Back to School!  5 Healthy Brown Bag Lunch Ideas

With summer coming to a close and “back to school ” rapidly approaching, so is the daily question of, “what can I pack for lunch?”  Help is on the way.

Let’s start with the basics of a healthy lunch bag.

• Two to three ounces of lean meat or low fat cheese

• turkey breast, lean deli ham, lean roast beef, hummus, low-fat sliced cheese, plain yogurt, low fat cottage cheese, hard boiled egg, peanut butter (if allowed in your school), roasted chicken breast, tofu, salmon, and beans.

• One or two slices of whole grain bread or 1/2 cup grain or rice

• 100% whole wheat bread, bagel, pita, tortilla, English muffin, or roll.  Or try packing cooked brown rice, whole wheat pasta, or fortified whole-grain cereal.

• At least two different fruits or vegetables

• carrot and celery sticks, red pepper slices, cherry/grape tomatoes, lettuce, green salad, broccoli florets, spinach, radishes, zucchini, avocado

• grapes, orange, banana, apple, pear, peach, plum, and raisins

• 1 cup fat-free milk or equivalent low-fat or fat-free dairy product

• Plain or low sugar yogurt, low fat cubed cheese, cottage cheese, cheese sticks, or milk. 

• A healthy beverage

• water, flavored water without calories (or with minimal calories), fat-free milk, 4 ounces of 100% fruit juice.

Five Great Lunch Ideas:

• Peanut Butter is not allowed in many schools these days because of nut allergies, so try swapping the peanut butter for low fat cream cheese.  Low-fat cream cheese and jelly on whole grain bread is a delicious sandwich idea.  Add some texture or crunch like raisins, apples or apricots.

• Make Mini Heros! Kids love hot dog buns, and the size is perfect for a kid size hero sandwich! Use lean deli meat such as turkey, ham, roast beef, chicken, or turkey.  Add a little low fat cheese for calcium and protein.  Top with light mayo or mustard, or your favorite low fat salad dressing.  Garnish with some thinly sliced tomatoes and you’ve got a hero the kids are sure to love!

• For older kids, try grilled portabella mushroom with melted low fat Swiss cheese, avocado, and honey mustard on whole grain bread. 

• Use colorful wraps to make lunch more fun.  Start with a green spinach wrap, add a thin layer of light mayo, mustard or even hummus.  Next add fresh turkey slices, low-fat cheese, and romaine lettuce.  Wrap it up and pack it to go!

• Mini Muffin Pizzas! Top a whole-wheat English muffin with marinara sauce or homemade tomato sauce. Sprinkle with low-fat mozzarella cheese and your child’s favorite vegetable and bake at 350 for 5 minutes.  Wrap it up in aluminum foil and send for lunch.  Everybody likes cold pizza!

Time starved or looking for a quick lunch idea, no problem! Take a trip to ShopRite. You can pick up pre-packaged cold cuts in the deli department, pre-cut containers of fruit and veggies in the produce section, single serve dairy product like a drinkable yogurt or kids sized regular yogurt, and a beverage.  In just a few short minutes, you will have a healthy lunch and will be on your way.

A few more fun & helpful lunchtime tips:

• Use lunchtime as a bonding opportunity with your child; include a special little note with each lunch.

• For easier spreading, freeze breads first, and then make your sandwiches. This can also help keep foods chilled and the bread will be thawed in time for lunch.

• A thermos can keep things hot as well as cold, which opens up a host of lunchtime possibilities.  Soups, pastas and stir-frys can be kept warm, and can add essential nutrition to your child’s day. A wide mouthed thermos container can be the brown bagger's best friend. Just fill with piping hot food and seal. It will stay hot until lunchtime.

• Include wet wipes to clean up after a messy lunch.

This last tip may seem obvious, but is probably the most helpful tip of all for a successful year of brown bag lunches… talk to you child about what they want for lunch!  Foods go in and out of style too!  Talk about what other kids are eating, which foods are ‘in’ or ‘out’.  Kids are more likely to eat what they see their friends eating.  Pay attention to what goes to school, and what comes home.  Try to determine if it is being consumed or tossed.  Sit down with your kids and ask them to brainstorm lunch ideas with you. You might be surprised by the helpful & healthy suggestions they come up with!