Back to School Lunch Inspiration
Channel: UPMC
Date: 2023-08-28

Back-to-school means it’s time to start packing lunches again. 😒🥪 It’s a task that takes time and planning to make sure lunch is healthy. And, of course, it’s also essential to keep lunches creative, interesting, and tasty, so kids actually eat them.

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut with the same sandwich and apple day after day. Use these fun (and healthy) ideas to boost your lunch game this school year. 😋

👨‍🍳 Try mixing things up by packing a variety of healthy foods. A bento box (lunch container divided into small sections) makes it easy to include more colors, flavors, and textures.
🍓 For fruits, try strawberries, blackberries, grapes, bananas, and melon cubes. Thread them onto toothpicks to make skewers and serve with a container of Greek yogurt. Unsweetened dried fruits like apricots or apple slices make great snacks, especially when combined with almonds and sunflower seeds for a trail mix.
🥦 Kids will devour vegetables if you provide individual cups of yogurt-based dips, hummus, or guacamole. These make tasty dips for baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, sweet pepper strips, or cucumber slices. And for something different, try zoodles — noodles made from zucchini, carrots, squash, or other vegetables.
🌾 Don’t skimp on whole grains. They provide slowly released carbs to fuel the brain. Good choices include whole wheat pita triangles, whole grain crackers, brown rice, quinoa, or pasta salad.
💪 Protein helps fill and satisfy, so make sure to include a generous serving. Turkey or other meat roll-up sandwiches cut into pinwheels are colorful and fun. Other protein options include hard-boiled eggs, Greek yogurt, cheese sticks, shredded chicken breast, tofu cubes, or bean salads.
🥑 Avocados, olives, and nuts or nut butters (if allowed) are all healthy fats. These are filling and satisfying, and they also provide lots of calories for growing bodies. If nuts are off-limits at school, try sunflower or pumpkin seeds, or sunflower butter, which is nut-free.