Back-to-School: 5 Healthy Lunchbox Tips and Recipe Ideas (For Even the Pickiest Eaters)

With the new Covid-19 regulations, back-to-school planning is challenging enough this year. You may be unsure if and when your child‚s school is opening again and you‚re going back and forth with whether you want to take on homeschooling yourself. With all of the unknowns, don‚t let prepping your kid‚s lunchbox be another stressor. Here are five quick & easy tips and recipes for crafting a healthy lunchbox ‚ for even the pickiest of eaters!

1. Use Batch Cooking to Your Advantage
2. Sneak in Veggies
3. Make Food Fun Again
4. No Meat? No Problem!

Get Your Kids Involved in the Kitchen

1. Use Batch Cooking to Your Advantage

Cook once, and make food for the whole week by batch cooking your meals! The mini muffin tin is about to become your best friend ‚ and your little eaters will be a fan of your bite-sized creations too!

Try these healthy recipes:

Mini Crustless Quiches Mexican Beef Taco Cups Broccoli Tots

2. Sneak in Veggies

Maybe your kiddos think they don‚t like veggies, but little did they know the muffins they just chowed down were chock-full of incognito zucchini! Find creative ways to sneak in veggies ‚ and your children will be on their way to the ‚Clean Lunchbox Club‚ in no time.

Try these healthy recipes:

Healthy Zucchini Oat Muffins

Pesto Chicken Veggie Meatballs

Zucchini Pizza Bites

3. Make Food Fun Again

Children love bright colors, fun shapes and play ‚ so why not incorporate them into your lunch-making routine too? If your kiddos tend to get bored by a regular ol‚ ham sandwich, try using cookie cutters to transform their sammy into a heart or star. And a post-it note with a sweet hand-written note or doodle from you will go a long way.

You can also play around with changing up the container with something like Yumbox, which separates food into pre-portioned trays and comes in a variety of delightful colors. Toddlers and preschoolers will love ezpz‚s Happy Mat ‚ a smiley companion that suctions right to the table, mess free!

Try these healthy recipes:

Rainbow Bento Box Fun Shaped Sandwiches Homemade Lunchable

4. No Meat? No Problem!

If your little luncher refuses to eat meat, think outside the (lunch) box by incorporating protein in unexpected ways. Hardboiled eggs, Greek yogurt, plant-based smoothies and nut-butter sandwiches are great wholesome additions.

Try these healthy recipes:

Max-Out Protein Balls

Almond-Chocolate Joy Smoothie

Almond Butter and Strawberry Sandwich

5. Get Your Kids Involved in the Kitchen

Last but not least, if all else fails try getting your kids involved with their lunchbox-making! It‚ll allow them to exercise their independence while giving you a hand in the kitchen. Win, win! Plus, they may find more joy around eating something they made all by themselves (even if they had a little help).

Try these healthy recipes:

DIY Nachos Lunchbox

Cheese & Turkey Kebabs

Fruit and Yogurt Lunchbox Parfait

Share your favorite healthy lunchbox creations with us on social by tagging us @VibrantHealth