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Lunch Box Ideas

School has begun and that means a packed lunch is required (not that we really got a break from that since E had four weeks of summer camp where we needed to make him a lunch).

Last year, E's lunch featured a lot of ham and cheese sandwiches.  This year he has informed me that he wants less sandwiches, and definitely no cheese ones.  I've also been informed he is not interested in the same thing two days in a row. So I am searching for some more exciting ideas.

We are very lucky because E is not a picky eater (except for his current stance on the sandwiches), and he eats well so usually whatever we pack gets eaten.

Some ideas I have come up with so far:

- Pizza pasta salad
- Chick pea, feta and tomato salad
- Mini-quiches (I can make these ahead and freeze them)
- Quesadillas
- Leftovers that can be kept warm in his thermos
- Hummus spread on a wrap with vegetables rolled up
- Sunflower seed butter and banana
- Falafel and pitas with tzatziki sauce

Also, aside from the usual fruit and cut up vegetables, I want to make more fun (and healthy) cookies, breads, and muffins that he can take.  I also bought a bunch of different dried fruit and seeds (and added coconut flakes and chocolate chips) for our own nut-free trail mix.  We combined it all in a big container so it will be easy to grab. This cookie was a special treat for the first day of school, baked by Bake Sale. I really try to avoid crackers, pretzels, apple sauce, granola bars and other processed foods, but sometimes they are an easy addition to the lunch bag when you are running low on fresh whole foods.  I have heard that there is a milk program at the school so I'm hoping to order some milk for E.  We also have the Lunch Lady program on Fridays. Some of his favourites include the Farm Plate, Pierogies, Baked Chicken Fingers, Pancakes with Yoghurt and Berries, Grilled Cheese Sandwich, and Macaroni and Cheese.  We will be participating in this program again this year.

Good luck with your lunch boxes, parents!! Leave any other ideas in the comments. ﻿
 Labels: Food, Kids, lunch ideas, school days