DO: Fun back-to-school lunch ideas...

This would be tough to put in a lunchbox, but it just made me laugh!! :)

The Goal: to get my little guy to eat the healthy food I send in his lunch box (and not have it traded for twinkies!) Loaded in this blog are cute printables to brighten their lunches, as well as tons of great healthy lunch ideas. You are going to want to try this stuff out! I'm so inspired! I hope you will be as well...


MARTHA STEWART

Martha Stewart's printable lunch labels
http://www.marthastewart.com/article/lunch-labels

LIVING LOCURTO

School tags & TONS of free printables for back-to-school

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this website - Living Locurto, they have amazing printables - she is a designer that offers free printables of some of her work. On her recent blog, she rounded up a ton of  back-to-school printables from across the web. I hope you enjoy this link...get printing!!
http://www.livinglocurto.com/2008/09/back-to-school-free-printables-2/



GOOP

wraps are the new sandwiches!! :)

This is Gwyneth Paltrow's site - there are quite a few creative ideas for lunches - some of these are a little too far out for me...but, even if you get one good idea, it's worth it, right??
http://goop.com/newsletter/81/en/


OLIEBOLLEN

Oliebollen.com is a super cute site - they have adorable clothes and cutsie toys...and free printables!! love em!! :)
http://www.oliebollen.com/funstuff/index.html


BENTO BOXES

Bento Boxes - aren't they fun!!??

I cannot believe the unhealthy stuff they feed kids in the school lunchrooms -  invest in some good supplies and send healthy food (FUEL) for your kiddos. One fantastic thing that I am going to try this year is using BENTO BOXES - they are just a japanese divided tray (box) - but they make it so easy to send good healthy foods to school. Wouldn't you LOVE to open up your lunch box and see the lunch above?? How fun! The Bento Box above includes 2 molded rice balls, chicken breasts, sliced green, red & orange peppers, kiwi, mandarin orange pieces, apple slices and a few lettuce and carrot slices slipped in here and there! SUPER FUN! (do a search under bento boxes and you will find gobs of great, healthy ideas for filling them!)

The japanese restaurant supply websites also have some great little containers for keeping all your stuff contained, such as pills, liquids, sauces, etc.
Check this site out...I'm loving it! They also sell Bento Boxes.
http://www.buy4asianlife.com/

I love the individual containers instead of baggies! nice!

Healthy Snacks and Lunches for Kids:

these cuties are from livinglucurto.com!

• Peanut Butter/Almond Butter & Jelly on Whole Grain Bread
• Bagels and Cream Cheese
• Celery Spears/Cucumbers/Carrots and Dip of Choice
• Ants on a Log – celery sticks with cream cheese and raisins
• Freshly Cut Tomatoes
• Pretzels
• Hard Boiled Eggs
• Cheese (and crackers sometimes)
• Cottage Cheese and Peaches/Pears
• Granola
• Sunflower Seeds
• Chicken Caesar Salad (assemble yourself)
• All-natural Lunch Meat with Crackers and Cheese
• Hummus and Pita
• Spanakopita
• Vegetable/Fruit Kababs – spear fresh vegetables with tofu or fruit and cheese
• Anything in a Wrap
• Avocado and Mushroom Sandwich with Dijon mustard and Shredded Cheese
• Baked Potato with Broccoli and Cheese
• Bean and Cheese Burrito
• Annie’s Cheddar or Sour Cream crackers
• Sweet Potato Chips
• Yogurt
• Fruit
  
• 
  
  
  • Grapes
  • Dried or Fresh Strawberries
  • Pineapple
  • Bananas
  • Pears
  • Peaches
  • Blueberries/Raspberries
  • Kiwi
  • Pomegranate (in the winter)
  • Cantaloupe
  • Watermelon
• Fruit/Veggie Breads or Muffins
• Frozen Pancakes or French Toast (put it in the lunchbox frozen, by lunch it’s thawed & ready-to-eat!)

Healthy Thermos Meals for Kids:

• Smoothies
• Rice Pilaf
• Beans and Rice
• Meat and Rice
• Couscous and Vegetables
• Pasta and Garlic and Oil
• Pesto Pasta
• Macaroni and Cheese (We love Annie’s!!)
• Any Soup – chicken, pea, vegetable
• Ham and Beans
• Assemble Yourself Tacos
• Veggie mix in the Thermos (favorite veggies like broccoli, corn, peppers, cauliflower, peas, beans, etc. mixed up, steamed and topped with a bit of cheese of choice)

I am totally going to try kabobs this year - anything on a stick is always more fun! 

This was just the tip of the iceberg of great ideas for back-to-school lunch ideas...I could have gone on FOREVER!! I hope you are inspired to make healthy, pretty & fun lunches for your kids this year. Show 'em a little love in the middle of their day!

Kristen