A Guide to Easy and Healthy Back to School Lunches

It’s that time of year again: back to school is just around the corner! As you’re getting ready for the school year with new clothes and school supplies, it’s also time to start thinking about lunch and meal plans for school. Today’s post gives you a step-by-step guide to pack healthy and easy meals for your little ones. Check it out!

Reusable Containers

Before we kick-off the steps to packing a healthy and nutritious lunch, consider getting nice reusable containers that can be used each day. We love this set from Costco that has 38 pieces! The containers come in all sizes; including small snack sizes that are perfect for kids lunches.

Step 1: Drink Ideas

To start your kiddo’s lunch, let’s first view the drink options. One of the best things for growing kids is milk! Encourage them to have either milk, water, or a real fruit juice with their lunch. To save time, resources and money, we recommend using a refillable water bottle or thermos. We love this 12 oz insulated and reusable water bottle from Hydroflask. Fill with their drink of choice, add an ice pack to their lunch bag, and they’re good to go!

Step 2: Pick a Protein

Next, pick a protein for your little one. Do they love sandwiches? Great! Make them a PB&J or a ham and cheese sandwich and you’re golden. Have a picky eater? Try one of these protein ideas to add yummy snacks to their meal that even the pickiest eater will love:

• Cheese sticks
• Pretzels
• Nuts and Seeds
• Yogurt
• Peanut Butter

Step 3: Verrrrry Good Veggies!

Encourage your kids to eat veggies! Try experimenting to find the veggie they’ll love. Here are a few of our favorite veggie ideas:

• Baby carrots with hummus
• Cucumber slices
• Snap peas
• Salad (choose dark leafy greens and add yummy toppings like edamame, sunflower seeds, cheese, etc)
• Avocado slices (to prevent browning: slice flesh into bite-sized pieces inside the skin, scoop out flesh and replace into shell, drizzle with lemon juice, cover tightly with plastic wrap)

Step 4: Fun Fruit Ideas

Add some fruit to your kids lunch for a natural sugar boost! One of my all time favorite options for fruit is a banana. It’ll give your kids an instant protein boost and help them feel full for the rest of the day. Plus, bananas are easy to pack and eat! A few other easy-to-pack ideas:

• Grapes
• Real applesauce
• Apple slices
• Raisins
• Orange slices

Tasty Treats

Now that they’ve had a nutritious and delicious meal, add a treat to your kids lunch! Favorite treats in my house include:

• Crackers
• Granola bars
• Cookies
• Muffins
• Small popcorn bags

Helping your kids eat healthy starts with early. We hope this post helps you think of easy ways to incorporate healthy foods into your kids’ diets!

Photo by nappy from Pexels

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Ready for more lifestyle articles, product features and healthy living tips? Check out the other articles in our HAPARI blog. We include special product spotlights, healthy eating and fitness advice, and exclusive insider deals on our swimwear. See you there!

Cover thumbnail photo by Trang Doan from Pexels