Healthy School Lunch Ideas (Roundup 12!)

It’s that time of year for another installment in my School Lunch Roundup series! Sit down and look at these healthy school lunch ideas with your little ones so they can point out what they want you to make (and, more importantly, what they’ll actually eat!). And for older kids, don’t be scared to ask them to help or even make some of these all by themselves.

I also want to mention that my newest cookbook, 100 Days of Real Food: On a Budget (that was just released yesterday!!), has a dozen new packed lunch ideas for both school and work, so be sure to check that out as well!

Sponsor Shoutout: Handzies

 

I want to make sure you know about a “clean” product that we love and use ourselves, Handzies. Sometimes a sink is not available and a spray just won’t do. Great for giving your kids a good cleaning before (and after) they eat all these lovely lunches, Handzies was created by a mom who wanted to be able to clean hands on the go without the use of alcohol, BZK, and triclosan. So she created Handzies wipes, which are made of pure Castile (olive oil-based) soap and tea tree and tangerine oils. Always great to have on hand!

 

Here are some other resources to check out as well:

• School Lunch Photo Gallery
• Lunch Box Review
• Recipe Index (list) or Recipe Search (photos)
• My first cookbook and second cookbook – both with more lunch box ideas and recipes
• And, as I mentioned, my brand new cookbook above!

School Lunch Roundup

• Slow Cooker Potato Soup (from my 100 Days of Real Food cookbook), cheese (to go on top)
• Spinach Caesar salad
• Whole-Wheat Biscuit
• Grapes

• Hummus and cheese sandwich
• Orzo pasta salad (with tomatoes, Parmesan, and a simple vinaigrette)
• Diced mango
• Trail mix

• Grilled (defrosted) panini with cheese, spinach/basil pesto and roasted bell peppers
• Homemade Tomato Bisque (defrosted) with whole-wheat noodles
• Fresh kiwi
• Oranges (the Cara Cara variety – my favorite!)

• Taco Salad (with spinach, ground pork, cheese, cabbage, cilantro and sour cream)
• Whole Grain Pumpkin Muffin
• Blood oranges

• Homemade Quiche (with a whole-wheat crust)
• Pork tenderloin
• Salad
• Sliced apples

• Homemade Veggie Cream Cheese and cucumber sandwich (from my 100 Days of Real Food: Fast & Fabulous cookbook)
• Corn muffin (from my 100 Days of Real Food: Fast & Fabulous cookbook)
• Popcorn
• Grapes

• Frozen (defrosted) sandwich
• Mini bell peppers
• Plain yogurt mixed with homemade Berry Sauce & Homemade Granola
• Watermelon

• Leftover Veggie Corn Chowder (from my 100 Days of Real Food cookbook)
• Brown rice cake with peanut butter and raisins
• Apple and cheddar cubes
• Raspberries
• Dark chocolate

• Taco Salad with leftover ground pork/beans, lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, cheese, and sour cream
• Apples

• Homemade Chicken Nuggets
• Apples
• Whole-wheat pretzels
• Veggie slices
• Tzatziki Sauce for dipping

• Homemade Breakfast Burrito
• Apples
• Plain yogurt mixed with a little pure maple syrup & frozen pomegranate seeds
• Homemade Granola

• Red pepper hummus, cheese, and lettuce sandwich on whole-wheat
• Grapes
• Apples
• Homemade White Bean Dip (from my 100 Days of Real Food cookbook) with blue tortilla chips (a treat) for dipping

• Egg salad lettuce wraps
• Apples
• Red bell pepper slices
• Cheese & (whole grain) crackers

• Homemade whole-wheat blueberry pancakes
• Oranges
• Plain yogurt mixed with a little pure maple syrup & frozen raspberries
• Homemade Granola