Are you struggling to keep lunch different and exciting?
Fun to look at, but still healthy for the kids to eat? 
Below is a list of bread-free sandwich alternatives to keep lunch exciting while stuck at home!
I know store visits may be rather infrequent right now with COVD-19 guidelines, so we may not have tons of different lunch food varieties. But, just mixing up the way we lay out and serve the lunch foods we have, can make it feel new and exciting for the kids--
...even though they are still getting the same food. :)
Since we are all at home right now (aka - mandatory home-school moms, can I get a witness!!),
I like to lay my lunch food out family style...less dishes and it looks more exciting, so...win win!
The kids actually end up eating less & not worrying about the normal sandwich, chips, fruit concept.
Take your Family Style (like ours below) and go outside in the back yard for a picnic!
It's easy to get stuck in the 'sandwich mode' by default, isn't it?
I know their are good bread options out there, and don't get me wrong--we do sandwiches!
But, definitely not every day. I don't always want bread to be the majority of what fills up my kids every day at lunch time, so I am always trying to think outside of the 'sandwich bag' when it come to lunch time.
If that's you too, or you're just ready for a fresh perspective, here is a lunch list for you! I'll try to post some healthy, easy, no-prep snack option ideas soon.
Bread-Free Sandwich Alternatives for Healthy but FUN lunch!
- Tuna Salad w/ Organic Blue Corn Chips to dip
Other serving ideas - Van's Gluten Free 'Say Cheese' Crackers, or your favorite crackers / bread)
- Refried Beans w/ Cheese w/ Organic Tortilla Chips or Fritos to dip
- Sliced Deli Meat & Sliced Cheese
Serve w/ pickles, diced veggies & lettuce leaves to wrap, add a little mayo or mustard!
Alternative - serve whole wheat tortillas to wrap the meat, cheese, lettuce, pickles
- Peanut Butter w/ Dippers...Apples slices & celery or your favorite healthy crackers to spread
- PB Bananas - My kids LOVE doing this one!
They each get a whole peeled banana spread with natural (no sugar) peanut butter.
I set out toppings, and they can personalize their PB Banana
Topping Ideas: Diced strawberries, mini choc chips, chopped nuts, drizzle of honey or jelly, sometimes mini marshmallows--I mean, it's a skinny banana, they can't fit too many toppings and 4 or 5 mini marshmallows makes that healthy lunch look super exciting!!
- Protein Fruit Smoothies set out what you have and let them have fun each having a turn picking what to put in the blender for their own!
Add-In Ideas: All kinds of Berries, Bananas, Plain Greek Yogurt w Agave for sweetener,
- Strawberries and Nutella - Heaven!!! Enough said...
- Dinner for Lunch! Another Idea my family really enjoyed was flipping the day around and having the table all set and a nice dinner meal ready at lunch time. Then we had our 'snacky' lunch meal with a movie for supper as a reward for finishing schoolwork.
I challenge you to think outside the lunch box or the sandwich bag with this list of ideas!
I challenge you to think outside the lunch box or the sandwich bag with this list of ideas!
Then come back to comment or share your tips or favorites with all of us! (Enter your email above to follow the posts and comments.)
