Healthy Lunches
1. Tuna sandwich: Go easy on the mayo, serve the tuna on whole-wheat bread, and add a couple lettuce leaves, and you’ve got a simple and satisfying lunch with ingredients you likely already have on hand. You can continue the “seafood” theme by packing some Goldfish crackers for your kids too.
2. BBQ sandwich: Use last night’s leftover chicken (shredded and jazzed up with your favorite BBQ sauce) to send your kids to school with a delicious homestyle lunch. Pack a whole-wheat hamburger bun separately so your kid(s) can assemble their sandwich right there at the table. Tortilla chips with salsa make an excellent accompaniment to this meal.
3. Pretzel kabobs: Make your kids the star of the cafeteria with these easy-to-assemble, delicious, and nutritious roll-ups. Simply roll sliced ham, cheese, and turkey together (or any combination of meat and cheese) and skewer on a pretzel rod. Voila! Shelled and lightly salted edamame would be a crunchy and healthy addition to this fun lunch.
4. Baked potato: If packed with healthy toppings, a simple baked potato can turn into a satisfying and healthy lunch. Pack a container with chopped chives, broccoli, low-fat sour cream, and/or low-fat shredded cheese and let your kids assemble their own baked potato creation.
5. Leftovers: When your kids are tired of sandwiches, send them off to school with a small portion of last night’s leftovers (think pasta, lasagna, chili, chicken, etc.) and a pairing of fresh fruit or veggies to round out the meal.