Make School Lunches They Won’t Trade!

Make Your Kids Lunch Exciting so they won’t want to trade it!

School has already started up in some states while it’ll still be a few weeks in others. Figuring out fun ways to make lunches and lunches my kids would even like have always been a big task. Am I right? Do your kids love their lunches? Or are you packing those boring same-old lunches you had as a kid?

Pack Lunches They LOVE

Get ready to start the daily routine of packing your child’s lunchbox. Parents and kids both hate the topic of lunchboxes but it is a very important task. Instead of starting your morning off with a headache find out what your kid likes and compromise. No one wants the same boring lunch every single day, change it up a bit. Here are some ideas to make lunches your child will love.

Sandwich-kabobs

Don’t just slap two pieces of bread together and smother on the peanut butter and jelly for your child’s lunch. Trust me this is the old way of doing it. I mean did you REALLY love PB&J sandwiches every day at school? Make it fun! Cut the crust off it and slice them into four small squares. If you take sandwich ingredients and put them on a skewer, you get a fun-to-eat meal that can pack a lot of variety. Here are some suggestions:

Fun Food Ideas

* Bread and cheese cubes
* Fresh fruit and a small container with some cool whip
* Chicken chunks, cheese cubes and pineapple slices
* Small cherry tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and turkey chunks
* Pineapple, ham, and Swiss cheese cubes
* Pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, bread cubes, and green peppers
* Cubes sandwich pieces (make the sandwich, then cut it into cubes), fruit, and vegetables
* Shortcake pieces, strawberries and cool whip for dessert

Bento Box Lunches

Bento lunches are not only a cultural lunch for many but this Japanese-inspired method of making food look beautiful and more enjoyable for both young and old. The Bento Boxes are becoming a really hot trend right now too.

Raw Fruit becomes Fun Artwork!

Raw apples can be sliced and cut into bunny rabbit shapes (half-moon slice with thin slices for “ears”). Cooked rice can be formed into a round ball, add seaweed around it to form panda arms/legs and a face. Strawberry slices can be fanned out to make flower shapes.   Kiwi slices can make car or motorcycle wheels; cupcake papers filled with salad, fruit, vegetables.

If you start this method don’t be surprised that your child comes home telling you all about their lunch or how many of their friends talked about the adorable panda they were eating. The great thing about bento boxes is you can make them completely themed.

Fun Shapes

Don’t worry you don’t have to go out and buy a bunch of supplies for this. Chances are you have a cookie cutter in your house somewhere. Use cookie cutter shapes to cut out slices of bread, cheese, melon, lunch meat, and anything else that’s flat and edible! Consider a variety of shapes and sizes so you can layer various shapes to make it more fun and interesting. If you don’t have cookie cutters you can always make shapes with a knife to form a square, rectangle, triangle, etc. Cups can be used to form circles.

Pack Ingredients Separately 

How many times as a child did you reach into your lunchbox to find your peanut butter and jelly sandwich soggy? Or maybe it was squished by all the other foods in your lunchbox. Your child is probably feeling the same frustration you did. Instead of making the sandwich you can get them tiny holders to keep the peanut butter and jelly, include a spoon (schools don’t typically allow a child to have a knife, not even to put condiments on their lunch) so they can make their own sandwiches.

Try separating ingredients so your child can build their own sandwich or mix their own salad at school. You can also change up the traditional sandwich with tortillas or crackers. Include an ice block (the kind that won’t sweat) to keep vegetables and fruits fresh and crisp. Hot foods/drinks should be packed into a thermos.

I hope your child has an amazing school year!