I’ve shared How I Stock the Pantry and How I Stock the Lunch Fridge and How I Pack Lunches previously. Today I’m going to share some of my kids’ favorite lunch items with you. Last year I found myself in such a rut with lunch packing. My kids were taking sandwiches or a mix matched assortment of whatever was in the fridge. Nobody was happy, especially since none of them actually like sandwiches in any form. They were coming home hungry and cranky. Very cranky.
I try to stock a variety of lunch items so there’s something for everyone. We’re lucky that none of our kids have any food allergies or sensitivities but they do have some specific preferences that I accommodate within reason. Such as no sandwiches! I always find it helpful when parents share the items their kids like to pack for lunches because it gives me some new ideas to try that I may not have thought of yet.
Main dish items:
Pasta salad, macaroni & cheese with hot dogs, Alfredo pasta, Chicken parmesan pasta, spaghetti, eggs & fried rice, white cheddar shells, chicken nuggets, quesadillas, cheese pizza, chicken sandwich, lunchables, P3 packs
Proteins:
Hard-boiled eggs, Tuna salad, chicken salad, Taco meat, Big Mac Burger meat, hard salami sticks, pepperoni slices, snack size crab sticks
Dairy:
Laughing Cow Cheese, String cheese, yogurt, smoothies, cream cheese & bagel chips, cottage cheese
Fruits:
Apple sauce, Apple Slices, Blueberries, Cantaloupe, Strawberries, Honey dew, Cherries, Clementines, peaches, plums, yogurt covered raisins or cranberries, grapes, watermelon, pineapple
Veggies:
Baby carrots, sliced peppers, broccoli, celery sticks, cucumber slices, pickles, snap peas
Dips & Spreads:
Hummus, cream cheese, peanut butter, caramel sauce, nutella, ranch dip, cheese dip
Snacks/Carbs:
Bagel chips, cereal bars, crackers, english muffin, goldfish, granola bar, mini bagels, muffins, naan bread dippers, pita chips, popcorn, pretzels, rice cakes, tortilla chips, veggie straws, green pea crisps,
Treats:
cookies, fruit snacks, pudding, trail mix, brownies
I wanted to give an idea of what a typical lunch looks like for my three kids. These are the lunches they packed each day last week. They all have afterschool activities so they typically pack enough to have a snack in the afternoon.
Monday-
9th Grade Daughter: Cranberry Chicken Salad & Naan bread dippers, chocolate hummus & strawberries, yogurt, green pea crisps, granola bar
6th Grade Son: Spaghetti, apple slices w/ Peanut butter, string cheese, yogurt, Belvita Breakfast bites, Goldfish
3rd Grade Daughter: Chicken Parmesan pasta, grapes, yogurt, mini muffins
Tuesday-
9th Grade Daughter: Roasted red pepper hummus & wheat thins, apple slices, veggie straws, Nature Valley Almond Biscuit, yogurt
6th Grade Son: Chicken Parmesan pasta, grapes, fruit snack, Goldfish, yogurt, chocolate chip cookie pack
3rd Grade Daughter: Snack size crab sticks, apple slices & caramel sauce, Laughing cow cheese & Melba toast, Pirates Booty, fruit snack
Wednesday-
9th Grade Daughter: Garden vegetable cream cheese & bagel chips, clementine, rice cakes, Trail mix, Peanut butter filled pretzels
6th Grade Son: Chicken Sandwich, strawberries, yogurt, string cheese, fruit snack, Pirates Booty
3rd Grade Daughter: Chicken Sandwich, clementine, yogurt, string cheese, fruit snack
Thursday-
9th Grade Daughter: Taco meat & tortilla chips, grapes, pickles, Belvita Breakfast bites, granola bar
6th Grade Son: Tuna salad & club crackers, clementine, yogurt, string cheese, Green pea crisps, Belvita breakfast bites
3rd Grade Daughter: Alfredo pasta, strawberries, yogurt, Belvita breakfast bites, granola bar
Friday-
9th Grade Daughter: Laughing cow cheese & celery sticks w/ Everything bagel seasoning, applesauce, Nature Valley Snack Mix, Fiber one bar, cashew pack
6th Grade Son: Cheese pizza, baby carrots & ranch dressing, yogurt, goldfish, chocolate chip cookie pack, fruit snack
3rd Grade Daughter: Cheese pizza, cucumber slices & ranch dressing, yogurt, fruit snack, veggie straws
You can find all the posts in my Meal Planning & Prep and Lunch Planning & Prep series HERE.
