Lunch Ideas for School

Obesity has become a problem not just among adults, but also with school going children. The main culprit behind this is unhealthy eating habits. These days, most parents have a busy schedule, because of which, they do not have time to monitor what their kids have for lunch at school. Due to this, many children tend to indulge in fast foods like burgers, pizzas, french fries, etc., on a daily basis.

Though some children receive lunch from their school, the nutritional value of these foods are quite debatable. Moreover, as the school lunch is not a favorite among children as much as the taste is concerned, it is likely that they opt for their favorite fast foods. This has become a great concern among parents because too much of fast foods is not good for the kids' health and has become a cause for many serious health ailments in children. Hence, it is important that kids eat meals that are healthy and nutritious.

Though parents are able to watch their kid's eating habits at home i.e., during breakfast and dinner, what he/she eats at school usually goes uncontrolled. This can be totally avoided by making sure that they pack lunch for their kid. Nowadays, both parents go to work, and making lunch in the morning can seem to be a hassle. However, this is not as difficult as people think and can be made with proper planning. Here are some lunch ideas for children that can be prepared easily as well as quickly.

Preparing Healthy Lunch for Kids

As children can be very choosy about what they eat, parents usually find it difficult to feed them a nutritious meal. However, with a little bit of creativity and intelligent planning, you can actually provide your child with a healthy meal that he/she will surely love. It is also important to add variety to the lunch so your kid will look forward for having a lunch that is brought from home. If you do not have the time to cook lunch in the morning, using leftover food for your child's lunch is also a healthy idea. If you are finding it hard to think about new and innovative lunch ideas, here are some simple recipes that you can prepare in no time. What is more interesting is that some of these lunch ideas can be easily prepared by the kids themselves.

Sandwich with Ham and Vegetables

The good thing about sandwiches is that they can be made easily with the leftover food at home. Although making this sandwich with ham is the best option, you can also make it with chicken or by grilling vegetables like mushrooms, tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant and even sprouts available at home.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked ham, finely chopped
• 12 slices bread
• 1 teaspoon onion, grated
• 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• Butter- as required for the bread

Directions

Take the finely chopped ham, celery and onion in a medium-sized mixing bowl and combine them with mustard and mayonnaise. Mix well and set aside. Spread butter on a slice of bread and fill it with the salad mixture. Place another slice of bread over it and cut them diagonally before packing.

Bean Salad

Salads are also great lunch ideas for kids and can be made in very less time. Just like sandwich filling, even salads can be made by mixing different types of dishes found in your refrigerator like salad made with fruits, meat, vegetables, pasta, rice, etc.

Ingredients

• 16 ounces kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1½ tablespoon while wine vinegar
• 2 apples, chopped
• 1/4 cup mild green chillies, chopped
• 1½ tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
• Salt - as per taste
• Dash of hot sauce

Directions

In a mixing bowl, mix beans, celery, chillies, green onions and apples. Add hot sauce, salt and vinegar oil to this mixture and mix well. Cover the bowl with a lid and keep it in the refrigerator for half an hour. This can also be made at night and packed for lunch on the next day to save time.

Tortilla Wrap

If your child is bored of eating sandwiches all the time, surprise him with a tortilla wrap for lunch next time. Here is a tortilla wrap recipe that your child will definitely love.

Ingredients

• 25 cm large flour tortilla
• 3 teaspoons Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup baby spinach leaves
• 3 teaspoons red onion, chopped
• 2 ounces cooked turkey, sliced
• 1 ounce Cheddar or Swiss cheese, sliced
• 3 teaspoons mayonnaise
• 2 thin slices, tomato
• salt and pepper- as per taste

Directions

Combine mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese in a mixing bowl and set aside. Take a tortilla (flavored or regular) and spread this mayonnaise and cheese mixture evenly over it. Fill one third of the tortilla with turkey, sliced cheese, tomato slices, spinach and red onion. Sprinkle little salt and pepper over it and roll the tortilla tightly. Chop them into half and pack them in the lunch box.

Apart from these foods, you should also encourage your child to drink milk or fruit juices during lunch hour to ensure that he/she does not indulge in carbonated drinks. Apart from these, I am sure you can come up with your own ideas as well. Another important thing that one has to remember is that you should keep in mind your child's likes and preferences while packing lunch. This does not mean that you have to fulfill all his/her whims and fancies. Rather, just by adding some creativity to the foods that they like, you can come up with lunch ideas that are nourishing as well as delicious.