Back To School Lunch Ideas: Change the Brown Bag Routine

Now that it’s just about time to send the kids back to school, it’s time to put “Packing Lunches” back on your to-do list. Don’t let yourself get stuck in the sandwich rut again this year. The list below features a few outside-of-the-box lunch ideas that are just as easy as making PB&J, but so much healthier and more flavorful. Use these suggestions to fill your back-to-school lunches with tasty recipes that both you and your kids will love.

Back To School Lunch Ideas: Change the Brown Bag Routine

School lunch ideas

Image Via: Emmy Mom II

Invest in a Thermos:

Thermoses are must-have accessories for any lunchbox. Traditionally, they are used to hold soup, but why stop there? You could fill it up with last night’s pasta, some meatballs, or a few hot dogs. Just fill the thermos with boiling water in the morning, let it sit for ten minutes, and replace the water with your hot food. Whatever pairing you choose, your lunch will still be perfectly warm by the time you are ready to eat.

A thermos will keep lunch warm all morning long.

Image Via: Simple Bites

Experiment with Grain Salads:

Salad doesn’t have to be synonymous with a pile of lettuce. Start thinking of pasta salad as more than the perfect side for summer BBQ’s and pack it for lunch all year round. With a mix of fresh veggies, some protein leftover from dinner, and a drizzle of salad dressing, it’s a healthy and balanced meal. If your kids are adventurous eaters, consider subbing quinoa or farro for the pasta in order to add an extra whole-grain punch.

Cold grain salads are a simple, customizable dish.

Image Via: Childhood 101

Try Some Make-Ahead Muffins:

Like sandwiches muffins can be customized to fit everyone’s tastes. But there’s something about their hand-held nature and individual packaging that makes them so much more fun to eat. Plus, if you pick the right recipes, you can make a big batch in the beginning of the week and eat them all week long. Spoon your favorite omelet ingredients into muffin tins to make protein-packed egg bites. Alternatively, choose a tasty zucchini muffin recipe for an easy way to get picky eaters to eat their veggies.

Make a big batch of muffins and eat them throughout the week.

Image Via: Taste.com.au

Serve Lunch With Dip:

It’s no secret that kids love to play with their food. Let dip become the star of their meal to keep lunchtime fun. Send them with cold chicken tenders and honey mustard on the side or tuna salad and multi-grain breadsticks. Celery with peanut butter is a classic option or baby carrots with hummus. For dessert, serve some fresh-cut fruit with a sweet dip made of a mixture of yogurt and honey.

Let kids dip their food to keep lunchtime fun.

Image Via: The Kitchn

No one wants back-to-school lunches to become boring, but when you’re constantly rushing between work, school and after school activities, it seems inevitable. Don’t stay with the old standards this year. When you feel yourself getting stuck in a rut, use this list of suggestions for inspiration. Of course, feel free to customize these ideas to fit your family’s tastes. Odds are, they’ll be as excited as you are for the change of pace.

What do your kids like to eat for lunch? Do you have a great lunch packing tip to share?

For more back to school ideas on Stagetecture, click here.