Healthy Lunch

Remember the good old days when we all took brown bags to school and the food was fine? :)

They've got great BPA free reusable lunch containers at Target and other places. Throw an ice pack in there and pack what you want. Unless it is put in the sun, everything will be fine. Think about picnics and potlucks when food is left out for a few hours and it is fine.

Cut up fruits and veggies. Yogurt, string cheese, boxed milks (soy or cows). My health food store sells litle packages of peanut butter (or almond or cashew if there are allergy concerns) that can be eaten quickly and pack good protein.

Sandwiches...stay away from mayo if you're worried. PB&J, cheese, etc.

Make up some pasta or bean salads that your child will eat and pack those all week. Homemade pizza? Veggie burger patties cut up in strips?

If you think you eat healthy and are concerned your child will want what others have, pack small portions of rice chips, soy chips, baked potato chips, etc.

Good luck!

pb&j or meat and cheese sandwiches, lots of fruit since he will need extra fluids. My kids like homemade bean and cheese burritos - just tortilla, ref beans and cheese, melt in microwave, chill and stick in lunchbox. Homemade lunchable of crackers, meat and cheese - I like Tricuits, they are pretty healthy for this, at least they have fiber.*Note-store meat and cheese separate from crackers or they will get soggy. Go Gurts are great frozen then still cold at lunch, maybe even alittle slushy. Get him a good lunchbox and some refreezable ice packs and his food will stay cold.

My 4 year old loved finger food: Fill a tupperware with rice and beans and add a baggie of carrot and apple sticks. Whole wheat pasta with cheese and broccoli florets (Annie's makes a great ww mac and cheese, which you can add veggies to), and a box of raisins and some other fun fruit. I try to make sure there is a protein, veggie and good carb at each meal, with something fruity for dessert.

You can also freeze yogurt tubes and put them in the lunch, they will thaw and still be cool by lunch time. Also, try and get your son a reusable drink container to fill with water or juice. Juice boxes can't be recycled!

I love to explore this website, http://www.eatingwell.com/healthy_cooking/kids_cooking. You will find a bunch of really great recipes and ideas. I've also seen a great article on lunch boxes in a Vegetarian Times magazine, http://www.vegetariantimes.com/features/archive_of_editor.... Here is a great recipe that we tried last night, absolutely yummy, http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/11243?section=

Some things to add to previous posts: edemame (immature soybeans, good protein, great finger food), any lightly steamed or roasted veggie/potato. It's been a long time since I've had to pack lunches so I wish I had more to share.

I know that I would freeze juice boxes to keep other foods cool. It will take some experimenting to know when to take the juice out of the freezer so that it thaws at the right time. I'd probably just freeze water to drink and keep the lunch cool. Good luck, just let your imagination run. Have a great summer. D.

Ice packs do keep things cool so many items can be packet. If he likes sandwhiches then sandwhiches and if he doesnt like my daughter I use to roll some salami or something else into a bag. Also a side bag of fruits, cherries etc. and a drink. I tried to stay away from anything sugarly because that will hype the kid up and could give him issues with his teacher after lunch. We use to freeze yougurt (the squeezebal strip ones)

PBJ keeps unrefrigerated. Fresh fruit and veggies, crackers, nuts and dried fruit are good too!

Put a small ice pack in the lunch bag and send a sandwich , a piece of fruit , come crackers with dip , and drink and a yogurt.