Fresh Ideas for Kids’ Lunches

If it seems like day after day you're making the same old PB & J sandwiches for your little ones, it might be time to freshen up lunchtime with something new and innovative. A healthy lunch can make a difference in your child's energy level and academic achievement, according to Stephanie Cundith, Kansas-based registered dietitian. "Access to better nutrition, coupled with increased opportunities for physical activity, may help students reach their potential throughout the school year," she says. Get creative with healthier lunch choices that your child will savor at home or school.

Cover the necessary food groups with a healthy homemade pizza, recommends Cundith, a nutrition spokesperson for the Midwest Dairy Council. "A fun, homemade pizza is something you can bake together with your children and eat at home, or cut and pack for a school lunch," she says. Simply bake pizza dough and top with part-skim Ricotta and Mozzarella cheeses, turkey pepperoni, fresh tomatoes and top with yellow pepper, oregano and chopped parsley.

Food is much more fun for kids if it's wrapped up in a tasty tortilla. Cundith recommends filling tortilla wraps with lean lunch meats and cheeses for the perfect lunchbox meal. Cut up fresh fruit or easy-to-eat baby carrots or grape tomatoes to complement the wrap for a healthy midday meal at home or school.

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Give your child plenty of options with a taco salad bar, designed to let her make healthy choices. Cook and season lean ground beef and set out shredded cheese, salsa, salad greens, tomatoes and black beans for your child to mix together for the perfect meal, suggests Cundith. You can also prepare a taco bar in to-go containers for a school-day lunch with a spicy kick.

For kids who like peanut butter but aren't allowed to pack nuts in their lunch sacks due to allergies, try sunflower or sesame seed butter, says Bridget Swinney, Texas-based registered dietitian and author of "Healthy Food for Healthy Kids." "Sunflower seed butter is very rich in vitamin E, a nutrient kids are often missing," she says.

Swap out the franks for a healthier option that your kids will love at lunchtime. Spread low-fat or fat-free cream cheese in a whole grain hot dog bun, drizzle with honey and top with a small banana, recommends Swinney. This alternative to the traditional hot dog is an excellent source of vitamin B6, vitamin C, manganese and potassium, not to mention protein, calcium and fiber.

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Boost your child's brain and immune system with omega-3 fats that are tasty and rolled up into a fun finger food for lunch. Simply make a creamy salmon salad using canned or leftover salmon with low-fat cream cheese, says Swinney. Roll up in a whole grain flour tortilla with fresh spinach leaves and grated carrots and slice into pieces.

Make lunchtime meals creative with meals on a stick or a straw. Serve up shrimp, meat balls or grilled chicken strips strategically placed on a kabob stick or straw to get your little one excited about his meal. "This is an especially good way to get kids to eat their protein foods if they aren't big meat eaters," says Swinney. "Provide different dipping sauces, such as ranch, ketchup or hoisin sauce."

Some great healthy lunches are those that can be packed in a thermos, says Swinney. Pack your child a hot lunch by filling a thermos with chicken tortilla soup, lentil soup or chili with beans. "It's perfect when it's cold outside or a child just needs a little of mom's comfort food," says Swinney.

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