7 Healthy Back to School Lunches

It’s officially August, which means lots and lots of school lunches will be packed soon! And let’s be honest, it’s fun for the first week and then I’m totally over it. Please tell me I’m not the only one who feels this way!? That’s why easy and simple lunch ideas are my jam.

I’m super passionate about kids nutrition because I believe it’s so important to set our kids up for success now. I love sharing ways to make it easy and encourage eating more whole foods and less individual packaged food.

I remember eating with my daughter at lunch one day and the sweet little girl next to me said that her Cheetos were her carrots. It was obviously cute, at the time, but she was dead serious. That’s why it’s so important to start our children young with whole nutrition. It doesn’t just happen on its own: it needs to be intentional. Developing poor nutritional habits when kids are younger often leads to a life of dieting (can you relate?!).

I’m on a mission to set my girls up for success. I want to help them create healthy habits now, so when they’re adults they aren’t yo-yo dieting or trying to find the next best thing to lose weight. I’m showing them one meal at a time that healthy is not only good for you but it can be delicious too. To show them balance…where they crave veggies and a cookie. To get rid of the all-or-nothing mindset, food rules, and diets.

Creating balance is KEY with kids. Treats are just that: a treat. Not an everyday thing. Veggies are a must. I only have one “rule” when it comes to food. Veggies must be eaten before they can have another snack or meal. They can choose to “save” their veggies until later (I don’t make them sit at their plate), but if they want something else, later on, they need to eat the veggies first. Often times, kids know if they don’t eat their veggies they will just get a snack later on so they will put up the fight.

Today I want to share 7 healthy back to school lunches to make for your kids. These lunches are balanced and will help your child develop healthy eating habits.

Healthy School Lunches

These are actual lunches I make for my girls. Feel free to mix and match or substitute your child’s favorite fruits/veggies. For each lunch I aim for: 1 fat + 1 protein + 1 carb + 1 fruit + 1 treat (this isn’t everyday).

Wrap with nut butter +  chia seeds + banana slices + honey, blueberries, bell peppers + snap peas, and a piece of dark chocolate

Tortilla Encrusted Chicken Tenders, snap peas + grape tomatoes, celery + almond butter + mini chocolate chips, and cantaloupe + blueberries. 

Siete Almond flour wrap with nut butter + berries + granola, apple slices, snap peas, and hard-boiled egg.