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A kid-friendly lunchbox needs to be easy to eat in a short amount of time, so they can get energized and get back to learning and playing.
We turned to two of our regular contributors who are parents to put together a lunchbox they’d make for their own kids. There are foods their kids will eat — and love — providing the protein, healthy fats, and nutrients they need to power through their school day. These boxes are also packed with goodies that are healthy for the planet!
Dip and Dunk
This concept makes healthy eating interactive and fun.
By Justin McChesney-Wachs
What to Include
- Hummus: Buy it for convenience or easily make your own with just six ingredients: chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and salt. Kids love helping with the food processor!
- Chips: Pita chips, pretzel chips, and whole grain crackers are great options.
- Sliced carrots and cucumber: These are perfect for dipping and offer a refreshing crunch.
- Cheese slices or cubes: This is an easy-to-grab protein.
- Seasonal fruit: Apple slices, garden strawberries, cherry tomatoes, peach wedges, and blueberries are faves.
- Meat stick: Choose a planet-friendly option like Chomps (available on Amazon), which offers grass-fed beef, antibiotic-free turkey, and lots of flavors.
- Yogurt-covered fruit: We like Probiotic Strawberry Yoggies.
Tips from my experience:
- Invest in quality containers. Go zero plastic and zero waste with a reusable metal lunch container like PlanetBox that will last for years — and kids love taking them to school. Use smaller containers for separating foods, decorate with magnets, and enjoy easy cleanup since they’re dishwasher safe.
- Shop together. Bring your kids to the store and have them help write the shopping list and pick out fruits and vegetables. They’ll feel more invested and excited to eat what they helped choose.
- Prep for the week. Spend Sunday evening washing and cutting vegetables, portioning out snacks, and setting up containers for easy assembly each morning (or the night before).
- Keep variety within themes. Stick with a similar concept for the week (like “Dip and Dunk” or “Roll It Up”) but vary the fruits, vegetables, and main ingredients each day to keep things interesting.
Roll It Up
This concept is a fun alternative to a sandwich.
By Nicole Litvack
What to Include
- Roll-Ups With Egg, Turkey, and Asparagus: This quick, protein-packed wrap is perfect for breakfast or lunch. Warm a tortilla or flatbread in a pan before scrambling eggs. Then layer some shredded cheese, eggs, turkey, and cooked asparagus (season with salt and pepper if desired), and roll tightly. Cook gently until the cheese melts and the outside is golden, and then cut to serve warm or cold.
- Blanched string beans with an herby yogurt dip: Slice up your favorite raw veggies or quickly blanch heartier ones like green beans or asparagus (drop veggies in boiling water for 1 to 3 minutes before transferring to an ice bath or running under cold water to preserve a crisp crunch). Serve with a salty herby yogurt dip of plain yogurt or labne mixed with lemon juice, salt, and fresh garden herbs. Favorites include parsley, dill, chives, and mint.
- Sliced apple: Plain and simple, fresh apples are available all year long and the kiddos love ’em. In the summer when stone fruit is abundant and exceptional, offer that instead. Sliced pears are another welcome option in the late summer and fall months.
- Homemade granola bar: This is the original version, but go with any flavor your little one loves.
From Garden to Mouth
By utilizing garden veggies and herbs, kids can participate in every step — planting, growing, harvesting, and eating! — and it makes them an extra-special treat.
