Did you hear that? It's the school bell! Time to get your game plan together for packing stress free school lunches that are easy, delicious, nutritious and
fun (don't forget that part, it aids in digestion). Fortunately, we know the keys to successfully packing school lunches: information, organization and preparation--although the best sandwich bread and cookie recipes help, too (we've listed them below).
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Pretzel Pigs in a Blanket are lunchbox ready: just pack some dipping sauce![/caption]
Check Your School's Guidelines
First, check your school's guidelines to see what they do and don't allow: for example, if your school district has outlawed peanuts and peanut butter, it's time to load up on almond or other nut butters.
Second, look at your child's schedule and see how long they have to eat lunch. If it's 15 minutes, you'll want to focus on food that is quick and easy to eat: sliced apples, ham roll ups, etc. You'll also want to note what time lunch is. Years ago, I had the bright idea to freeze my son's juice boxes to keep his lunches cool. The problem? His lunch was at 11:15 am, so his juice didn't have enough time to thaw so he could drink it!
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These Gluten Free Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies are incredible! Photo by Sarena Shasteen.[/caption]
Pull Together Your Equipment
I'm a big fan of partitioned, lidded lunch boxes that nest inside each other--I've used
EasyLunchboxes for many years (note: not an affiliate link or official endorsement by Bob's Red Mill). I find it's much quicker to fill each compartment and snap on the lid than bag everything in individual plastic bags, and it's less wasteful, too.
However, there are many choices when it comes to lunchboxes: mini coolers, traditional metal or plastic lunchboxes, insulated bags, bento boxes and more. Don't forget a thermos! They're great for ice-cold smoothies or piping-hot soup or leftovers. Whatever you use, be sure to label everything with your child's name.
If you're packing items that need refrigeration, keep a selection of cold packs on hand. What needs to be kept cold?TheFDA says, "Stick to the 'two-hour rule' for leaving items needing refrigeration out at room temperature. Never allow meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, or produce or other foods that require refrigeration to sit at room temperature for more than two hours." If outside temperatures soar above 90F, use the one-hour rule instead.
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Lemony Chicken Barley Soup is wonderful for a chilly day. Photo by Elisha Joyce.[/caption]
Talk to Your Child
You can pack whatever you want in your child's lunch (within reason), but it's best if it's food they'll actually eat! Talk with your child: ask their likes and dislikes, invite them to brainstorm ideas with you, and let them help pack! Getting your child's buy-in can help motivate them to eat those well-planned lunches.
Have a Backup Plan
Even if you intend to pack your child's lunch every day, all year long, things happen. Life gets busy. You could come down with the flu. Or maybe it's pizza day! Make sure you investigate the school lunch program and get set up to catch those days that may fall by the wayside.
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Make Tomato Basil Lentil Salad for the week! Photo by Julie Garner.[/caption]
Become a Prepper
Set yourself up for success on Sunday: cut up fruit and veggies for the week and store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator. You can even make simple sandwiches like peanut butter and jelly and ham and cheese ahead of time--just leave off items like tomato slices or lettuce, which can wilt and make things soggy. If you're planning on packing grain bowls, cook your grains and do the prep for your add-ins and sauces.
No-Recipe School Lunches
DIY "Lunchables": The main reason Lunchables took off in the '80s and '90s is simple--kids love to "make" their own lunches! You can create a more nutritious version with low-sodium lunch meat, cheese, whole grain crackers and fruit. Or pack hummus, veggie sticks and pita bread. Another popular option is make-your-own pizza: make socca in a muffin pan (find the recipe below) and pack tomato sauce, shredded cheese, and other toppings like pepperoni and olives.
Leftovers: This is a wonderful way to reduce food waste and simplify school lunches. Many dishes taste delicious at room temperature, like pizza or quesadillas, but you can also use a thermos to keep last night's soup, pasta or casserole hot.
