Brace yourselves parents, we’re all back at school! While most of us parents are (understandably) ecstatic to have some time for ourselves, the nightmare of what to pack for their school lunch keeps buzzing around our head like the yellow jackets this season. If you have a picky eater like mine, it gets harder and harder thinking of new and healthy snacks to pack five days a week. Here are 8 easy school lunch ideas for your picky eating Kindergartener. These worked for us, so hopefully you can take some inspiration from them!
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Sweet Potato Fries
Kids love French fries, so I thought I would develop a healthier version. You can cut up the potatoes a night prior, and just air fry them with a drizzle of olive oil, and they are ready to go. Letting them completely cool off before packing them in their lunch box will prevent them from getting soggy.
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Healthy Dips
Everything tastes good with a good dip. If there are certain veggies that you want your child to try, you can add a healthy dip along with it to make it more appetizing. Air-fried veggies are crunchy and go very well with hummus, guacamole, or any other dip your child enjoys.
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Pita Pizza
This quick and easy snack takes only a few minutes to make, and the kids love it. All you need to do to make it is, spread some pizza sauce over pita bread, add chopped veggies of your choice, and sprinkle it with cheese. It can go in an oven-toaster, or you can pop it in the oven to bake until the cheese melts.
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Pasta
This is my go-to hack when I don’t have time to think about what to make. Boil some pasta; it could be spaghetti, macaroni, or anything you know your child likes. Then, in a pan, add some leftover veggies or meat from dinner, add some pasta sauce, mix it up, and your kids will love it.
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Wraps
Wraps are versatile, and you can adjust them according to your child’s preference. Grilled or baked chicken goes well with crunchy lettuce and a good sauce. They are filling and very delicious.
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Tacos
If you have made minced meat for dinner, the leftover can make great lunch for the next day. Fill the shells with the meat and veggies of your choice, and they are good to go.
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Egg/Veggie Fried Rice
This can be made a night before, and you can warm it up before packing it in the morning. Fry some carrots, green onions, lettuce, corn and an egg in very little oil. Add boiled rice and some soya sauce in it and mix it up. You can omit or add the vegetables according to your child’s taste.
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Finger Fish
Kids love a snack that is easy to hold and eat, and finger fish is exactly that. You can add some tartar sauce to go along with it, if your child prefers.
While preparing a healthy lunch can be overwhelming for most of us, parents should know that they can send in anything that their child enjoys. There will be days when you will receive an uneaten lunch box and there will be days when you receive an empty one. What matters is that our children develop a healthy relationship with their food. You are doing a great job filling the little learners bellies! Also, don’t forget to order your lunchbox labels!
Here is a great recipe you can try that the kids might love.
