep things interesting. One good, school safe and healthier alternative is almond butter and honey- a little thinly sliced banana makes it even better.
9- Whole Wheat Pita Bread Vegetable Pizza
Made with Whole Wheat Pita Bread, Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella Cheese, and your choice of vegetables. Assemble like you would a pizza and bake in a 400 degree oven until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Use veggies your child likes, but try to lean towards vegetables like peppers, mushrooms, or broccoli. These are great hot or cold.
10- Another option not to forget is soup, chili, veg chili or pasta in an insulated jar, with whole grain crackers/ bread or lightly salted tortilla chips on the side. Just heat, and it will still be yummy by lunchtime!
We're always looking for new healthy lunch ideas- what are yours??
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