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Think Outside the Box: Healthy, Creative School Lunch Hacks

A child smiling and holding a sandwich

Today's school lunch is an opportunity to create a healthy, colorful midday meal, far from the days of soggy PB&Js. Here are simple tips, a week of lunch ideas, and a shopping list to help you pack a lunch your child won't want to trade. Packing lunches ensures your child gets a well-balanced meal, and making it a team effort by having kids help can save time by packing the night before.

Nutritious Ideas

Main dishes

  • Lunch meat and low-fat cheese roll ups
  • English muffin pizzas
  • Sandwich wraps – meat, cheese and veggies in a whole grain tortilla
  • Pita pockets stuffed with grilled chicken and vegetables
  • Soup
  • Chef salad with spinach, veggies, cheese, lunch meat and dressing
  • Tuna or chicken salad on a mini bagel

Snacks and sides

  • Fresh or dried fruit
  • Natural apple sauce
  • Baked tortilla chips and salsa
  • Veggie sticks and hummus
  • Cheese slices or string cheese with whole grain crackers
  • Homemade trail mix with nuts, seeds and raisins
  • Pudding
  • Homemade fruit roll ups
  • Popcorn (add different toppings such as salt, garlic, cinnamon, sugar or cayenne pepper)

Drinks

  • Water
  • If you child doesn’t like plain water, try adding a few slices of fresh fruit (strawberries, lime, lemon) for more flavor.

School Lunch Menu: Day-By-Day

We’ve put together a week’s worth of colorful, fun and healthy school lunch ideas your kids will love. And we’ve also created a shopping list to help you easily locate all the ingredients on your weekend shopping trip.

Monday: Turkey BLTA Roll-ups

Roll-up Ingredients

  • Turkey, cold cuts
  • Bacon
  • Avocado
  • Tomatoes

Side Dish Choices

  • Blueberries
  • Cucumbers
  • Carrot sticks

Tuesday: Bacon & Cucumber Sandwich

Sandwich Ingredients

  • Whole wheat English muffin
  • Cucumber
  • Bacon

Side Dish Choices

  • Apples slices
  • Strawberries
  • Vanilla yogurt mixed with sprinkled cinnamon

Wednesday: DIY Lunchables

Lunchables Ingredients

  • Crackers
  • Turkey, cold cuts
  • Cheese

Side Dish Choices

  • Blueberries
  • Carrots
  • Cucumber

Thursday: Veggie Grilled Cheese

Veggie Grilled Cheese Ingredients

  • English muffin
  • Cheese
  • Tomato
  • Spinach leaves
  • Avocado

Side Dish Choices

  • Apples slices
  • Strawberries
  • Vanilla yogurt mixed with sprinkled cinnamon
  • Tomatoes

Friday: DIY Pizzas

DIY Pizza Ingredients

  • 2 toasted English muffins
  • Pizza sauce
  • Cheese
  • Turkey pepperoni

Side Dish Choices

  • Celery
  • Black olives

Shopping List (under 20 items)

Cold section: Dairy

1 large container of vanilla yogurt 1 package of your favorite cheese

Cold section: Deli meats

1 package of turkey pepperoni

1 package bacon

1 package turkey cold cuts

Inside aisles

Whole wheat English muffins 1 can of whole black olives

1 jar of pizza sauce

1 box of whole wheat or multigrain crackers

Produce department

1 cucumber

1 stalk of celery

2 apples

1 container of strawberries

1 avocado

2 tomatoes

1 bunch of spinach leaves

1 container of blueberries

2 carrots

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