Back to School Nutrition Tips for us All

Summer flew by and September is quickly approaching with many of us still burnt out from trying to come up with fun and nutritious ways to feed our kids (and ourselves) last year!  Here are some back to school nutrition tips for us all, and some things to keep in mind when planning school lunches, tips to help it all run smoothly and some ideas for inspiration that you can make your own.

Tips on packing nutritious lunches your kids will actually eat:

Get them involved.  I know, this often slows down the process and makes it harder and probably messier than it might need to be but I promise that most of the time it is worth it in the long run.

- Bring them shopping with you, encourage them to help pick out some fruit or veg that they'd like to try and then have them help you to prepare it when you get home.  Stay encouraging here, they will not like everything, but praise them being willing to try it and remind them that there are tons of yummy things out there to find, this one thing maybe just wasn't it lol

-Ask them what they like to have in their lunches.  I know this one is simple but it is one that many of us forget to do.

-Send options, they can choose what they have for snacks and lunches, make sure to include somethings that you know they will like and eat (no one wins with starving cranky kids) and include some things that you hope they will enjoy too.

-Many of their favorite foods at home can become lunches too, the food you send does not need to be 'lunch' food.  Many kids enjoy 'breakfast' or dinner' foods for lunch too.

-Popcorn is a whole grain and makes a great snack most kids love.  

Here are some ideas for what to send in lunches:

Many schools are ok with seeds but not nuts or peanuts, this means that things like, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and their butters are all safe to send! (Always check with your school to see what is safe to send.)

1. Cold pizza quesadillas (or any flavor you want)

Layer grated mozzarella, pizza sauce, diced meat and thin red pepper slices on half a whole grain tortilla and pan-fry both sides until heated. Serve chilled.

2. Cold French toast fingers

Make a big batch of whole grain French toast on the weekend and refrigerate or freeze in strips. Serve with cream cheese or no-nuts pea butter (if your school is peanut-free) and jam (or provide a small jar of maple syrup for dipping).

3. Mexican themed 'Lunchable"

In divided containers place small corn tortillas/taco chips, refried beans/seasoned meat/cubes of cheese, salsa and guacamole.  Anything you might put on tacos will work well here.

4. Grilled cheese with sweet potato

When making your grilled cheese, grate your cheese, mix in mashed sweet potato (and a little garlic powder if you want) and use this mixture for your filling.  These are deliciously gooey and if you use orange cheese regularly many kinds won't even notice!   Make ahead, keep in the fridge and eat cold, or warmed up in the class microwave if available.  This was a staple for my kids.  We spread pizza sauce on a slice of bread, add meat of choice, cover with cheese and broil.  Send cold as you would the grilled cheese.  

5. Pizza Bread

This was a staple for my kids.  We spread pizza sauce on a slice of bread, add meat of choice, cover with cheese and broil.  Send cold as you would the grilled cheese, with a side of veggie sticks.

6. Raw veggies & dip

Try carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, grape/cherry tomatoes, snap/snow peas, cucumber, peppers and a creamy dip or hummus for a protein boost.

7. Homemade muffins 

Make big batches for the freezer with healthy ingredients such as whole wheat flour, rolled oats, nuts and seeds (if permitted in your school) as well as banana, berries, canned unsweetened pumpkin, dried fruit, grated carrot or zucchini.  They are more likely to eat them if they helped to bake them!

8. Pinwheel sandwiches

Mix together cream cheese, grated cheese, fresh herbs/spices, finely diced red peppers and grated carrots. Spread over a tortilla, add some meat and roll. Slice into small pinwheels.

9. Thermos full of yum

Toss in leftover soup, chili, baked beans, pasta dishes, stir-fry or even oatmeal for a warm lunch addition.  Tip - preheat your thermos with hot water to ensure that it is still hot by lunch time.  Quality thermoses are a good investment to make and will last many years.  

10. Homemade energy bars and bites

Look for recipes with wholesome ingredients such as rolled oats, whole grain flours, dried fruit, ground flax, hemp hearts and chia seeds.  

11. Snack style bento box

In divided containers pack items to cover all your food groups, just pick one or some from each list.  Kids love to help assemble these!

Carbs -mini muffins, crackers, pretzels, popcorn, pasta with pesto

Fruit -grapes, strawberries, mini oranges, apple slices with cinnamon, blueberries etc

Veggies -cucumber rounds, red pepper slices, carrot sticks, celery, broccoli, (it is totally ok to send dip for veggies!)

Protein -cheese cubes, pumpkin seeds, grilled chicken, meatballs, black bean salad, hard-boiled eggs, ( or deviled eggs) ham wrapped around cheese and a pickle slice

What lunches are a hit in your house? Do you have any back to school nutrition tips to share with us? Please share your tips and your family favorites in the comments!