School is back and that means to save money and make sure kids are eating well you will want to oversee lunches being made. Sure, kids can help but it is really up to you to make sure they are eating nutritiously and getting what they need. We are learning more and more how school success is equated to way we fuel our kid’s bodies. We want to make sure our kids eat well and we also want to make sure they eat what we give them. Here are some fun ideas to do up the standard old fashioned peanut butter and jelly lunch.
For starters, there are some basic foundational principles to fixing a lunch. Each day a lunch should have a protein, vegetable, fruit, drink, and just for fun a snack. I mean what kid doesn’t appreciate a fun snack. But don’t think you have to walk through the store and buy the newest sugary treat just use your imagination to make an awesome lunch. But wait…………..
To make it easier get a calendar. Write out who is to pack the lunches and what the main protein is. If you want to be really creative pick a theme each week. Sure, peanut butter and jelly Is easy but we want our kids to try new things and be exposed to a diverse group of cultural food. It really isn’t that much work it just takes some effort and planning.
Green Tip: Have a lunch pail on hand. We don’t want to waste paper and there are cool new lunch pails that keep food cool and safe.
Don’t stop there. There is a new craze called “Bento Lunches.” Check them out. And for a really fun lunch come up with a theme. A Mexican week can be a blast. Mexi-wraps one day, chicken tacos the next or how about a yummy nacho salad? You will be amazed that yes your own kids will eat salad at lunch. You just have to give it a cool name and make it look fun.
Have fun making your lunches and don’t forget left over’s. Use ham to make a cheese wrap. Put raisin eyes on the spinach wrap and wal-lah you have a healthy dragon wrap. And remember that plain ole peanut butter and jelly sandwich? You can take a large cookie cutter and make the sandwiches into fun star shapes. For a snack add pop-corn or rail-road tracks (celery with peanut butter and chocolate chips). You child’s lunches will be the craze of the school.
