School time is just around the corner, and whether your little ones are heading back to classes in-person or taking their tests at home this year, having healthy lunches for kids prepared is a vital part of the whole learning process. Of course, due to COVID-19, academics are looking a little different this year – but that doesn't mean lunches have to! Help keep your child focused on their studies and not their growling tummies with these three easy yet sophisticated, kid-friendly recipes. And no need to worry about spending too much time creating these meals – they all take under 35 minutes to make!
RECIPE 1 Homemade Lunchables
- PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
- COOK TIME: 10 MINUTES
- TOTAL TIME: 20 MINUTES
- SERVINGS: 4
Homemade Lunchables have to be one of the easiest healthy school lunch ideas out there. Because it takes almost no time, we included the addition of a boiled egg on the side to give your kids a little extra protein boost. Just be sure to keep all the perishable items such as cheese, turkey, grapes, eggs, and cucumber chilled in the fridge before sending it off with your kid to school.
Ingredients:
- 4 whole wheat crackers
- 4 Melba Toast crackers
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese
- 4 turkey breast slices, deli style
- 1 cup grapes
- 4 apples
- 1 cucumber
- 4 eggs
Directions:
- Start by filling a saucepan with all 4 eggs and pouring in enough water to completely submerge them. Turn the heat up high on your stovetop until the water is boiling. Once that happens turn your burner completely off and let the eggs sit for about 5 minutes.
- Slice the cheese and turkey breast into thin squares, core the apple and chop it into wedges, and slice the cucumber into rounds.
- Come back to your eggs and run cool water over them so they aren’t too hot while you peel the shell away.
- Grab a Tupperware container with a couple empty compartments for separating the ingredients. If you don’t have a container, Ziplock baggies will do just fine.
- This gives your kids an opportunity to stack the ingredients however they’d like which helps in promoting independence – plus they’ll have fun getting to play with their food!
RECIPE 2 Vegetarian Burrito Bowl
- PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES
- COOK TIME: 15 MINUTES
- TOTAL TIME: 35 MINUTES
- SERVINGS: 4-6
Finding vegetarian recipes for kids to enjoy isn’t always an easy feat. But, if you’re looking for a meatless option, this vegetarian burrito bowl is where it’s at. Packed full of protein and flavor, this Mexican favorite is sure to have the other kids begging to trade their lunches for just a bite.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups rice
- 14.5-ounce can black beans
- Roasted sweet potato, zucchini or roasted asparagus
- Whatever toppings you want to add! We recommend shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, avocado, tomatoes, bell peppers, and canned/frozen corn.
Directions:
- Cook your rice either in a rice cooker or over the cooktop
- Rinse and drain beans and heat them in the microwave for one to two minutes.
- Prepare the vegetables by chopping them up appropriately and keep each ingredient separate from each other.
- Either let your kids assemble their own or you can do it for them depending on how old they are and if they need assistance.
RECIPE 3 Lunchbox Pasta Salad
- PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES
- COOK TIME: 10 MINUTES
- TOTAL TIME: 15 MINUTES
- SERVINGS: 4
Pasta may not be your kids’ average lunchtime meal but it sure makes a healthy and easy lunch to prepare! This recipe ensures that your child won’t need to microwave their food and instead get to eating right away. For those kids that just can’t wait another minute to eat, a little cold pasta salad will hit the spot, especially on a hot day.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup dried pasta (any shape will do!)
- ¼ cup frozen peas
- ¼ cup frozen corn
- ¼ cup pineapple cubes
- 1 slice of ham, chopped
- 2 tsp sun dried tomato pesto or regular pesto
Directions:
- Boil a large pot of water over your cooktop and add pasta, peas, and corn for 10 minutes or until the pasta is soft.
- Drain the pasta mix using a colander and then pour it all into a large bowl.
- Add pineapple cubes, ham, and pesto sauce and mix it altogether.
- Put it in the fridge to cool and it’s ready to grab and go!
BONUS RECIPE No-Bake Monster Cookie Energy Bites
- PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
- COOK TIME: 0 MINUTES
- TOTAL TIME: 10 MINUTES
- SERVINGS: 16
Every kid loves a little surprise dessert in their lunchbox, so why not pack this surprisingly healthy treat in their bag? These No-Bake Monster Cookie Energy Bites are quite tasty and require zero cooking! And while each morsel may hold little bits of chocolate inside, we still consider this one of our favorite healthy school lunch ideas. It’s certainly the most delicious!
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups large oat flakes
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup mini M&M's
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
Directions:
- Pour all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix together.
- Roll the dough into one to two-inch balls and place them on a parchment sheet.
- Refrigerate for 20 minutes to help them solidify.
- Once they are done hardening, put the snacks in a Ziplock back in the refrigerator until it’s time to pack the lunches.
With all the anxiety and complications occurring with school, the last thing you need to be worrying about is what your kids are going to be eating for lunch. With these healthy school lunch ideas up your sleeve, you'll be prepared to provide your child with not only a nourishing meal, but also something to look forward to during their stressful day.
So, before school starts back up, you'll want to make sure your appliances are in tip-top condition to handle you and your family's lifestyle. If you think it might be time for some new appliances, gives us a call today and one our experts at Albert Lee will gladly help you on your appliance shopping journey.