I have six new healthy school lunch menus for you today! All these lunches are packed in the eco friendly, dishwasher safe, sturdy Planet Box! And they are on sale!

Real Food School Lunches ~ Part 3

Just a note to parents: these lunch ideas are intended to give busy parents inspiration and new ideas and are in no way designed to put guilt or burden on busy moms and dads! Quite the opposite. I am hoping to make your life easier. I remember standing in the kitchen, exasperated thinking ‘what can I pack today?!’ I want to relieve you of that burden by giving you a variety of healthy, easy options. In my first and second posts in this series (found here and here) I share time saving ideas and tips on getting kids to eat well so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time cleaning house enjoying your kids!

The Buttered Noodle Bonanza!

Once again I am utilizing leftovers and easy to pack foods. Of course, the PlanetBox keeps all these delicious lunch items separate and there is no waste because there is no need to use plastic baggies. The PlanetBox also comes with a cold pack to keep lunches chilled.

Real Food School Lunch

This healthy lunch idea contains my easiest pasta ever, just use leftovers from the night before and choose the ‘butter option’…kids love noodles and butter! I also packed dried mango, pomegranate seeds, some Applegate Farm Chicken Apple Sausages (which taste great cold) and bell peppers with a little guacamole.

You can use my guacamole recipe…but I am going to tell you a little timesaving secret. Trader’s Joe’s sells a fresh guacamole that can be frozen and used as you need. It’s called Avocado’s number and only has five ingredients, avocados, jalapeno, sea salt, onion and vinegar. I freeze it in ice cube trays, pop it out and put it in the leak proof containers from Planetbox! It will be thawed and ready for dipping a few hours later when your child eats lunch.

planet box containers

 

That’s a Wrap!

Healthy school lunches from The Organic Kitchen

It doesn’t get much easier than this! Pack half of my Strawberry Chicken Wrap (you can eat the other half if you aren’t packing lunches for two!)  an organic all fruit ‘leather’, half a banana with some Justin’s Almond Honey Butter for dipping and a yogurt pretzel!

The Thanksgiving Lunch!

Real Food Lunches for School

Again, you’ll be giving thanks because this one is easy as pie! Organic turkey slices with apricot preserves (remember kids love to dip!) pumpkin/carrot loaf, fruit medley, spiced pumpkin seeds (fromTrader Joe’s and they are delish!) And last but not least, sugar snap peas.

The Couscous Caboose

Healthy lunch ideas fro kids

Again so easy! Make my Apple Couscous the night before for dinner, pop the leftovers in the spill proof container from PlanetBox, and just assemble the rest! Beef and turkey jerky, banana chips and carob almonds, apple sauce, and a smidge of soft licorice!

The “Teacher’s Pet”

healthy lunch ideas

It’s hard to see here but there is diced fresh herbed mozzarella mixed in with shredded rotisserie chicken (make mine or buy one at the store). The cheese is soft and mild but adds just a little flavor to the chicken! The kids love it. You can find herbed mozzarella in the deli section at the grocery store. Add a melon/berry medley, two mini muffins, a small apple and a few mini PB cups for ‘dessert’ and you have an easy well rounded meal. Time saving tip! Make mini biscuits or muffins ahead of time and freeze them. Pull them out the night before and pack them for lunch after they thaw. (Click for my banana nut muffin recipe or cheddar biscuit recipe)

The “You Know How I Roll” lunch for the sushi loving kid

Healthy lunch

This idea was inspired by a couple of my friends who have children that love sushi so much they eat it as their school lunch. It’s easy because you can pick it up at your grocer’s sushi stand! Choose your child’s favorite sushi roll, dice some honeydew, shred some rotisserie chicken, and balance it all out with some veggies and dip. And for dessert we are sticking with the theme: crystalized ginger.

Need More Lunch Ideas?

I’ve got many more nutrition packed lunch box menus …

Six Healthy Back to School Lunch Ideas Parents and Kids Will Love
Six Pre-K Lunch Ideas and Tips On Getting Your Children to Eat What You Pack!
Six Healthy Lunch Menus for Back to School
A Naturally Green St. Patrick’s Day Lunch!
The Charcuterie ‘Board’ Lunch!

If you would like to take a look at the selection of eco friendly, dishwasher safe PlanetBoxes just click the banner below!