Back-to-School Lunch

Ideas for What to Pack in Your Children's Lunchboxes

Aug 26, 2007 Michael Vyskocil

Send the kids back-to-school with these cool lunchbox ideas--these treats will be the envy of all your child's table mates.

Ask a child what is his or her favorite part of the school day (next to recess) and lunch will probably be the response. You can make lunchtime even more special with a few creative ideas for lunchboxes. In addition to the ideas below, don't forget to put in a special treat: a baseball card, a piece of candy with a note such as "Thinking of You" tied around it or a word-search puzzle book. All of these ideas will certainly help your child get through the rest of the school day.

Apple Container

Turn an apple into a clever container: Cut an apple in half crosswise, cutting about one-third of the way into the apple. Remove the flesh of the apple with a spoon or a melon baller. To prevent the cut areas from turning brown, rub them with lemon juice. You can then use the apple container to hold items like raisins or homemade tuna salad. Place the apple container in a resealable plastic container and refrigerate until ready to add to the lunch box.

Tortilla Sandwiches

Add a new twist to traditional sandwiches by experimenting with various types of breads, like tortillas. You can find flour tortillas in a variety of flavors, such as blue-corn tortillas, and they can be filled with a variety of salads, vegetables or strips of cooked chicken.

Cookie-Cutter Sandwiches

Add a unique touch to basic bread by cutting the sandwiches, once assembled, into cookie-cutter shapes. Stars, flowers, hearts, diamonds and more are all creative shapes, especially pleasing to kids who prefer not to have the crust on their sandwiches.

Vegetable Caterpillar

This crunchy caterpillar is a great idea to encourage kids to eat vegetables. Slice a cucumber into rounds about 1/2-inch-thick. Place the slices, slightly apart, onto a long bamboo skewer. You can even attach a cherry tomato on one end for the "head."

Apple Slices with Dip

Apples are always a lunchtime favorite, but they can be tough to peel for kids who don't like eating the outer peel. You can help by coring, peeling and slicing the apples and wrapping them in parchment paper or wax paper (sprinkle the slices with lemon juice before wrapping to keep the slices from turning brown). For a fruity dip, include a small container of fruit-flavored yogurt with the slices.

Frozen Juice Box

For a convenient ice pack to keep lunches cold, try freezing a juice box before packing. By the time lunchtime rolls around, the juice will have thawed and the contents of the lunchbox will still be cold.

The copyright of the article Back-to-School Lunch in Recipes is owned by Michael Vyskocil. Permission to republish Back-to-School Lunch in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Back-to-School Lunch Box Ideas

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Comments

Jan 11, 2009 1:39 PM

Guest :

this is a really good idea!!!!!

Feb 12, 2009 2:54 PM

Guest :

Hi my name is Georgio. and i live in fiji. it is very hot here and my sons food turns brown very fast. the lemon juice idea really helped. but the skewer idea wasn't so good. he started jabbing people with it! anyway very good food ideas. Quick question. What would be the best food in a hot climate?

Feb 14, 2009 12:08 PM

Michael Vyskocil :

Georgio,

Thank you for your comments on these lunch ideas. One of the challenges of living in a hot climate is keeping foods cool. If your child doesn't have an insulated lunch box to keep foods cool, I would suggest sandwiches with ingredients that don't have to remain refrigerated. Jelly or jam sandwiches are always popular with children. You could also take crackers and create mini-sanwiches with sliced fruit, such as pineapple, in between the crackers. Include other snacks, such as granola bars or nuts, that don't need refrigeration, and your child can still have a great lunch without the need for refrigeration.

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