Five ways to change up school lunches. I know I usually blog about eating healthy with arthritis, but with school starting, I wanted to share fun ways to make a nutritious school lunch.
School lunches have undergone significant changes since I was a kid. The kids were divided between eating in the cafeteria and bringing a sack lunch. One reason I liked eating in the cafeteria was the turkey and mashed potatoes smothered in gravy. For dessert, the peanut butter balls were the star of the show. These lunches were under a dollar for a complete meal.
If you wanted seconds, you had to have a clean plate, and I usually had carrot and celery sticks left when the seconds came out. I was pretty clever at such a young age, and I stuffed the sticks into my empty milk carton, then raised my hand to indicate that I was ready for seconds. It was a wonder that no one was bopped in the head by those huge steel trays of food.
Sack lunches were usually sandwiches and chips, and you better watch your lunch sack like a hawk, because if you had Fritos™, they were likely to come up missing.
Now, schools often contract with fast food companies, such as Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. That’s a popular option, or they leave campus and eat at a drive-in or restaurant.
Sure, tacos and pizzas are a hit, but you want your child to have a more nutritious lunch. The trick is to make food fun so they don’t even know that it is suitable for them.
Here are five ways to change up school lunches:
Banana Dog
Who says that a hot dog bun has to contain a hot dog? If you can buy whole wheat buns, you can bump up the nutrition of this peanut butter and jelly makeover. Spread peanut butter on both sides of the bun and put the banana on top. Drizzle your favorite jam or jelly over the banana.
Sandwich Kabobs
Threading food on a skewer is fun, and your kids will enjoy these kabobs. Cut bread, meat, and cheese into squares, and voila, you have sandwich kabobs. For side dishes, fill muffin tin liners with grapes or pretzels. Let the kids pick out what goes on the skewer, and then they’re more likely to eat it.
Tuna Salad and Crackers
You can buy tuna salad kits at the store, but they’re too expensive, and you want to be able to control the ingredients. Look for albacore tuna because it is a better source of omega-3 fatty acids and doesn’t have that strong fish smell.
Mix with light mayo and a little pickle relish, and if you want to bump up the protein, chop up a boiled egg. Kids enjoy eating differently shaped foods, so pack a few Goldfish™ crackers instead of regular saltines.
Fancy Apple Slices
Let’s face it, an apple eaten by itself can be pretty dull. Now, to make it fun and healthy, spread with either smooth or crunchy peanut butter. Top it off with your favorite nuts and chocolate chips.
Assemble the ingredients in separate containers to avoid making a mess before lunchtime. Apples should be soaked in orange or pineapple juice, so they don’t turn brown.
Strawberry and Almond Butter Wraps
This wrap is quick to make and a kid-favorite. Take one tortilla, spread it with almond butter, and top it with diced strawberries. Roll it up and you have a lunch you can feel good about.
Final Thoughts
Have fun with these new lunch combinations, and you may have your own ideas that you’d like to try. Let your kids help as much as possible, even if it is just loading the food into the lunch sack. It won’t be long until they’re ready to make some suggestions of their own.
