- Food on Sticks
· Pack with: Rice, sliced cucumbers, mushrooms, sultanas.
2. Nachos
They’re kid favorites for a reason — and contrary to our adult biases, they don’t need to be piping hot to be delicious.
· Pack with: Avocado slices or guacamole, capsicum, carrot sticks, cut grapes.
3. Cold Rolls
Rice paper wrappers or large lettuce leaves make great rolled-up meals that are fun to eat. Fill them with various cold meats and vegetables – don’t forget the rice noodles!
· Pack with: Cubed meat or cheese, sliced capsicum, blueberries.
Think outside the bun! Rolling sliced turkey, ham, or roast beef around cheese sticks, cream cheese, and even greens can change the way your kiddos think about lunch meat.
· Pack with: crackers, celery, cinnamon-sprinkled apple slices.
5. Vegetable Sushi or Onigiri
Using leftover rice and cooked fish from a previous meal, packing sushi for the family can be as easy as making sandwiches — especially if the kids feel like helping.
· Pack with: Sushi condiments, edamame, raspberries/strawberries.
6. Cold Noodle Salads
Try soba with black sesame seeds, or plain udon.
· Pack with: Cubed chicken or tinned fish, snap/snow peas, mandarins.
7. Hummus and Pita Plate
Nine out of 10 kids love a good smear of hummus. Why not make it the star of the show?
· Pack with: Salami, olives, carrots, baby tomatoes, and grapes. (Note that dipping is easier and less messy if you pack the hummus in a separate container.)
Mix the meats, cheeses, and veggies your kids like into plain quinoa or rice and dress lightly.
· Pack with: Popcorn, mixed berries.
9. Breakfast for Lunch
We all secretly love breakfast for dinner, so why not breakfast for lunch? Make extra food when you have time for a nice breakfast on the weekend, and save the leftovers for lunches —think hard-boiled eggs, leftover pancakes...
· Pack with: Sliced strawberries, squeezable yogurt. (Frozen yogurt tubes also make great small ice packs, and typically thaw by lunch.)
10. Leftover Picnic Lunch
If you’d eat it for lunch on the weekend, why not pack it in a lunch box? Because nothing beats a cold chicken leg on a Monday.
· Pack with: Potato salad or coleslaw, watermelon, and a chewy biscuit.
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