Brown Bag Lunches

Brown Bag Lunches: Kids Will Love These Ideas & So Will You

For kids, one of the highlights of the school day is eating lunch with friends. That lunch would be better if it were something that they actually wanted to eat. Here are some ideas for packing brown bag lunches kids will gladly carry to school.

Have you seen the old commercial where the kid looks in his lunch bag each morning and frowns, “Tuna fish again?” it’s hilarious but exemplifies a true fact - kids are visual. They like variety, especially once they reach a certain age. Satisfy that need with a wide array of choices for sandwiches, snacks, and drinks in their lunch bag.

Remember that kids don’t normally have a lot of time to eat. They need a nutritious meal but time is of the essence. Brown bag lunches that provide what they need with very little preparation get a “10” in my book.

Younger kids love finger foods. They can eat a lot, talk, and get stuffed all at the same time. Crackers shaped like nuggets or sticks paired with cheese sticks provide easy to open goodness for any child. Sandwiches cut into four or more pieces let them eat as much or as little as they want.

Older kids appreciate sandwiches. Finger foods probably won’t fill their hunger, so a sandwich of some kind impresses them. Wraps, pita sandwiches, soups, and even leftovers make positive lunch options.

Middle or high school kids lack a refrigerator but many school cafeterias will have a microwave. Heating up leftovers is easier for them. Slicing the food into smaller bits requires less microwaving time. Depending on what it is, they might like to eat it at room temperature too.

Adding a fresh fruit salad or a small green salad won’t upset your kids. In fact, baby carrots, broccoli, and cucumbers dipped in ranch dressing appeals to most children. Fruit can be eaten with fingers and shared with friends. Add a cup of peanut butter for dipping and they’ll be even more pleased. Good nutrition is important for everyone.

What else do kids like? The snack included in a brown bag lunch complements the sandwich. For example, since a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is already sweet, choose a bag of pretzels or another salty snack. Mixing flavors allows each one to be tasted individually. It’s like when you eat a donut and drink coffee. The coffee doesn’t taste as sweet after a bite of donut.

Kids are not so hard to please as long as you let them sample a variety of foods. This way, they get used to healthy foods as well as a few sweets every now and again. Opportunity for mixing and matching abound when you prepare brown bag lunches for your kids. Experiment with various items to find the perfect lunches that your kids will love.