School may be out for the summer but if you've got kids in day camp chances are good you're still packing lunches.
After ten months of school lunches most kids are tired of sandwiches and even once enjoyed lunch favorites hold little appeal. In my mind, the key to good camp lunches is to think outside the traditional 'lunch' box.
Consider easy to assemble foods, leftovers, creative shapes, pita crisps, and sandwich roll-ups. While I don't encourage my kids to 'play' with their food at the dinner table, I do make an exception for packed lunches.
Here are some fun peanut-free ideas:
Crazy Eights
For this simple lunch idea all you need to do is supply eight of everything. Then pack a lunch note in your child's lunch bag promising a game of Crazy Eights before bed. Here are some menu ideas to get you started - eight pieces each of cheese, pepperoni, crackers, celery sticks, baby carrots, pickles, fruit wedges.
Lunchtime Leftovers
Topping my children's favorite lunch ideas are leftovers. Aside from pizza they like macaroni and cheese, lasagna, and Quesadillas. If you want your child to eat up his lunch look at what he favors at the dinner table. You'd be surprised at what foods he may enjoy cold - spaghetti, tacos, hot dogs, hamburgers etc.
Mystery Lunch
For a young child who loves a good mystery, consider wrapping up his lunch items in foil and making him guess what each individual package holds. Add to the fun by attaching a note or riddle to each mystery package e.g. for broccoli you might want to write, "I am a green vegetable that grows in bunches above ground. I am a good source of iron and fibre."
Creative Shapes
Make the ordinary extraordinary by packing melon balls instead of melon slices or cubes, slicing grapes in half, cutting cucumbers into squares and offering up carrot circles instead of baby carrots or boring carrot sticks. You could also take this idea one step further and include a note that asks your child to count up the number of different shapes in his lunch. Don't forget to include a container of dip.
Sandwich Roll Ups
Make deli rolls by spreading a little mustard onto a soft tortilla and topping with thin slices of salami. Add a strip of cheese and/or a pickle spear. Roll up. Secure with a toothpicks. Eat as is or slice into 1-inch spirals. Or try ham with cream cheese. With so many varieties of cream cheese on the market you can really be creative. Consider grated carrots or diced peppers on a base of vegetable or roasted red pepper cream cheese. What about regular or fruit flavoured cream cheese topped with diced fruit? If you don't have any fruit consider simple jam and cream cheese roll ups.
Pita Crisps
Cut regular sized pitas into wedges and oven bake until crispy. For variety, brush first with oil, a little garlic powder and parmesan cheese or sprinkle on a little water, cinnamon and brown sugar. Serve with a favorite dip, yogurt or apple sauce.
Tic Tac Toe Snacks For a fun snack idea pack your child a small piece of cardboard with tic tac toe grid on it and a snack bag of raisins and sandwich sized bag of Cheerios or round shaped cereal. Encourage your child to keep the game supplies in his knapsack for playing and eating during designated snack times.
As you read above, it only takes a few simple alterations to make your child's lunch more fun and appealing. For more creative ideas and healthy lunch recipes visit [http://www.school-lunch-ideas.com] your one stop resource for healthy school lunches your kids won't trade. In addition to being co-owner of the site Sherrie Le Masurier is a busy mom and lifestyle columnist who believes in eating right. Office lunch box near me trade center.
After ten months of school lunches most kids are tired of sandwiches and even once enjoyed lunch favorites hold little appeal. In my mind, the key to good camp lunches is to think outside the traditional 'lunch' box.
Consider easy to assemble foods, leftovers, creative shapes, pita crisps, and sandwich roll-ups. While I don't encourage my kids to 'play' with their food at the dinner table, I do make an exception for packed lunches.
Here are some fun peanut-free ideas:
Crazy Eights
For this simple lunch idea all you need to do is supply eight of everything. Then pack a lunch note in your child's lunch bag promising a game of Crazy Eights before bed. Here are some menu ideas to get you started - eight pieces each of cheese, pepperoni, crackers, celery sticks, baby carrots, pickles, fruit wedges.
Lunchtime Leftovers
Topping my children's favorite lunch ideas are leftovers. Aside from pizza they like macaroni and cheese, lasagna, and Quesadillas. If you want your child to eat up his lunch look at what he favors at the dinner table. You'd be surprised at what foods he may enjoy cold - spaghetti, tacos, hot dogs, hamburgers etc.
Mystery Lunch
For a young child who loves a good mystery, consider wrapping up his lunch items in foil and making him guess what each individual package holds. Add to the fun by attaching a note or riddle to each mystery package e.g. for broccoli you might want to write, "I am a green vegetable that grows in bunches above ground. I am a good source of iron and fibre."
Creative Shapes
Make the ordinary extraordinary by packing melon balls instead of melon slices or cubes, slicing grapes in half, cutting cucumbers into squares and offering up carrot circles instead of baby carrots or boring carrot sticks. You could also take this idea one step further and include a note that asks your child to count up the number of different shapes in his lunch. Don't forget to include a container of dip.
Sandwich Roll Ups
Make deli rolls by spreading a little mustard onto a soft tortilla and topping with thin slices of salami. Add a strip of cheese and/or a pickle spear. Roll up. Secure with a toothpicks. Eat as is or slice into 1-inch spirals. Or try ham with cream cheese. With so many varieties of cream cheese on the market you can really be creative. Consider grated carrots or diced peppers on a base of vegetable or roasted red pepper cream cheese. What about regular or fruit flavoured cream cheese topped with diced fruit? If you don't have any fruit consider simple jam and cream cheese roll ups.
Pita Crisps
Cut regular sized pitas into wedges and oven bake until crispy. For variety, brush first with oil, a little garlic powder and parmesan cheese or sprinkle on a little water, cinnamon and brown sugar. Serve with a favorite dip, yogurt or apple sauce.
Tic Tac Toe Snacks For a fun snack idea pack your child a small piece of cardboard with tic tac toe grid on it and a snack bag of raisins and sandwich sized bag of Cheerios or round shaped cereal. Encourage your child to keep the game supplies in his knapsack for playing and eating during designated snack times.
As you read above, it only takes a few simple alterations to make your child's lunch more fun and appealing. For more creative ideas and healthy lunch recipes visit [http://www.school-lunch-ideas.com] your one stop resource for healthy school lunches your kids won't trade. In addition to being co-owner of the site Sherrie Le Masurier is a busy mom and lifestyle columnist who believes in eating right. Office lunch box near me trade center.
