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Finally – A new school year! And a new plan to keep your kids lunch boxes ideas healthy, fun, and taste good. If you’re anything like me, you’ve seen all these lunch box ideas scattered across Pinterest that look beautiful. But you are keenly aware of 2 things: 1) your kid will never eat it; and 2) when you attempt to make the lunch, it will look like a mess… nothing like the Pinterest picture.
This year, I don’t know about you, but I am determined to have my kids eat healthier. Here are the rules for my kids’ lunch box ideas:
- It must have some protein.
- It must have a carbohydrate.
- It must have a fruit.
- It must have a vegetable.
- Can’t take me a ton of time to prepare (I’ve got 3 lunches to pack, people!)
- Most importantly – the kids will eat it!!!
If you are struggling to not only feed your kids lunches on a budget but also dinners. Then you need to check out this amazing free meal plan that I offer!
With that in mind, ALDI (again) comes to the rescue. If you’ve never shopped at ALDI, check out my video on How to Shop at ALDI below.
Their selection of fresh fruits, dairy and cheeses, and bread/crackers is what most of these lunches are based on. Now keep in mind, these are the types of lunches that my kids will eat. Yours might not – but hopefully this can give you some fresh ideas on preparing lunch for your kids in a fun way!
Lunch #1: Italian Awesome
- Carb: Savoritz Original Woven Wheat Baked Crackers
- Fruit: Strawberries
- Vegetable: Red Peppers
- Dip: Fit & Active Fat Free Ranch Dressing
- Dairy: PrianoFresh Mozzarella, sliced
- Meat: Mama Cozzi’s Original Pepperoni
- Snack: SimplyNature Raspberry Flavored Fruit Strips
Lunch #2: Mediterranean Fun
- Carb: liveGfree Gluten Free Sea Salt Multiseed Crackers
- Fruit: Grapes
- Vegetable: Red Peppers, Celery
- Dip: Little Salad Bar Classic Hummus
- Dairy: Happy Farms Colby Jack Cheese Sticks
- Meat: Never Any! Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
Lunch #3 & 4: Sandwich on a Stick (Ham or Turkey)
The trick with these little sandwiches is small wooden skewers. Your kids can either eat them as sandwiches, or pull them apart piece by piece.
- Carb: L’oven Fresh 100% Whole Wheat Bread
- Fruit: Clementines
- Vegetable: Lettuce, Cucumber
- Dairy: Happy Farms American Cheese Singles
- Dip: Fit & Active Fat Free Ranch Dressing
- Meat: Never Any! Oven Roasted Turkey Breast or Never Any! Uncured Black Forest Ham
Lunch #5: Classic
I had to include this one since it’s my 11 year old’s favorite. And he also happens to be my pickiest eater. Crackers, cheddar, pepperoni. What’s not to like?
- Carb: Savoritz Wheat Round Crackers
- Fruit: Apple Slices
- Vegetable: Celery
- Dip: Fit & Active Fat Free Ranch Dressing
- Dairy: Happy Farms Deli Sliced Cheddar Cheese
- Meat: Mama Cozzi’s Original Pepperoni
- Snack: Clancy’s Original Potato Chips
Lunch #6: Bagel Beast
If there’s one thing all of my kids can agree on, it’s bagels. They’re good. And they’re really good with cream cheese… and also turkey. This one is Kaylee’s favorite.
- Carb: L’oven Fresh Whole Wheat Mini Bagels
- Fruit: Grapes
- Vegetable: Baby Carrots
- Topping: Happy Farms Cream Cheese
- Dairy: Friendly Farms Cheese Stick
- Meat: Never Any! Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
- Snack: SimplyNature Raspberry Flavored Fruit Strips
Lunch #7: Peanut Butter & Jelly Shapes
I hope it’s not just my kids… well, at least just one of them. My girls LOVE peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. But often it comes back in the lunch uneaten! Maybe it’s a daunting task to eat an entire sandwich. I don’t know…
Anyway, I made it a bit more fun by cutting the sandwiches in fun shapes, and they eat them. Go figure.
- Carb: 2 slices of L’oven Fresh 100% Whole Wheat Bread
- Filling: Peanut Delight Creamy Peanut Butter, Berryhill Grape Jelly – both on the side in small containers
- Fruit: Clementine
- Vegetable: Celery
- Dairy: Happy Farms Deli Sliced Colby Jack Cheese
- Snack: Clancy’s Original Potato Chips
I put these lunch box ideas together because these are fun lunches that are full of things that my kids will eat, and I think yours might too. Keep in mind that not all of my kids will eat all of these. My 11 year old son Andrew, for example, would only eat 1, 5, 6, and 7. But still, 4 lunches that Andrew will eat? That’s a big deal for him.
COMMENTS
Love these! Where did you find the great container?
Go to your dollar tree
I found them at Walmart 🙂
We just moved to Colorado and there are no Aldi’s in Colorado. Do you have any suggestions as to how to possibly get Aldi to come to Colorado?!
Go to Aldi’s website and contact corprate?
I like the idea of this, and these are good ideas, but the photos don’t always match up with the items listed.
Thanks my family loves these ideas. We have been eating them for lunch for the last three months. We have saved so much money packing lunches.
Where did you purchase the little insert rubber food holders?
thee are silicone cupcake liners. i buy mine at walmart in the cake decorating dept. they are under 5.00 for 12. i think laura said she gets the other containers there as well.
Thanks for sharing such great ideas. My favourite would have to be the sandwiches on a stick…will have to try this. My daughter just started kindergarten this week so will put some yummy lunches together from your ideas
Lisa from Australia
Great ideas!
Just a point…vegetables and fruit ARE carbohydrates and naturally packed with nutrients and other important stuff (fiber, vitamins, minerals, electrolytes). I think your intent of the word “carbohydrate” was in reference to starchy foods (chips, crackers, breads, etc.).
Another great addition, would be healthy sources of fat such as:
Almonds (and other nuts), olives, avocado (guac dip!), etc. Of course, that’s assuming the kiddos like them and the school doesn’t have any restrictions (nuts).
I love these ideas but I’m always afraid everything will get mixed up once the lunch box is tossed around in the my daughters back pack. My luck her veggie dressing will end up all over her sandwich kabob! 🙁
how do you keep items cool (dairy)?
I buy those little lunch ice packs. I keep them in freezer to go in lunches each morning. Lay it in the lunch box then add containers/sandwich bags etc on top.
Will be sitting the Grandchildren for a week, so do appreciate these Lunchbox ideas …. .
Thank you! -Brenda-