My daughter is starting kindergarten this fall, so I've been thinking a lot about how to fill her new lunchbox. Here is a list of ideas to date—please share your family's favorite packed lunches via email or the comments below.
For thermos:
Egg muffins
Cheese quesadillas
Buttered noodles or tortellini
Peanut butter noodles with veggies
Cheese & spinach pizza pinwheels
English muffin pizzas
French toast sticks
Slice of quiche
Falafel
Noodle soup
Fruit smoothies
Turkey meatballs with mozzarella/cherry tomatoes
Mac and cheese
Leftovers!
Bread, mini-waffles, mini-bagels with:
Peanut butter and jam
Peanut butter and honey
Peanut butter and bananas, apples, strawberries, raspberries or blueberries
Peanut butter and granola
Peanut butter and fluff
*Variations: Nutella, almond butter
Cream cheese and jam
Cream cheese and dried fruit/nuts
Cream cheese and sliced fruit
Sandwich pinwheels, tortilla roll-ups, bread or mini pitas with:
Ham and cheese
Turkey and cheese
Apple and cheese
Veggies and cheese
Veggies and cream cheese
Veggies and hummus
Chicken salad with grapes
"Lunchables" with crackers, ham/turkey, cheese
Turkey pepperoni, cheese, diced peppers, black olives
Black beans, leftover chicken, cheese
Leftover chicken, marinara sauce and cheese
Leftover chicken, bbq sauce and cheese
Snacks and sides:
Veggies with dip (carrots, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, pepper strips)
Applesauce
Popcorn
String cheese
Edamame
Broccoli slaw with dried cranberries, slivered almonds and poppyseed dressing
Black beans, corn, salsa with tortilla chips
Yogurt squeezies, frozen
Cottage cheese
Pineapple cups
Cut up fruit (watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes)
Apple slices with lemon juice
Clementines
Raisins
Dried apricots
Walnuts, almonds
Yogurt pretzels
Goldfish
Granola bars
Cereal bars
Homemade muffins
Zucchini bread
Trail mix
TJs fruit flakes or fruit leather
Animal crackers
Rice krispie treats
Oatmeal cookies with raisins and nuts
Graham crackers with nutella and fluff
You can make and freeze batches of sandwiches ahead of time, which will also help keep them cold until lunch. Cookie cutters can make sandwiches fun. I have freezer packs, lightweight stainless steel containers and water bottles all ready to go, and I just got kid-size "sporks" too. I plan on including little notes and the occasional Hershey's kiss! And some days, we'll go with hot lunch.
*My friend Michelle gave me the great idea of printing out a list and having my daughter help choose and then make her school lunches. Maybe this will cut down on the lunchroom trades. (And, remember that this list is printable, should you happen to need inspiration come November...)
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