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This Gluten Free Sorghum Grain Bowl has a delicious tahini dressing! Photo by Whitney Barnes.[/caption]
Grain Bowls:Follow our
Five Steps to Build a Better Grain Bowl! Grain bowls are soaring in popularity because they're nutritious and easy to customize. Use a partitioned container to pack individual ingredients, and your child can assemble their bowl at the lunch table!
Back-to-School Lunch Recipes
Entrees and Salads
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Eggs, cheese and your kid's favorite add-ins make an easy-to-pack lunch![/caption]
These
Pretzel Pigs in a Blanket are kid-friendly and a snap to toss in a lunchbox. Cocktail franks (or veggie sausages) are wrapped in pretzel dough made with
organic spelt flour. Pack ketchup or BBQ sauce for dipping.
Ham and Asparagus Quiche Cups, courtesy of Annie Holmes from
Maebells,are great to make ahead, plus they're gluten free! Vary the meat, veggies and cheese to keep things interesting.
Does your child require lots of plant-based protein? Try our
Tomato Basil Lentil Salad, packed with fresh tomatoes, fragrant basil and salty feta.
I know I said you don't need a recipe for a good grain bowl, but we'll make an exception forthis hearty
Sorghum Grain Bowl with Tahini Lemon Dressing.
Sweet and Spicy Crispy Chickpeas are tossed with
whole grain sorghum and fresh veggies and drizzled with a nutty tahini dressing.
Crackers and Flatbread
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Make DIY "Lunchables" with these tasty Nooch Crackers! Photo by Julie Garner.[/caption]
These savory
Nooch Crackers are vegan and gluten free! Made with
almond flour and
golden flaxseed meal, these addictive crackers are flavored with
nutritional yeast (aka "nooch"), lemon and kosher salt.
Our
Sunflower Crackers are another lunchbox favorite. Use a food processor to combine sunflower seeds and tapioca flour until they form a fine meal, then mix with salt, baking powder, water and assorted seeds and dried herbs.
Socca is anextremely popular traditional Frenchflatbread made with
garbanzo bean flour: bake it in muffin tins to create lunchbox-sized DIY pizza crusts!
Whip up some homemade
Corn Tortillas for tacos, wraps and more.
Sandwich Bread
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Honey whole wheat bread makes excellent sandwiches.[/caption]
Don't forget the bread! This
Honey Whole Wheat Bread is substantial and full of flavor, perfect for PB & J or even--gasp!--bologna (don't judge me).
Our
Homemade Wonderful Bread Mix makes an easy, excellent loaf of bread, without the gluten. You can mix this by hand or bake it in a bread machine.
Soups
On a brisk winter day, nothing is better than a hot bowl of nourishing soup. Our
Lemony Chicken Barley Soup offers a scrumptious twist on the classic chicken and rice soup, with additional protein and fiber from
pearl barley.
This
13 Bean Chili uses our famous
13 Bean Soup Mix and combines it with ground beef, tomato sauce, onion and spices to create a thick, rich chili.
Our vegetarian, vegan
Quick & Easy Mixed Bean Vegetable Soup also uses our 13 Bean Soup Mix! The combination of dried beans and fresh veggies is full of flavor, protein and fiber.
Cookies
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Don't be afraid! These Monster Cookies are very easy to make (and eat).[/caption]
You can't pack a proper school lunch without cookies! These
Monster Cookies are especially fun for kids, filled with chocolate chips and candy-coated milk chocolate pieces (aka M&Ms).
Give your kids a mid-day energy boost with these
Chocolate Protein Cookies, made with
hazelnut flour, pecans and
coconut. Cocoa powder, brown sugar, honey and vanilla lend incredible flavor.
These
Gluten Free Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies are actually best made a day or two ahead! It gives the creamy peanut filling time to set, uniting cookies made with our Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, rolled oats and more peanut butter. Can easily be made vegan!
Are you ready for the school year to begin? What was your favorite brown-bag lunch when you were a kid? Post it below!