Seriously…how does this always happen so fast? Eight weeks gone in a flash!
This means that it’s back to packing school lunches. Let’s simplify that.
The Perfect School Lunch
A perfect lunch is one that satisfies your child feeling full, without leaving them exhausted and ready for a nap. That sounds good. So that means that it cannot be full of processed, sugary snacks or grain based foods.
If you interview a bunch of nutrition clients to see what they were feeding their kids (and themselves) for lunch, across the board their answer will be: Meat, veggies, fruit and healthy fat.
And usually its leftovers from dinner the night before.
Save yourself some time and make extra at suppertime. Then all you need to think about are snacks when you go to put the lunches together.
Containers for School Lunch
You have options here.
Stainless steel containers like Planet Box and Lunchbots are lightweight, eco-friendly, durable and healthy for storing food. They are great and will likely last forever but not surprisingly, they are at higher price point.
Check out Sistema, a BPA free plastic product that has a reasonable price. The containers have a lot of cool dividers so that you can fit more food into each container without having them mix together (think veggies and dip).
A thermos is also a necessary part of a healthy lunchbox. Try this product from Thermos (it comes with a folding stainless steel spoon). Add boiling water to the insulated thermos for about five minutes, then dump out the water and add your heated up food and it keeps warm until lunchtime.
Nut-Free
Most schools are going nut-free now so for those of you who eat a lot of nuts that can feel like a bit of a challenge since a lot of favorite go-to snacks contain nuts.
So you’ll love this Nut Free Trail Mix.
The recipe is in the free meal plan. The idea is that if you choose a random mix of coconut, seeds and dried fruit (and occasionally dark chocolate chips), you can create an awesome little nibbly snack that is full of healthy fat.
So without further ado, five school lunch recipes…
Here are five By Design school lunch ideas to help simplify your life.
School Lunch Box 1
Main: Chicken & Veggie Soup
Snacks:
- Carrots and Sweet Poppy Seed Dressing
- Peaches
- Avocado with Sea Salt
- Yogurt
- Nut Free Trail Mix
School Lunch Box 2
Main: Hamburgers with Organic Ketchup
Snacks:
- Berries with Yogurt and a dribble of Maple Syrup
- Cucumbers and Dip (Homemade Mayo or Tzatziki)
- Apple
- Nut Free Trail Mix
School Lunch Box 3
Main: Grilled Chicken Thighs (Wrap optional)
Snacks:
- Zucchini
- Celery Sticks
- Cheese
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Chocolate Avocado Pudding
- Nut Free Trail Mix
School Lunch Box 4
Main: Turkey Apple Mini-Meatloaves
Snacks:
- Red and Green Peppers
- Cheese
- Grapes
- Apple Sauce
- Nut Free Trail Mix
School Lunch Box 5
Main: B’Eggs
Snacks:
- Broccoli Salad
- Cucumbers
- Pineapple
- Grapes
- Yogurt
- Nut Free Trail Mix
If you have friends and family who are in charge of making lunches, share this little bit of inspiration with them so that they too can see how easy lunches can be.
You can download a free Back To School Meal Plan HERE.
Dr. Derek Gallant
Dr. Derek Gallant has committed himself to helping others live the best life possible. After graduating from Wesleyan University, he received his Doctor of Chiropractic Degree from Life Chiropractic College West where he finished 2nd in his class. He is the owner of Beverly Family Chiropractic and co-founder of The Well Family Foundation. Dr. Gallant is certified through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) in the Webster technique, an analysis focused on assisting pregnant women in a healthy pregnancy and natural birth. He has inspired thousands of people to take control of their own health using the Life By Design method. Apart from full time practice you can find Derek at the parks and coffee shops around Beverly with his family, training hard at the gym, or at the beach surfing.
