School Lunch Tips and Quick Recipes
Here are a few quick suggestions to help liven up that lunch fare:• Choose fruits that are easy to eat and not messy. Be sure to peel fruits that need it, and cut them into finger-size pieces for younger children.
• Write a riddle on the peel of a banana or orange or draw a cartoon picture with words of endearment or encouragement to brighten up the day.
• Vary the bread offerings from plain sliced bread to raisin bread, pita pockets, dinner rolls, flour tortillas, or mini-bagels.
• Rice cakes are a fun addition. Pack tuna salad, peanut butter or cheese spread in a separate container to be spooned on at lunchtime so the cakes don't get soggy.
• If your child likes cold pizza, send it along for lunch! Pizza is actually not a bad choice.
• Mini-muffins are the perfect size for kids' lunches. Use your favorite recipe, but smaller tins, and bake 12-15 minutes.
• A thermos of hot soup is perfect for cold days, along with crackers.
• Cut sandwiches into diamonds, triangles, rectangles, or other fun shapes. Kids seem to think they taste better this way!
• Make your own trail mix at home using your child's favorite cereal, raisins, nuts, and mini-pretzels. Toss in a few fruit gummies as a surprise.
• Send along naturally-sweetened fruit cocktail in a container to mix with yogurt.
• Mix cream cheese with raisins and a dash of honey to spread on graham crackers.
• It doesn't have to be a sandwich. Pack string cheese and ham sticks with a honey mustard sauce for dipping.
• Finger foods always go over well. Look over your favorite cold appetizer recipes with your child's lunch in mind.
• Granola bars and fruit newtons will satisfy that sweet tooth, but be sure to read labels. Some are not as healthy as they'd like you to think.
• Mix shredded carrots with raisins, unflavored yogurt and a bit of honey for a crunchy salad.
• Make fruit kabobs of cubes of favorite fruits using thin strips of celery for skewers.
• An old favorite is Ants on a Log. Fill celery sticks with cream cheese, sprinkle with grated carrot, and push in raisins for ants.
• Bean dip and baked tortilla chips make a fun protein-filled addition.
• Cut veggies into fingerfood-size, and accompany with seasoned cream cheese for dipping.
• Popcorn is always a welcome treat, and the low-fat microwave versions make it easy to pop up quickly to send along. Be sure to put it in a sealed baggie to retain freshness.
More About Lunchbox Goodies:
• School Lunch Psychology
• School Lunch Tips
• School Lunch Recipes
