The start of a new school year is just around the corner and that means it’s time to start packing lunches. If your weekday mornings are anything like mine, it can be a struggle to get your kids out the door in one piece, let alone with nutritious lunches in hand. In that spirit, Steeple Market has some back to school lunch ideas to keep things both creative and simple for the year.
Back to School Sandwich Roll-ups
What You’ll Need: Tortilla, Lunch Meat, Cheese, Lettuce or Tomato, Condiment of choice
To avoid the sandwich rut, switch the bread out for a tortilla. The rest is pretty straightforward, simply snag their favorite sandwich meat (or leftover turkey or chicken from last night’s dinner), a condiment of your (or their) choice, some cheese, maybe some veggies, and roll that baby up!
This is a great go-to if it’s you or your kids packing the lunches. Ingredients can be mixed and matched depending on what your little guys are into at the time, but the basic concept is all the same.
Snack Kabobs
What You’ll Need: Kabob Skewers, 2-4 fruits or veggies
You might notice a trend here but keeping lunches fun and interesting by helping things look a little different has brought me great luck with my kids. Snack kabobs can come in many forms, but they never come back smushed and ignored in the bottom of the lunch bag.
An apple can take on a whole new life when you slice it up, push a little skewer through, and throw some blueberries into the mix! You can also try a veggie version with a side of ranch. One of the best parts about snack kabobs is seeing that bowl of fruit that has been ignored all week suddenly becoming the star of the show, all with just a small stick and a little bit of chopping!
Pita Chips and Hummus
What You’ll Need: Hummus, Pita Chips (homemade or store-bought, all fair game)
This is one you might want to test out at home before you send your young one off with nothing but this chickpea delight, but if they love it, go for it. Hummus might feel like it belongs in the “dip” category and therefore, feels like more of a snack to some of us, but it’s packed with all the nutrients to keep your kiddo happy, healthy, and most importantly – full.
We’ve got all the ingredients in-store for homemade hummus (check out an easy recipe here) or you can just grab a pre-made option and be on your way. No matter the route you take, this is a fun option to introduce new flavors and options into your kids’ diets.
Prioritize Variety
The most important tip I’ve learned is just to keep some good variety in the lunch box. If your kid wants to eat a ham and cheese sandwich every single day, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. I just recommend having some creative options on hand for the inevitable morning they wake up to declare their hatred for the sandwich. Luckily, we’re fully stocked with great grocery items, local food, and pre-made food options.
You can check out our weekly deals here to get some variety and save while you do so! Here’s an idea list for your back to school shopping to keep some good variety stocked around the clock.
Fruits and Veggies
Oranges
Apples
Strawberries
Grapes
Peaches
Blueberries
Raspberries
Natural Applesauce
Melon
Baby Carrots
Cucumbers
Grape Tomatoes
Sides and Snacks
Chips
Granola Bars
Pretzels
String Cheese
Yogurt
Trail Mix
Fruit Snacks
Popcorn
Crackers
Chips + Salsa
Fruit Cup
Pudding Cup
Graham Crackers
Cookies
Rice Krispies Treats
Drinks
Water Bottle
100% Juice Boxes
Capri Suns
Bottled Smoothies
Milk — Strawberry or Chocolate
