The lunch box sandwich is a classic, but after weeks of the same old sandwich, it's time to switch things up a bit. We are not talking about preparing an elegant meal for your little one (who has time for that). We are talking about healthy, colorful, exciting meals that make kids glow with excitement! We like to keep things basic - items like fruits, veggies, protein, and healthy grains are the core of these meals. Then, we add a flavor boost to encourage kids to actually eat their lunch instead of trading it for cookies. Mix and match these ideas to create a lunch box your child will truly enjoy.
As an added bonus, all of these lunch ideas are free of peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, soy, eggs, gluten, shellfish and sesame, just like our Seed Bars and Seed'nola!
Lunch Box #1
This box includes some of our favorite lunch time treats: zucchini noodles, mandarin oranges and Chocolate Sea Salt Seed'nola Trail Mix.
To make the trail mix:- 1 cup Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Seed'nola
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
Mix or shake all ingredients until combined.
Zucchini Noodles:
We used a spiralizer to create long zucchini noodles, but a julienne peeler would work, too. You could also use a knife and slice the zucchini into thin strips, then slice again into noodles. We kept ours raw, but feel free to sauté or microwave them for a few seconds to soften.
For an extra boost of flavor, drizzle the zucchini noodles with a mixture of:
- 2 tablespoons Seed Butter
- 1 tablespoons coconut aminos
- A dash of Sriracha
Melt all ingredients together in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, stir until combined.
Lunch Box #2
This creative lunch box includes sweet potato fries, sliced kiwi fruit, brown rice, black beans and a cut up Triple Berry Seed Bar. The sweet potatoes require a little bit of preparation the night before, but we think they are totally worth it!
To make the sweet potato fries:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut one large sweet potato, skin on, into 1/2 inch slices. toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt until evenly coated. Arrange fries on a greased baking sheet, making sure you leave plenty of space between each one. If you place them too close, they'll steam in the oven and won't get crispy.
Bake for 10 minutes then flip and bake for 10 more minutes.
Lunch Box #3
This lunch box is for the picky eaters out there. We've packed up kid-friendly snacks and finger foods that are sure to make everyone happy. Strawberries, corn tortilla chips, red peppers, and "mock-guac" create a tasty snack plate.
To make the "mock-guac":
- 1 Small Avocado
- Juice of 1/2 Small Lemon
- Pinch of Salt and Pepper
Mash the avocado with lemon juice, salt, and pepper with a fork in a small bowl.
Making lunches for kids can be tough, but we hope these recipes have inspired you to try something new this week. Let us know your favorite lunchtime combinations for school in the comments below!