This School Lunch post is sponsored by Welch’s®Fruit Snacks. I am being compensated for this post. All comments and opinions are my own.
Unique, easy and delicious Back to School Lunch ideas for the picky kiddo, the allergy prone, and the one that’s getting sick of a sandwich every day!
School Lunch Ideas
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Kids are heading back to school and I’m excited!!!
No wait, I’m sad! I’m gonna miss them during the days.
Actually yes, I’m super excited for a minute to myself!
Ahhh, the guilt. I don’t need time; I want my kiddos home with me!
Okay y’all, let’s just agree I’m of two minds and move on to what’s really important here… the food. Haha!
Picky Eater School Lunch Ideas
You’d think that with a food blogger for a mom that my kids would be willing and open to new and interesting foods…
Well, you’d be wrong!
Dear Reader,
I am raising such picky kids! I’m not sure how, but it’s happened
My son will eat a peanut butter sandwich for lunch on occasion, but my daughter won’t get anywhere near them. AND to make things harder, they don’t like eating the same thing multiple days in a row!
Seriously, who are these people?!
So this past year I have had to get extremely creative in my school lunch ideas for these picky eaters, and today I will share my fount of ideadom…
XOXOX -Juli
Wasted School Lunches
When I first started packing school lunches for my picky eaters I came across two problems on the regular:
- They only ate about a half of their lunch. Or,
- They came home starving!
I quickly discovered that I can’t pack rolls, granola bars, pasta, and quesadillas all in the same lunch or there’d be a lot of waste. The reason is not because they don’t love all those foods, but because all those foods are too filling to be in the same lunch.
And the vice versa was true as well. Only packing chips and fruit would mean a HANGRY child at school pickup.
The School Lunch Template
In order to be feeding my children a balanced lunch that would fill their bellies, I made sure to include one of the following in every school lunch:
- Vegetables &/or Fruit (rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants etc.)
- Grain Product (carbohydrates, B-vitamins, fiber etc.)
- Milk/Dairy or Meat (protein, calcium, B-vitamins, fats sometimes etc.)
- A “Treat” (because everyone feels more balanced with a little bit of sweet)
Following this template is easy because it covers a broad range of foods, but also ensures my children will have a good meal.
Snack of Choice!
Welch’s Fruit Snacks are my kid’s favorite snack. It seems strange that so many fruit snacks out there would ignore fruit. At Welch’s, they’re not only listening, they’re putting fruit center stage. I seriously LOVE the fact that their Fruit Snacks are not only made with real fruit, but fruit is their first ingredient.
I always feel like I’m getting away with something when Welch’s Fruit Snacks are the “treat” I’m adding to their lunches. Haha! My kids love that they are fun to eat and even more; they love the delicious taste!
Plus I love them because hello!, they are aquick, easy grab in our back to school lunch routine. On top of that, you can find them conveniently at your local grocery store!
School Lunch Food Ideas:
Here are school lunch ideas. Just be sure to mix and match to cover each of the food groups and send your children back to school with a balanced meal:
- Welch’s Fruit Snacks
- Fresh Fruit (Strawberries, grapes, bananas, blueberries, apples, pears, oranges and mandarin oranges, cherries, etc…)
- Muffins
- Rolls
- Crackers
- Cheese Sticks or Cubes
- Yogurt (and yogurt with granola)
- Tortilla Rollups
- Salad with the dressing on the side
- Granola Bars
- Veggies (carrot sticks, sugar snap peas, grape and cherry tomatoes, etc…)
- Pasta in a thermos (an absolute favorite of my kids! I make a large batch of noodles early in the week, then on the morning of I quickly heat up the noodles with some premade sauce and put it in the thermos for a hot lunch).
Pin these fun ideas and save them for later!!!
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