If your child brings a lunch to school in a backpack or lunch box, you might sometimes struggle to come up with healthy snack ideas that are also appealing to kids. Try packing a variety of healthy snacks, such as veggies and dip or fruit and nut butter, along with plenty of fluids to help them stay hydrated throughout the day.
Healthy Snack Boxes For School Lunches: What to Include in a Healthy Snack Box
The Kid's Healthy Eating Plate recommends filling half the lunch box with colorful fruits or vegetables, one-quarter with whole grains - and the remaining quarter with healthy proteins. You could also include a healthy beverage, such as milk or water, to help your child stay hydrated. Consider involving your child in the planning process by asking for their input on which healthy snacks they'd like to pack.
Vegetables and Whole Grains
- Fruit and veggie sticks with dip: Cut up some carrots, celery, cucumbers - or bell peppers, and include a side of hummus or another veggie dip. You could also pack some apple slices or pear slices to dunk in the dip too.
- Sliced vegetable sandwiches: Try using whole grain bread and mashing together veggie spread fillings, such as avocado and cucumber, cream cheese and radish, or goat cheese - spinach, and sun-dried tomato.
- Baked kale chips: Tear kale leaves into bite-sized pieces, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread the kale out in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 375°F for 10 to 15 minutes until the edges get crispy.
- Whole grain crackers with cheese: Look for crackers made with whole grain as the first ingredient, and try pairing them with string cheese or pre-sliced cheese.
Fruits and Proteins
- Fruit kabobs: Spear bite-sized cubes or chunks of your kid's favorite fruits onto skewers or straws. You could also pack the fruits in a container and have your child assemble the kabobs themselves.
- Frozen fruit: Freeze small portions of fruit - such as blueberries or grapes, for a cool and refreshing treat. Note that this may leak, so consider putting it in a sealable plastic bag.
- Fruit and nut butter: Pack a small container of almond butter, peanut butter, or another nut butter with slices of banana - apple, pear, peach, or plum.
- Hard-boiled eggs: Hard-boil a batch of eggs on Sunday night to have on hand for the week. You could also pack deviled eggs.
- Hummus and veggie pita pockets: Spoon hummus into whole grain pita pockets, and encourage your child to add sliced vegetables on top.
- Yogurt parfaits: Layer low-fat or non-fat plain Greek yogurt with fresh or canned fruit - such as berries, peaches, or pineapple. You could also mix in a spoonful of chia seeds or ground flaxseed for some extra protein.
Drinks, Treats, and Freezing Tips
The National Academy of Sciences recommends a range of seven to 14 cups of water per day for children - depending on age and gender. In addition to water, milk and milk alternatives, such as soy or almond milk, are also good lunchbox drinks. It's best to avoid juice since it's high in added sugars. You could also freeze a water bottle overnight to help keep the contents of your child's lunch box cool, and the drink will be thawed and ready to enjoy by lunch time.
It's also important to include a couple ice packs in the lunch box to keep cold foods at a safe temperature. For sweet treats - try making energy balls or no-bake cookies loaded with oats, nut butter, and dried fruit. You could also pack baked goods made with whole wheat flour and unsweetened applesauce or mashed bananas instead of added sugars.
A handful of trail mix, a single-serve portion of popcorn, or baked kale chips are other tasty treats to include in your child's lunch box. Just be sure to balance indulgent foods with plenty of fruits - vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins.
Planning Ahead and Menu Ideas
You can plan ahead and vary the menu by preparing a list of possible lunch box items. Be sure to include your child's input, so they'll be excited to open their lunch box each day and see what's inside. Try to include a variety of colors, textures - and flavors in your child's lunch box, and remember to make eye appeal attractive since we often eat with our eyes first. Avoid packing the same lunch items week after week.
Instead, aim to pack different versions of your child's favorite foods. For example, if your child enjoys peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, switch things up by using whole grain bread - almond butter or sunflower seed butter, and apple jelly or strawberry jam that's low in added sugars.
Disclaimer
This article is for general information only and isn't medical advice. Talk to a qualified clinician about your own situation before acting on anything here.
References
- Healthy Eating Plate recommends filling — nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu
- Fruit kabobs: Spear bite-sized cubes or chunks of your kid's favorite fruits onto skewers or straws. You could also pack the fruits in a container and have your child assemble the kabobs themselves. — google.com
- Frozen fruit: Freeze small portions of fruit - such as blueberries or grapes, for a cool and refreshing treat. Note that this may leak, so consider putting it in a sealable plastic bag. — google.com
- Fruit and nut butter: Pack a small container of almond butter, peanut butter, or another nut butter with slices of banana - apple, pear, peach, or plum. — google.com
- Hard-boiled eggs: Hard-boil a batch of eggs on Sunday night to have on hand for the week. You could also pack deviled eggs. — google.com
- Hummus and veggie pita pockets: Spoon hummus into whole grain pita pockets, and encourage your child to add sliced vegetables on top. — google.com
- Yogurt parfaits: Layer low-fat or non-fat plain Greek yogurt with fresh or canned fruit - such as berries, peaches, or pineapple. You could also mix in a spoonful of chia seeds or ground flaxseed for some extra protein. — google.com
