We all know how difficult it can be to get back into a routine, especially after summer. Getting the kids back to school while ensuring they bring nutritious, healthy yet yummy lunch and snacks to school can be tricky. But I have just the recipes for you! Not only will your kids love them but you will too. Even teenagers and university students can use these recipes because they are fast, easy and delicious. Here are some snack and lunch ideas that you can pack for kids but also enjoy yourself!

 

Tips for Making Lunches

Freeze drinks the night before

  1. Make a batch snacks such as protein balls or healthy muffins, place in the freezer, can use throughout the week
  2. Give your kids responsibility of packing their own lunch. Give them guidelines on what to pack, make it fun
  3. Cut the sandwich with a cookie cutter, this is way more appealing to your child to eat
  4. Can use cookie cutters on fruits too
  5. Putting food on a stick
  6. Pack lunches in divided lunch boxes to ensure you’re packing a healthy and complete lunch
  7. Have a snack station at home, give them good and healthy options they can choose from

** if you need help, here are some great snack ideas!

Snack Ideas

Dippers (4 different dippers to choose from)

  1. Carrots, celery, add a side of hummus.
  2. Peppers and guacamole
  3. Apple slices and yogurt dip
  4. Crackers and nut butter

Fun-Due Dip

  1. Mix 1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt, 1/3 cup peanut butter, 1 tbsp or to taste
  2. Can serve with the fruit of choice

Fruit kabob

  1. Cut up watermelon, banana, strawberry, grapes and cantaloupe
  2. Create as many kabobs as necessary

Optional: can use fun-due dip on the side

Homemade Granola bars

  1. Mix 2 cups of cooking oats, 1 cup nut butter, ½ cup sliced almonds, ½ cup dark chocolate chips, ¼ cup honey and stir until well combined (add more honey to hold)
  2. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper, and press mixture into the pan
  3. Place in freezer for 45 minutes – 1 hour until firm. Remove the paper and cut into swuare pieces.

Banana sushi rolls

  1. Cut one banana open, spread nut butter all over
  2. Then can add dark chocolate chips, coconut flakes, crushed nuts, chia seeds
  3. Cut into bite sized pieces and serve

Rice cake

  1. Can add nut butter and fruit or hummus and vegetables or turkey slices and some cheese.

Chocolate pudding

  1. Mix 2 large avocados, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, 1/3 cup maple syrup, ¼ cup coconut milk, 2 tsp vanilla extract.

Greens Muffins

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC) and line a muffin tin with liners. Can put coconut oil in the liners to prevent sticking
  2. Blend 1 cup baby spinach, 1 banana, ¼ cup protein powder, dates, and 1/3 cup milk. Blend until smooth, then add 1 egg, 1 cup oats, and 1 tsp baking powder. Blend all together.
  3. Then place batter into the cups. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes

Lunch Ideas

Turkey Hummus Sandwich

  1. Add hummus, turkey or chicken, lettuce, and Dijon mustard to 2 pieces of preferable gluten-free toast

Sweet tortilla

  1. Add 2 tbsp of nut butter, ½ banana, and some cinnamon. Then fold the tortilla in half

Salad Pita

  1. Add 1 cup cooked chickpeas, cucumber, and coconut yogurt to whole wheat pita.

Pizza

  1. Add ½ ricotta cheese, marinara sauce, tomato and pepperoni to either an English muffin or whole wheat pita

Egg salad

  1. Peel eggs and separate the whites from the yolk, and mash one half of an avocado into a bowl
  2. Mix the two yolks to the mashed avocado and add mayo mustard salt and pepper.
  3. Can add this to whole-wheat toast or pita or eat as a salad
  4. In another bowl, chop the remaining yolk and white together. With the remaining half of the avocado, cut it into squares. Sprinkle both the white & yolk along with the avocado squares over the top of the toast.

Pasta

  1. Use ½ a serving of either whole grain pasta, lentil pasta, rice pasta, or quinoa pasta
  2. Then mix another half of zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash
  3. Toss tomato sauce, cherry tomatoes, and baby spinach
  4. Optional: add some parmesan

Pasta fried rice

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 cup orzo, cook for 12 minutes.
  2. Add ½ cup edamame, ½ cup corn, ½ cup carrots. cook 2-3 minutes more, or until pasta is tender. Then drain.
  3. Add scrambled egg, green onions, and sesame dressing.
  4. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Crust-less quiches

  1. Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line muffin tray with baking cups
  2. Sautee 5 green onions and 3-4 handfuls of spinach,
  3. Then crack 7 eggs into a large bowl and whisk until eggs are fully blended
  4. Stir in 2 cups of shredded cheese, salt, pepper, and sautéed vegetables into the egg mixture
  5. Place into a muffin tray and bake for 20 minutes

2 After School Snack Specials

Blueberry yogurt bombs (after school)

  1. Dip each berry into yogurt using a toothpick
  2. Place berries on a parchment paper and place into freezer for about an hour

Mango Popsicle (more of an after school treat)

  1. Blend the 2 cups mango and 3/4 cup coconut milk in a blender
  2. Scoop the mixture into paper cups
  3. Then add ¼ coconut milk to fill the remaining gaps of the mixture
  4. Insert a popsicle stick to each mixture and freeze for 4 hours

If you give any of these a try let me know in the comments below!