Healthy Lunch Ideas

What do you do if you find that your kid is bringing home lunch boxes full of food or food that is barely touched? First, don’t panic; this is a very common problem and as your next step, you could try out some of the lunch ideas for kids that are given below! Remember that kids get bored eating the same food. The best way to get your children to eat is to make the food look appealing and interesting. For instance, use cookie cutters to cut out sandwiches into various shapes.

Use a different filling every day. Some other great lunch ideas for school include making mini pizzas with healthy toppings. Alternatively, you can also pack apple slices with a peanut butter dip. Tortillas filled with Chicken Caesar salad or sausage and mushroom are good ideas as well.

Bringing your own packed lunch to work is a great way of saving time, money and also calories. Most of us are too busy at lunchtime to enjoy a healthy meal and end up ordering our favorite burger instead. Instead of piling on the pounds, use one of the great healthy lunch ideas for weight loss that are given below. Make a delicious chicken and lettuce salad or opt for a homemade vegetarian burger. Or you can grill or boil some fish and store them overnight. Heat the fish in the morning and add to a sandwich or to some rice. If you do choose to eat out at lunch time, keep the following healthy lunch ideas for eating out in mind. Sandwiches are a good option but be careful of the type of meat you choose as well as the condiments. Choose lean meats and healthy options like mustards. Salads are good too but avoid the dressings if you can.

School Lunch Ideas

It is difficult enough to think of what lunches to pack for your children each day. More so if you are vegetarian or your child is fussy about food. However, there are ways to get around such children. Try out some of the school lunch ideas for picky eaters. Kids love pasta so use just plain cheese or tomatoes to make them. Buy whole grain burgers and stuff them with either chicken or vegetables. Make a fruit salad as most children love fruits. Some school lunch ideas for vegetarians include making mini pizzas with vegetarian salami or pepperoni slices, grilled cheese sandwiches, vegetarian pastas and so on.

Healthy Lunch Ideas for Work

Here are some easy recipes for healthy lunch ideas for work. Salads are quick to make and taste great as well. You can mix raw or cooked vegetables with some grilled or boiled meat, add a dash of salt and pepper and serve it with mustard or mayonnaise. Chicken or beef jerky, walnuts, almonds and even soy nuts are good options as well. Another alternative is to take along soups. You can find many easy recipes for soups either online or in books. Take along some fresh fruit for lunch if you are in a hurry and are unable to fix yourself a meal. You can even munch on some dried fruit, which is sweeter than fresh fruit.

School Lunch

One of the most important points to keep in mind while making a menu for a school lunch is that is must be innovative and interesting. Children get bored of seeing the same food every week. Here are some ideas or ways that you can get them to eat. For instance, make homemade pizzas and then use tomato sauce to make a smiley face. Smuggle in vegetables they do not relish into the pizza by cutting them up small and camouflaging them under the cheese. Use a star shaped cookie cutter to cut out pieces of cheese. Add this with some fruit and you have a healthy lunch that is sure to be enjoyed. Unhealthy school lunches are a matter of concern the world over. Parents should encourage their children to eat healthy foods and to avoid junk foods. Nutrition should be of primary importance when planning school lunches. Kids should be encouraged to eat meals that contain meat, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Fried foods, fast foods, and so on should be avoided at all costs. If you are packing your kid’s school lunch, include healthy options like baked chips, pure fruit juices, and homemade biscuits and so on. It is extremely important to keep track of your child’s eating habits. Unhealthy eating can make him/her obese. Start off by explaining why certain foods are unhealthy and the dangers that they carry with them.

Easy Lunch Recipes

Kids definitely enjoy food they have helped to make. Here are some easy lunch recipes for kids to make at home. These recipes can be used for teenagers as well. Take one large flour tortilla, some cream cheese, lettuce and 3-4 slices of roast beef. Simply get the child to spread the cream cheese on the tortilla, then the slices of roast beef and finally the lettuce. Roll it up and your lunch is ready to go. Another easy recipe is to toss leftover chicken in barbecue sauce and add it with some carrots to a burger. These are simple and fun to make recipes that the kids will both enjoy to make and eat. Here are some good and healthy lunch ideas for kids at home. Most kids love sandwiches so try and make them interesting for them to eat. As mentioned earlier, cut out different shapes with cookie cutters. Or you can even cut them into bite size squares or triangles. Experiment with different types of breads (English muffins, pita bread, whole grain bread, banana bread and so on) and with various types of filling as well. You can even make a sandwich out of peanut butter, jelly and banana bread. Pasta salads made with low fat cheese or lean meat or chicken are delicious as well. Throw in some sweet corn, chopped ham, cheese, lettuce, bits of hard boiled egg and your kids are sure to enjoy the treat. Fried rice is another all time favorite which can even be made with leftover white rice, ham/chicken and a few vegetables.

Submitted on June 20, 2011