September is back-to-school time in many parts of the country (also known to parents as the most wonderful time of the year). If you’re like me, you’re probably concerned about what your kids will be eating when you’re not there to supervise. You can rely on cafeteria food and hope for the best. But if you really want to control the nutritional quality, the best bet is to make it yourself. Brown-bagging it doesn’t have to be another chore on your ever-increasing to-do list. These are kids. They don’t expect gourmet meals. They just want something that looks, smells and tastes good. The following recipes meet all of those goals with the added bonus of being pretty darned simple to make and easy to pack. Even better, these lunch ideas for kids aren’t just for kids. They have plenty of grown-up appeal, too.
Here are my favorites. What’s your best idea for fast, fun brown bag lunches? Share your lunch ideas for kids with us.
WebMD offers 15 Fresh Brownbag Lunch Ideas. It’s fun food for kids that’s also healthy, easy to make and a snap to pack. One that I liked is the Mediterranean Pita Pocket, ready to eat falafel balls tucked into a whole wheat pita pocket with some store-bought hummus. The article also has this tip to keep cold foods cold till lunch time: tuck in a small bottle of frozen water.
Check out the 10 easy and healthy, kid-pleasing bento boxes at Redbook.com. The selection includes several meat-free options like these Fresh Vegetable Roll-Ups. Spread a whole wheat tortilla or lavish sheet with thinly slice avocado, baby spinach leaves, shredded carrots and cucumbers and chopped scallions. Sprinkle with a little balsamic vinegar (or any Asian-style dressing your child likes). Roll it, slice it into four pieces and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Yum. I’d eat that.
Who knows more about pleasing kids than the people who invented Mac n’ Cheese in a box? Take a look at Kraft Foods lunch ideas for kids. This sandwich is a real winner. It’s made with frozen toaster waffles, cheese, deli sliced ham, apple slices and a dollop of maple syrup. Along with the kids’ lunch ideas, Kraft also has dozens of great tips for packing a lunch box or brown bag.
Does anybody not love a fresh fruit smoothie? This berry smoothie goes from blender to thermos in a couple of minutes. Get this recipe and many more great lunch ideas for kids at EatingWell.com.
RealSimple.com has 21 packable lunches designed to banish lunchbox boredom like this cold pasta with salami and mozzarella. Tip: pack the vinaigrette dressing separately and let your child drizzle it on just before eating.
Absolutely no time to cook? No worries. Put some crunchy cereal trail mix in a zip bag. Or make zesty bean dip. Toss a spoonful of salsa into a small plastic container filled with canned refried beans, sprinkle on some cheese and toss in few whole grain tortilla chips. Instant nachos! Find more incredibly simple food for kids at 13 Healthy and Ultra-Quick Kid-Favorite Recipes from Delish.com.
Did you know that our Taylor Morrison website lists information about schools in the communities where we build? Here’s one for our new homes in Lutz, FL.
