Fun Healthy Lunches??

My son likes it when I chop up carrots and mix it in his tuna fish. I also add shredded chicken to egg salad. You can serve both on bread, open face or in a pita pocket.

I usually do my food group check. grains, protein, fruit, vegetables. We try to make our meals as simple and as healthy as possible (at least for the kiddies)

Grain
Corn
Whole grain waffle
Whole grain bread
Tortilla
Rice Cake

Protein
Cheese stick
Chicken
Nuts
Yogurt (w/ or w/o granola). I don't buy the cotton candy flavored ones
Milk
Peanut Butter
Hard Boiled eggs

Fruits
Mangoes,
Persimons
Apples
Grapes
Cantalope
etc

Vegeatbles
Mini bell peppers (Our Costco sells if for $4 for 1 big bag)
Cellery
Carrots
blanched yellow squash
blanched green beans
broccoli
English cucumber
Spinach

-Subs w/diff types of lunch meats
Try using different kinds of breads too just to mix it up (rye, pumpernnickel)

-Veggie pita pockets: cucumber, tomatoes, thinly sliced onions, shredded
carrots, hummus

-veggie pizzas (preferably homemade)

-tacos (lean grd beef or turkey) mixed w/seasoning, lots of veggies

-salad w/any veggie they liked chopped up in it then top w/grilled chicken

-served bistro style in backyard to make it fun: grilled chicken, raw or grilled veggies. (you can serve both w/any type of dipping sauce they like. you can even try a pureed, chunky tomatoe sauce for the chicken)

-loaded bake potatoes (cook in micro), top w/chopped veggies & cheese
or Ranch dressing

I once bought my six yr old a lunchable because we were traveling and I thought it would be convenient, he was so excited he chose it for his DESSERT the first night. So maybe you could make your own with cheese and lunch meat cut the right size for crackers, served with a small yogurt or or fruit cup.

My easy, healthy favorite is a banana wrap: whole wheat wrap (soft tortilla), spread peanut butter on it, and slice a banana (usually only half fits) on top. Wrap it up -- it doesn't need refrigerated, and it's really yummy! I usually add a veggie & typically a fruit for sides.

Have a great summer!!

My 4 year old LOVES Morningstar Farms Tomato Basil Veggie Burgers.

Also see if you can find Lifeway Kefir... it comes in 4 oz squeeze packages (it is type of organic probiotic yogurt) and comes in such nifty flavors as Goo-Berry Pie, Orange Creamy Crawler, Lime SLime etc. Great for trips to the park, becuase you can put the top back on and throw it back in the cooler if they don't want to finish it.

To me, the easiest and healthiest thing is to have a few staples on hand that can just be mixed and matched: plain yogurt, fresh/frozen fruit, avacado, peanut butter, cheese, hummus, wholegrain crackers, deli meat

sometimes my son thinks its fun to have a lunch of all "snacks" meaning there is no "main dish" so for example:
avacado mixed with fresh fruit or a bit of unsweetened apples sauce
whole grain crackers with a few pieces of cheese or hummus and some ham or turkey

Or breakfast for lunch is easy:
whole grain waffle with peanutbutter and honey and sliced banana
scrambled egg on toast with fruit
tortilla shell (whole wheat) with peanut butter, then 1/2 of a banana and drizzle of honey. Roll up and slice or not. (new pbj take)
pancakes - I make a bunch one time with whole grain mix and grate in apple or carrot and zuchinni then wrap them individually in plastic wrap and just toast to thaw.

These aren't very exciting...But they get the job done and can have some variety with pretty few ingredients!

We've done:

Chopped salad with dressing on the side so that the lettuce doesn't get all soggy.. I have added some of my son's favorites such as Kalamata Olive, Cherry tomatoes, Cucumbers and Garbanzo beans << those hold up well in a lunch..
Homemade Lasagne
Grilled chicken and rice
Mushroom Risotto
Hardboiled eggs (already peeled, but kept whole)
All types of wraps on Lavash bread...
Steamed Pork Bun with veggies and or fruit on the side..

We live near good Taqueria s , so it hasn't been uncommon that my son has brought a burrito consisting of chicken, rice and beans..

My son will pretty much eat most things as long as the food is good..

check out www.lunchtaker.com an awesome source of ideas to help you plan out healthy lunches.

Keep it simple. Encourage fruits and veggies for snacks by making them accessible, we always have a bowl of fruit in the kitchen or dining room, for instance. Make extra at dinner and use the leftovers for lunch, we do this a LOT in the summer. With your big family (we have four kids, ourselves) this is a good habit to get into now while they are still eating Little People Servings. Kids are more likely to drink cold water, so keep it in the fridge. We also keep homemade iced tea in the fridge all summer, too. I also always have popsicles on hand. Besides the obvious reasons, fruit juice pops are perfect for those hot days when no one feels like eating.

Try some cold soups, my kids like cold potato and cucumber buttermilk soups. Have breakfast for dinner sometimes, so you don't feel tied to the kitchen so often. Pancakes with fruit and sausage links (as healthy or not as you like lol) and bacon and eggs with fruit are always a big hit with my kids. Or have dinner for breakfast, my kids love leftover "anything" for breakfast, especially soup and pizza. Use your crockpot to free up your time, too.

Also, your 7 and 8yos are old enough to help do simple things like get cereal poured and served to the younger ones. Start teaching them to measure and stir and find things in the fridge and cupboards for you while you are cooking. I'm sure it seems like you spend a lot of time managing the flow of the house right now, but soon you will find them getting up and making themselves breakfast. Promise ;)