Well, it’s official. School is now back in session, in one form or another. How have your first couple of days been? I know I love the fact that I get to see my students again, and the sparkle in their eyes that lets me know that they are smiling (even when you can’t always see their smiles). I anticipate you and your child(ren) have had to adjust to some very new ways of “doing” school – some maybe that you appreciate, and others … well … we are all in this together right? This year I am doing things very differently in my classroom – things that I never really thought about or would have imagined doing before all this began.
One thing that I know hasn’t changed is the need for students to eat healthy lunches. Not only do they help replenish the needed energy for students, but good food helps to keep brains learning. Healthy food helps you learn, play and grow is what I always tell my students, especially during my nutrition unit. So this week I thought I would focus on some ideas to help build healthy lunches. The great thing about most of these ideas? They don’t need to be heated up and they can be prepared by your child (they may need an ice pack though). I’ve categorized the different ideas so that you can always mix and match or substitute.
Please remember to check for any food restrictions that your school may have in place (for instance, we are an entirely NUT free school). Also, at times, some schools may not allow peanut butter replacements because it is too difficult for teachers to tell the difference.
Sandwich Replacement Ideas |
Fruits and Vegetables (maybe add a dip) |
Fun Snacks |
Pita bread with hummus dip Turkey and cheese roll ups Crackers with cheese and meat slices Egg salad on a lettuce bed Peanut butter and banana roll-ups Hard boiled eggs Pasta salad Garden salad Rotisserie chicken with BBQ sauce Turkey and cream cheese roll ups Cream cheese and jelly sandwich fries Ham cheese and spinach roll-ups Tortilla chips and salsa |
Cherry tomatoes Grapes Blueberries Cucumbers Carrots Strawberries Raspberries Broccoli Radishes Celery with cream cheese Mini bell peppers Apple slices Cherries Watermelon sticks Clementines or oranges |
Dark chocolate chips Mini muffins Dark chocolate covered raisins Granola Graham crackers Mini oatmeal cookies String cheese Mini cheese wheels
Raisins Apple or banana chips Pretzels Vegetable crisps Trail mix Almonds |