Back to School: Healthy Lunches for Kids

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Back to school means it’s time again to start packing healthy lunches for your kids! Here’s how I pack for my kids as a helpful guide.

Brooke started back at school a few weeks ago and Blake just started preschool this week and we are LOVING life! To say I love having a schedule would be an understatement. My kids and I love predictability, so having things stay the same day in and day out keeps our home running smoothly.

Part of that predictability is what can be expected for lunch. I pack Brooke’s lunch everyday and she knows exactly what she’ll be getting on the daily. Blake gets a very similar version at home before he heads off to afternoon preschool.

Here is what I pack:

1. Main Course — this is usually half a sandwich, a roll sandwich, a mini bagel sandwich, a pita sandwich, etc. Do you see a pattern here? Typically it’s turkey and cheese, ham and cheese or peanut butter. Protein and whole grains is what I’m after. Sometimes it’ll be whole wheat crackers and a cheese stick {or even cottage cheese} with a few slices of pepperoni. My daughter likes it all.

2. Fruits and Veggies –always and forever more will I pack my kids lunches with fruits and vegetables! They used to resist them, but when they realized they weren’t going away anytime soon, they started to eat them.

Brooke’s favorites include: baby carrots, celery, cucumber, mandarin oranges, fruit cups, strawberries and watermelon.

Blake’s favorites include: blueberries, cucumber, raspberries, bananas, unsweetened applesauce and oranges.

3. Dairy — I always try to include a little something to their lunches that will add more protein and calcium to their diets. Typically this is a Chobani Kids’ Greek Yogurt Tube or Pouch. I’ve been buying Chobani since Brooke was an only child because their yogurt is packed with protein, has 25% less sugar than leading kids’ yogurts on the market and is made with all natural ingredients.

Since I became a member of the Chobani Family Club at the beginning of the year, our fridge has been consistently stocked. I love having this as a healthy option for my kids’ lunches, whether they’re eating at school or at home.

Eddie has started eating yogurt too! These Chobani Tots Pouches are specially designed for little ones ages 6-24 months. These have 12-mg of Omega 3 DHA, which is perfect for growing minds!

4. Water — I always always always send Brooke to school with a water bottle. Her school actually encourages every student to have a water bottle at their desks, so she drinks quite a bit of water at school. Sometimes if there are real fruit juice boxes on sale, I’ll grab a few of those too, but generally, it’s just water.

5. A Small Treat — Since I develop recipes for a living, I typically have treats around the house. So, if I happen to have something available, I’ll add in a homemade cookie, a small brownie or just a small piece of candy with a note to make her smile.

So, that’s the formula I use for a well balanced lunch for my kiddos. What do you pack for your kids? Leave me a comment below; I’d love to hear!

Chobani is taking the guess work out of finding good for you snacks to replace the ones that are so easy to grab and go. Check out this “Sub It Out” fact sheet with a few ideas for a new school year.

If you can’t find Chobani Kids and Chobani Tots products, check out this product locator–it should point you in the right direction!

Have a great day, friends!