Kids Lunch Ideas for Active Kids

Blog: Kids Lunch Ideas for Active Kids

Breakfast and Lunch are just as important as Dinner but how come there is so little emphasis focused on these meals? Whether it is time management or simply because you need some ideas and inspiration, we hope that we can help your little ones enjoy their lunch a little more.

All kids need a nutritious lunch however; our little playmakers need more fuel then your average child. Most Playmaker Kids play multiple sports, play sports during their lunch break, and play sports after school or they are involved in other extra curricular activities and many kids have not only one but two sports practices after school in one evening, and this is all before they do their homework.

You can use the following list to come up with your own lunch ideas any time you need help getting out of a “lunch rut.”  The other thing I find helpful is to ask friends what their “boring” lunches are – even if it’s there “boring”, it’s usually a new idea to you.

Simple is fine.  Some of the lunches my kids like best are just cut up pieces of meat, veggies and fruit.  It still feels like a meal when it’s presented as one.

Main Meal:

• Left Overs - Brainstorm dinners or breakfasts that make good lunch leftovers like quiche, pancakes that you can make into a nutbutter (peanut butter/ almond butter) sandwich, meatballs, roast chicken, or flank steak.
• Sushi- Deconstructed. You can easily layer rice, teriyaki chicken (or tofu), with some grated carrot and soy sauce.
• Lunch Roll-Ups – Use lunchmeat as the outside and roll in sliced veggies like avocado, bell peppers or spinach. 
• Soups such as split pea, ham and bean or chicken and vegetable can be sent in a thermos.
• Make up a container of cooked chicken then use it through-out the week with various sauces- BBQ, Pesto, etc.
• Salmon, Chicken or Tuna Salad can be simple with just the meat and mayo, or dress it up with nuts, cranberries, cut veggies.  Serve it with lettuce, crackers or avocado.
• Hard Boiled Eggs
• Plain items: Cheese, beans, yogurt, chunks of chicken…

Veggies

• Easy to pack veggie ideas: baby carrots, grape tomatoes, broccoli florets, garbanzo beans (yes, I know it’s a legume…) cucumber slices, green beans, snap peas, bell pepper slices
• Include a Dip like hummus
• Some kids like frozen peas or beans cold.
• Salads that use cabbage, broccoli slaw, or shredded carrots can hold up until lunch without wilting
• Cutting food into interesting shapes like strips or cubes can make it seem new or different.  Kids love shapes and sizes.

Fruits:

• Mini fruit kebabs on toothpicks
• Apples or bananas with nutbutter
• Any in season fruit
• Simple fruit salad sprinkled with coconut shreds
• Frozen blueberries
• Dried fruit and nuts
• Fruit leathers (natural-no sugar added)

Extras:

• Muffins can be made pretty low sugar with whole grains and can be frozen in batches.
• Homemade Healthy Cookies
• Rice Pudding tastes delicious cold with a fruit chutney mixed in
• Low-Sugar Muesli Bars
• I think of this as a treat category

Good luck on your lunch meal planning!  Remember it’s ok to make it simple, and repetition feels safe and comfortable to our kids.  It doesn’t have to look perfect to be a good meal.

Inspiration Photos: