365 Days of Slow Cooking and Pressure Cooking

Easy slow cooker and Instant Pot recipes for each day of the year

60 Back to School Lunch Box Ideas

Have you felt that feeling in the air? That feeling of fall coming and therefore summer coming to an end? This past week it has been nice and cool here–in the 80s instead of the high 90s. And when I went to the store the other day all the school supplies were out in huge bins and on sale for really great deals. I know that each year as a mom I look forward to the start of school.  I do love summer but it’s always good to get back into a routine and have a normal bedtime again. I also like the fact that someone besides me will be keeping my kids busy for a few hours each day.

A typical packed lunch for my big first grader:  Whole wheat tortilla with cheese, turkey and avocado, string cheese, Del Monte Fruit Squeezer, and some snap peas and ranch dressing.  I usually just pack water for my kids because if I pack some type of “fun drink” they don’t eat their food very well.

Because the neighborhood that I live in has a million kids our school has been terribly overcrowded. They’ve decided to have year-round school so we’ve actually already been back to school for about 2 weeks now. My kids are getting adjusted and I am getting back into actually trying to clean our house and doing little projects as well as keeping up the blog and promoting my new cookbook! It’s been especially weird this year because my youngest child is in the FIRST grade! Crazy times. That means both children are gone for about 7 hours a day. Amazing. I’m trying not to be too happy about it but secretly it has been really nice and peaceful as well as productive so far.
 
One of my son’s most exciting parts of going back to school was that he would get to eat lunch at school! He is a huge lover of all foods and in large amounts. He’s pretty much hungry 24/7. He gets quite angry when he’s not fed so I took precautions. I knew that I would need to make sure to feed him a really good breakfast, pack him a healthy and large lunch and then have yummy and nutritious snacks ready and waiting when he got home each day. So before school started I stocked up on foods that are easy to pack into lunches and that he’ll love. Like string cheese, yogurts, pears, whole wheat crackers, baby carrots, snap peas, puddings, and these tasty Del Monte Fruit Burst Squeezers that I picked up at Walmart.
60 Back to School Lunch Box Ideas
These fruit squeezers and Del Monte’s Fruit Cup Snacks are the perfect size to put into lunches.  Plus they offer nutrition and kids think they are fun to eat!  I like the Fruit Burst Squeezers because some of the flavors include veggies (sneakily) and therefore each serving provides 1 1/2 fruit and veggie servings.
60 Back to School Lunch Box Ideas
60 Back to School Lunch Box Ideas

Skyler’s favorite subject (lunch) has been deemed a success for the past 2 weeks thanks to all the yummy and nutritious foods, like Del Monte Fruit Burst Squeezers, that I’ve put in his lunch.  Here are some of my ideas to help you with your grocery shopping this fall:

60 back to school lunch box ideas



60 Back to School Lunch Box Ideas:

  • Del Monte Fruit Cup Snacks or Fruit Burst Squeezers
  • Cherry tomatoes and ranch
  • Pretzels
  • Ham and pepper jack on whole grain bread
  • Vanilla yogurt
  • Grapes
  • Dried fruit
  • Nuts
  • Baby carrots
  • Hard boiled eggs (or deviled eggs)
  • Strawberries
  • Cucumbers
  • Yogurt covered raisins
  • Dark chocolate covered almonds
  • Rice and beans topped with shredded cheese
  • Whole grain crackers
  • Noodles with marinara sauce
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Cored apple filled with peanut butter
  • Celery sticks
  • Vegetable stir fry
  • Mandarin oranges
  • Cheese and avocado sandwich
  • Bell pepper and hummus
  • Banana
  • Cheese cubes
  • Mini rice cakes
  • No bake granola bars
  • Pizza quesadillas
  • Zucchini muffins
  • Cinnamon apple chips
  • Thermos noodle soup
  • Turkey roll ups
  • Whole wheat pita wedges with hummus
  • String cheese
  • Breadsticks and marinara dip
  • Graham crackers with peanut butter or nutella
  • Pudding cups
  • Tomato soup in a thermos with cheesy breadsticks
  • English muffin
  • Bagel with cream cheese
  • Pineapple chunks
  • Snap peas and ranch
  • Pumpkin bread with cream cheese
  • Cantaloupe
  • Watermelon chunks
  • Chili in a thermos with grated cheddar
  • Blueberries
  • Raisins
  • Ham and cheese tortilla rolled up
  • Granola
  • Nilla wafers
  • Tortilla chips and guacamole
  • Baked oatmeal
  • Corndog muffins
  • Quinoa with dressing
  • Cottage cheese
  • Refried beans and tortilla chips
  • Grilled chicken strips
  • Energy Bites
  • Tuna

 

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Comments

  1. Cyndi Evans says

    We lived in Sacramento CA from 1989-1996 before moving out to PA. We loved Year Round school! I just recently found you and have enjoyed your many recipes! My children are now 33 and 36. Now that I am retired I help more at my church and help others with babysitting! I love children!

    Reply

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