Creative Lunchbox Ideas That Will Make Your Kids WANT to Eat Healthy

Today there is a lot of debate about the healthiness (or lack thereof) in the offerings of school lunches. Packing healthy lunches for your children can be easy, you just need to make a couple of creative tweaks...

Muffins

Muffins are easy to make and tasty, as well as healthy. A versatile recipe is the Magic muffin recipe. It’s healthy and the batter can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days. It can even be cooked in the microwave! This is a basic recipe that you can switch up each time you make them by adding your favorite ingredients, such as blueberries, raspberries, ginger, chocolate chips or peanut butter. The possibilities are endless!

Homemade Lunchables

Lunchables have been a long time favorite of children, but have you ever thought of making your own at home? A homemade pizza Lunchable is much healthier than the alternative store bought ones. Kids love pizza sauce and love constructing their own food!

Pinwheel Mini Sandwiches

Pinwheels have been a favorite party appetizer for generations. Why not pack a healthy version in your child’s lunch? These easy to handle, bite-sized, sandwich/wrap hybrids are incredibly fun and with careful choosing can be healthy too!

Hummus

Hummus packs a great protein punch option for lunch, and kids can’t even tell that it is healthy! One surprising way to make hummus is as a dessert. The author of a dessert hummus recipe says, “This takes literally 4 minutes to prepare and makes about a cup and a half of hummus. Refrigerate leftovers; it’s good cold too, because it tastes like chocolate chip cookie dough.”  Of course, the ingredients include chickpeas but also peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract and chocolate chips.

Some parents find they can get their children on board with healthy eating by including them in the process. Have a conversation with your kids about which healthy foods they already enjoy and build off their other favorites. Together you can go shopping and work on food preparation. A child is more likely to eat new foods when they feel like they have made it themselves. When in doubt, get creative!