Last updated on September 30th, 2021 at 10:17 am
Lunch is a challenge. The best theory is to have a kid that isn’t picky and doesn’t have any allergies! If only life was that fair and kids were that easy.
My daughters have completely different palates. L will eat anything you place in front of her while H scoffs at the majority. Couple this with L’s severe intolerance for any cow dairy, a school with a no-nuts policy and making lunch can be a mad challenge!
Because of L we live very close to dairy-free in the home so that eliminates the typical foods such as grilled cheese, mac-n-cheese, goldfish crackers and everything else the media and farmers target to the children.
We love the following, snacks included, because sometimes we want a day of Hors D’oeuvres:
Banana and peanut butter sandwich (almond or apple butter works great as well)- Avocado on toast (delicious with goat cheese or tomatoes)
- Jelly rolls (roll out the bread flat, spread with jelly, and roll into pinwheels)
- SOUP!!!
- Crackers with goat cheese and craisins
- Hummus with apple slices and pretzel sticks
- Fruit-shakes with flax, hemp or chia
- Turkey rolled with “American Cheese-flavored” rice cheese, add toothpicks and it’s suddenly super special
- Mixed vegetables with honey for dipping (use an ice cube tray and put various vegetables in each compartment-they will gobble it up)
- Oatmeal
Scrambled eggs and spinach- Peanut butter and jelly
- Ants on a log (spread nut butter in celery and top with raisins)
- Fresh spinach and strawberries drizzled with honey
- Pancakes covered with cooked fruit (heat frozen fruit on the stove, add a little sugar and it turns into a delicious chunky syrup)
- Waffles cut into strips and applesauce (or yogurt) for dipping
Lunch is a big deal because they need the nutrients to get through the toughest part of the day! For school, I try to incorporate something fun, something healthy, and something they think is junky. I’m all about streamlining so I have a printed chart for school days so I don’t have to think. It hangs inside my pantry door and I just look at my chart and pack lunch. This also comes in handy when my husband or someone else is doing the packing.
This might seem silly but on those rushed mornings it does help me make a speedy, healthy lunch and reminds me not to forget anything! Additionally when I find something that works I stick with it. If they LOVE jelly rolls and want to eat them every day for a year then that’s what they will have. At least they are eating!
