It’s important for kids to eat a well-balanced meal, but sometimes it’s not always easy to plan one. As opposed to the unhealthy (and expensive!) snacks from the store, here are some great healthy lunch and snack ideas, most of which can be made ahead of time.
When you are ready to start preparing your food, get your kids into the kitchen with you! Making their own snacks and lunches will encourage them to eat better, and hopefully inspire them to be more helpful in the kitchen. Most importantly, it’s a fun way to enjoy quality time together. Here are some ideas for a little inspiration:
–Hummus makes a great, protein-packed healthy dip for veggies or crackers.
–Seasoned Chicken Bites: Toss some raw cubed chicken in a plastic sandwich bag with a bit of oil, salt, and your choice of seasonings like taco spices, BBQ blend, lemon pepper, or just plain chicken. Roast on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes, until cooked through for a delicious ready-to-eat protein option.
–Almond Butter & Banana “quesadillas” are another fun alternative to the PBJ. You make it just like a quesadilla: add your ingredients on a tortilla, fold, and cut. Also try bananas with strawberry cream cheese, or cinnamon raisin cream cheese with apples.
–Cold-Cut “Sushi” is a fun project for the kids to help with. Spread cream cheese over cold cuts, add shredded veggeis, then roll and cut into “sushi” pieces. Pictured: Ham with pickles and shredded carrots, and salami with red peppers and cucumbers.
–A Classic Stand-by: Hard Boiled Eggs. These are great to do in a larger batch for the week. Try with some creamy herb dressing or seasoning blend for dipping.
–Pasta Salads are a great way to incorporate veggies into your kid’s diet. Mix cooked pasta and their favorite vegetables with fun flavors like basil pesto or creamy herb dressing.
– Mini Quiches are a fun and easy do-ahead Press a 6″ flour tortilla (trim as needed) into a large muffin tin. Add your favorite fillings like diced ham, cheese, sausage, peppers, broccoli or other vegetables. Add a bit of half and half to your beaten eggs (about 1/4 cup per 10 eggs) and fill the quiche shells 3/4 full. Bake in 350 degree oven about 10-15 minutes, or until the eggs are set. You can freeze the cooked quiche bites as well as the beaten egg mixture.
–Creamy Herb Vegetable Dip: This healthier version of Ranch can easily be made by whisking together 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 Tbsp cider vinegar, 1 tsp honey, 1/2 tsp granulated onion, 1/2 tsp garlic, 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp each of dried dill and tarragon.
–Chicken or Tuna Salad: This versatile mix of diced chicken (or tuna), celery, onions, mayonnaise, lemon, and dill is a great quick lunch staple. Use it for sandwiches, green salads or cracker dip.
I hope there are enough ideas here to start making your own snack/lunch pack! Most of these recipes can be made ahead of time so you can plan ahead , make your favorite recipes, and start saving your time and money. Enjoy!