Spice up the good ol’ lunchbox

Well not literally make it spicy, just add some variety this year instead of the same ol’ thing every day. I must admit that making lunches for my kiddos some times just turns into a routine and I make them the same thing each day. I always start the year out doing so good, then some where along the way I veer off the good lunch trail. Not this year people. I have been on the hunt for great ideas for lunches. I can’t stand when my kids want to eat the school lunch…insert gag sound here!) Ugh. I get that they think it is super cool to buy your lunch, but I know how crappy the food is and I don’t like my kids eating it. {No judgement if your kid eats school lunches, I let mine do it occasionally too, I am just uber picky about what my kids eat.}

Most of the time my kiddos lunch consist of a PB&J, grapes, pretzels, and water. Sounds good to me…unless you eat it almost every day. I have been perusing Pinterest and blogs for good ideas that are easy,  healthy, and not processed and I have found some to share with you!

Main Food:

• Turkey Wrap
• Homemade fried rice with grilled chicken
• Chicken noodle soup
• Potato soup (I add shredded chicken to mine some times)
• Whole wheat tortillas with black beans and cheese
• Homemade pizza
• Zucchini bites
• Spaghetti or lasagna
• Meatballs with sauce
• PB&J {aka: old faithful}
• Turkey/Ham sandwiches – but add some variety with flavored mayo, avocados, spinach or use pita bread etc.
• English muffin with eggs
• Leftovers from the night before!!!
• Roast with potatoes and carrots
• Hard boiled eggs
• Chicken salad – with wheat bread, crackers, or tortilla chips
• Tuna salad – with wheat bread, crackers, or tortilla chips
• Egg salad – with wheat bread or crackers
• Avocado chicken salad – with wheat bread, crackers, or tortilla chips
• Lunch meat and cheese
• Sweet potato or pumpkin pancakes with sausage

Side Dishes:

• Any type/mixture of fruit (I always use fresh fruit)
• Raw carrots (my kids LOVE raw carrots!)
• Raw broccoli or cauliflower
• Edamame (another fave of my boys)
• Hummus with tortilla chips or veggies
• Black bean dip with tortilla chips or veggies (I cook my own black beans, then blend them for the refried effect, BUT I add raw spinach and avocado…it is SO tasty and the kids are none the wiser)
• No bake energy bites
• Veggie soup
• Stoneyfield Farms yogurt squeeze – I freeze them, they stay cold til lunch!
• Peanut Butter with fruit or veggies
• Avocado or guacalmole
• Salsa and tortilla chips (1/2 a cup of salsa is one serving of veggies!)
• Cheese cubes

I could keep the list going, but hopefully this is a start…I know it is for me! All of these things are food that we already eat in our house on a regular basis, so when they open their lunch box I know they will like what is in it! Now if I can just keep my 6 year old from “forgetting” that he brought his lunch so that he has to buy one 😉 He is a stinker like that (he gets it from his dad). HA.

Oh…the other thing I always have done in my kids lunches for school is have a sweet note for them. I write out a stack at a time and have them hidden, then when I make their lunch I can just throw it in. I am not a morning person so remembering to write a sweet note at 6 some thing in the morning is not likely ;). They look forward to the notes and occasional treat!

What do you put in your kids lunch? Are you planning on spicing it up this year with new things? Do you have any great ideas or tricks to share with us?