Summer is coming to an end, and this is the time of year that questions start flying about how to pack healthier (i.e., more natural) “kid-friendly” school lunches!!

I hear from so many parents who are willing to put the time and effort into making lunches for their kids to take to school each day….but they inevitably run out of ideas.

Over the next few weeks, I will be compiling here all sorts of ideas for parents to use when packing lunches this school year – ideas from readers, from other blogs…from anywhere I can get my hands on them.

Hey…perhaps you have an idea or two (or suggestions for posts/articles on other sites that I can add to the list below)? Please share your info/ideas in the comments section below, and include as much detail as possible. You’ll be helping SO many other parents. Trust me! 🙂

Alright, so here’s what we’ve compiled, so far. But check back frequently, as we hope to be adding to this list daily! (Please note: I have not personally tried all of these products or recipes; this is simply a compilation of ideas from readers and the Internet. Also, links outside of CompletelyNourished.com likely contain some recipes that are NOT additive-free, so read carefully!)

RECIPES & MEAL IDEAS

• 10 Tips for Packing Additive-Free Lunches – from CompletelyNourished.com
• 15 Ideas for Packing Additive-Free Lunches – my article on NaturalNews.com
• Make-Ahead School Lunches from LifeAsMom.com – be sure to scroll to the end of this article, too, for additional links to readers’ favorite lunch recipes!
• “School Lunch Roundup!” (posted on “100 Days of Real Food” blog) – Includes pictures of 20 complete lunches made my one mom!
• How to Send Smoothies in Your Child’s School Lunch – Click here to check out this great tip posted on the blog “100 Days of Real Food.”
• Six Strategies for Super Healthy Lunches Kids Love! from The Nourishing Home
• 1st Week Back-to-School Meal Plan from The Nourishing Home
• Healthy Homemade “Lunchables” from The Nourishing Home
• Cold, leftover roasted chicken or naked chicken tenders (w/ homemade BBQ or Ranch)
• Cold, leftover meatloaf
• Cold, leftover roast beef
• Cooked shrimp
• Pasta Salad w/ Italian Dressing
• Homemade granola bars
• Make your own peanut butter (some Baker’s stores – and most natural foods stores – have grinders in the bulk food section) and send with celery sticks.
• Hard-boiled free-range eggs.
• Fresh veggies (like bell pepper slices) with homemade hummus

STORE-BOUGHT SHORTCUTS

• Cooked Shrimp (at places like Whole Foods Omaha, you can even find a couple seasoned varieties on the Shrimp Bar that are additive-free and ready-to-eat!)
• Rotisserie chicken (again, at Whole Foods Omaha, you can find chickens in the deli area that are ready-to-eat and very simply seasoned – and ingredients are labelled!) Of course, you can roast your own chicken, but this can save you in a pinch if you’re short on time…or energy!
• Mary’s Gone Crackers
• Mary’s Gone Crackers brand pretzels
• Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
• Dried Fruit – Look for varieties that contain no added sugar, oils, or sulphur dioxide. Trader Joe’s carries a pretty good variety, as do many natural food stores.
• LaraBars
• Foods Alive Flax Crackers
• Trader Joe’s Olive Oil Popcorn – Contains just organic popcorn, extra virgin olive oil, and sea salt
• String Cheese
• Raisins
• Fresh Fruit (Tip about oranges: The rind on clementines is thinner and easier for small kids to peel themselves! Tip for fruits that brown easily – sprinkle with fresh lemon juice to prevent browning.)
• Carrot sticks and other fresh veggies
• Frozen veggies
• Plain potato chips or corn chips – Definitely not a health food; but perhaps a “compromise” choice if you can at least find a brand with basic ingredients
• Canned fruits or applesauce – Some stores (especially health food stores) carry brands with no added sugars or preservatives. Look for brands that contain just fruit (and possibly fruit juice). Pineapple chunks are usually available at most stores.
• Nuts – Look for raw (not roasted) or dry roasted. Only ingredients should be nuts (and possibly salt). These are generally available in the baking aisle of most grocery stores, so don’t panic if you don’t find any in the snack nut section. Nuts are great to combine with raisins (and perhaps the chocolate chips listed above) for a homemade trail mix.
• Organic/no-sugar-added apple sauce from Trader Joe’s.
• Trader Joe’s carries a variety of grass-fed cheeses.
• Some stores carry hard-boiled eggs (yes, already cooked) in the produce or deli department.
• Prepackaged Snacks for School (from “100 Days of Real Food” blog)

EQUIPMENT:

• Easy Lunch Boxes (containers)
• Ziploc Divided Containers
• Norpro Reusable Ice Pop Containers
• PlanetBox – Stainless steel compartment lunch box
• Which Lunch Box Food Storage System is Right for Your Family? from The Nourishing Kitchen

MEAL PLANNING & GENERAL TIPS

• 5 Tips to Simplify Lunch Packing from The Nourishing Home
• 1st Week Back-to-School Meal Plan from The Nourishing Home
• 5 Tips for Creating Healthy Back-to-School Meal Plans from Momables.com

Want more tips for living a healthy & happy life? Be sure to subscribe to our blog in the upper left side bar of our site. 🙂