6 Healthy Lunch Box ideas

My oldest son started first grade last week and I didn’t realize how excited I was to pack a lunch box for him each day. It seriously has been a fun thing for me. Now you might want to ask me how much I love it in a few months, but for now it’s something fun and new and we have both been enjoying coming up with combinations of healthy food. I am blessed to have kids who love fresh fruits and veggies and will eat (or at least try) everything in front of them so these lunch box ideas might not suit everyone, but I hope you can find some inspiration for something. Also, I am all about QUICK, healthy, colorful meals. I don’t spend time shaping his sandwiches into favorite characters or using cookie cutters to make his food into shapes, not that that’s bad because I think it’s awesome and fun, I just don’t have time for that every day. I’m all about quick.

Here’s his lunch for the first 6 days of school. I’ll probably add a few more posts of lunch box ideas as I make more.

 

 

Day 1: Turkey, cheese, and spinach sandwich on multi-grain rounds from Costco (these are awesome because they are the same shape as the deli meat and cheese so it makes them a little easier to handle for little kids), mandarin, grapes, pistachios, gogurt, and a few coconut pieces for a sweet treat.

 

 

Day 2: Sandwich kabobs (these were his favorite, you’ll notice he has them twice in one week), fruit cup, apple, and carrots.

 

 

Day 3: Peanut butter and jelly sushi (another favorite), mandarin, carrots, mini bell peppers, string cheese, and a fruit leather for a sweet treat. To make the sushi cut the crusts of a piece of bread and roll it out flat with a rolling pin or drinking glass. Add some peanut butter and jelly and roll (don’t roll too tight or you will squish jelly everywhere….believe me.) Cut the roll into four pieces.

 

 

Day 4: romaine salad with carrots, bell pepper, and almonds (yes, I’m the mean mom that sends my son with a salad…he ate the whole thing though), sliced strawberries, gogurt, and ants on a log (peanut butter on celery with raisins on top).

 

 

Day 5: Sandwich kabobs, cantaloupe, carrots, celery, and apple sauce. Friday is treat day so he also had a cookie in this lunch. I just forgot about it the night before and had to pick one up at 7-11 on the way to school. Apparently Friday treat day is a special day. 🙂

 

 

Day 6: Turkey sandwich, celery, sliced mini cucumbers, awesome plums from our tree (they are so tiny we’ve nick named them grape plums), gogurt, and coconut.

Now give me some of your ideas. What do your kids like in their lunches?

14 comments
Add a comment...

Your email is never published or shared. Required fields are marked *

  • Megan

    I love all of these lunches! For the pb&j sushi, even quicker than using flattened bread is to make them on whole wheat tortillas. No flattening required.ReplyCancel

  • I send my son with salad too and he eats it too! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Awesome ideas. Thanks! Pinned. (-:ReplyCancel

  • Awesome ideas. Thanks! Pinned. (-:

    I am wondering where you got the yellow green and orange cupcake holder looking plastic things you have stuff in. I really like them!ReplyCancel

    • Melissa Hadfield

      Misty,
      I got the cupcake holders in the dollar section of Target. I think I bought them around back-to-school time so they might have them now. They have been so great for the lunchbox!ReplyCancel

  • Dawn

    All those healthy foods and then a gogurt?ReplyCancel

  • Audrey

    Man, do I wish I could send almonds / peanut butter / pistachios to school! It’s been two years since you posted this, would love to hear an update.ReplyCancel

    • Kaede

      Wow where do you live that you can send peanuts and peanut butter to school????ReplyCancel

      • Melissa Hadfield

        I lived in Utah and now in Alaska and my boys have been able to bring peanut butter for lunch in both states. I love peanut butter sandwiches because they’re fast and my kids can make them, but I understand why they aren’t allowed. I haven’t ever had to research this, but are there other nut butters that are approved alternatives to peanut butter?ReplyCancel

    • CJ

      My son’s school allows peanut products. His lunch treat is usually dark chocolate almonds. ReplyCancel

  • shell

    Hi. These are great ideas! What container and lunch bag do you use? Thanks!ReplyCancel

  • Colleen

    Regarding salads: another option is a chef’s salad with lettuce or spinach leaves, hard boiled egg cut up, ham cut into chunks, cheese, tomatoes…add pineapple or apple chunks.ReplyCancel

  • Colleen

    Can also make fruit kabobs

    another option is a chef’s salad with lettuce or spinach leaves, hard boiled egg cut up, ham cut into chunks, cheese, tomatoes…add pineapple or apple chunks.ReplyCancel

welcome

MyMommyStyle Meet Camille

Hello! I am Camille, a wife, mother of four, Disney obsessed, certified teacher, and reality optimist. Motherhood comes with its ups and downs, and I hope while you're here you'll find something that makes your #momlife easier!

browse

join me on instagram

OUR VERY

LATEST

READ MORE
Embrace the Mom You AreMy Mommy Style

join me on instagram

Embrace the Mom You AreMy Mommy Style
B

AS SEEN ON

8146821 f19d54f5