Back to school means back to packing school lunches. As a new mom and a nutritionist, it is super important to me that my family gets the best nutrition from our meals. With my son startin daycare a month ago, I now have to figure out packing food for him! It is much easier for me to make us healthy food for lunch at home, and having to come up with nutritious meals that he can eat at daycare was intimidating! I try to make it easier on myself by packing him many of the same foods I pack myself, which are usually left over from dinner. Below I am sharing some of our packed lunch ideas to give you some new inspiration for your child’s school lunch or your own work lunch. After all, the healthiest thing you can have for lunch is often brought from home.
For optimal nutrition I always make sure to pack a protein, carbohydrate, and vegetable for his (and my!) lunch. Then snacks are whatever fruit we have on hand, some healthy fat and probiotics from the yogurt, immune support from the elderberry and a little fun with the bunny grahams. The zucchini bread and muffins I made at home – both are gluten and dairy free. When I made each recipe I made a batch and froze half, that way if there’s a day that I’m short on food I have something ready to go!
Lunch 1:
Crustless Quiche – made with peppers, chard and tomatoes
Salad for me, Sauteed green beans for him
Zucchini bread
Snacks: 1/3 coyo yogurt w/ a drop elderberry syrup, cantaloupe
Lunch 2:
Left over gluten free pasta with marinara and peas
½ a chicken sausage for him, black bean burger for me
Salad for me
Snacks: 1/3 Coyo yogurt w/ a drop elderberry syrup, blueberries, Annie’s Bunny Grahams
Lunch 3:
Baked potato wedges
Sautéed green beans
1 black bean burger
Snacks: 1/3 Coyo yogurt w/ a drop elderberry syrup, watermelon, homemade date and cashew balls
Lunch 4:
Sauteed marinated tofu
Steamed broccoli
Berry-Turmeric muffin
Snacks: 1/3 Coyo yogurt w/ a drop elderberry syrup, blueberries, homemade date and cashew balls
Lunch 5:
Shredded chicken for him, falafel for me (falafel is the one food my boy doesn’t like!)
Avocado
Zucchini bread
Snacks: 1/3 Coyo yogurt w/ a drop elderberry syrup, grapes