Last night I taught a "Fun and Healthy Lunch Ideas" class at my house. It was really fun to find ideas and try them out. Anyways, I thought some of you might be interested in some of this stuff.....
Fun and Healthy Lunch Ideas
* Quesadilla Pizza’s-
Kids love anything that tastes like pizza. Take a tortilla, cover with pizza or spaghetti sauce, cheese, pepperoni, and any other topping that your kids would enjoy. Cover with another tortilla and cook it like a grilled cheese sandwich. Cut into wedges, and pack it in your kid’s lunch.
* Bagel Face Sandwiches-
Take a bagel and spread with cream cheese. Arrange any toppings that you like into a face shape on the bagel. Use toppings such as green peppers, olives, tomatoes, sprouts, and lunch meat. Wrap in plastic, and pack in kid’s lunch.
* Frito Pie-
Pack canned or homemade chili in a thermos. Send a bag of baked tortilla chips (store bought or homemade), and some shredded cheese. Have your child layer the chips and cheese in the bottom of the thermos cup, and top with the chili. Enjoy!
* Homemade Tortilla Chips-
I use the Tortilla Land uncooked flour tortillas, you can also use regular flour tortillas. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Arrange on cookie sheet and toast in a 400 degree oven for 6-8 minutes. Try brushing a very small amount of olive oil or cooking spray on chips and then sprinkling cinnamon sugar or parmesan cheese on top. If you try the cinnamon sugar, send the chips along with a container of applesauce for dipping in your child’s lunch.
* Deli Rolls-
My kids love these! Take a slice of deli meat and wrap a slice of cheese and a pickle spear inside.
* Cookie Dippers-
Kids love to dip! Send vanilla wafer cookies along with a container of their favorite yogurt to dip them in.
* Fruity Marshmallow Kabobs-
You can use drinking straws for the skewers, by pinching the end of the straw together so that it will poke through the fruit. Alternate putting chunked fruit and large marshmallows on the skewer. I like to use the flavored marshmallows to add a little variety; they have chocolate, strawberry, and coconut coated ones. Wrap in plastic and send in your child’s lunch for a fruity treat.
* Protein Balls-
1 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
½ cup nonfat dry milk powder (you may also use vanilla protein powder)
½ cup raisins, chocolate chips, carob chips, yogurt chips or whatever you think would be good.
¼ cup honey
Graham cracker crumbs
In large bowl, mix all ingredients except the graham cracker crumbs. Shape the mixture into 1 inch balls. Roll in graham cracker crumbs and refrigerate. Makes 24. YUMMY!
* Cookie Cutter Sandwiches-
Any sandwich cut with a large cookie cutter; star, heart, dinosaur, animals, etc. will become an irresistible treat!
* Pin Wheel Sandwiches-
Spread your child’s favorite sandwich filling onto a tortilla. Roll it up and slice it into small pieces. Our favorite fillings are peanut butter with jelly or banana slices, or lunch meat with cream cheese, or scrambled eggs (made with salsa) with cheese and sour cream.
* Cheesy Stars-
Use a small cookie cutter to cut cheddar cheese pieces. In a separate bag provide crackers or apple slices. You can also use the cookie cutter to cut bologna, ham or turkey.
* Bugs on a Log-
An old favorite with kids- Fill celery with cream cheese or peanut butter and top with raisins or craisins. Stick two of them together to form a log.
* Bean and Cheese Roll-ups-
Fill tortilla with refried beans and shredded cheese and roll.
* Ocean Yogurt-
Buy a large container of yogurt and spoon it into smaller containers that fit into the lunchbox. To make it fun, add some blue food coloring and tell the kids that it is ocean yogurt. Pack with some fish-shaped crackers. (Also, try green food coloring to make the yogurt alien slime)
* PB & J Spiders-
To make regular PB & J’s more exciting; turn the sandwich into a spider! Use a large glass to cut a circle shape from the already-made sandwich. Add eight pretzel-sticks for the legs and 2 chocolate chips for the eyes.
* Drinks-
Fill small plastic water bottle about 1/3 full with water, and freeze overnight. Add fruit-juice concentrate to the bottle in the morning. It will mix with the water as it thaws. It will also keep the food that is in the lunch box cold, and it will be ready to drink by lunch time.
* Strawberry Cream Dip-
1 Pkg. cream cheese, softened
½ cup vanilla yogurt
½ cup strawberry jam
In a medium bowl, with an electric beater on medium speed, beat the cream cheese until creamy. Add the yogurt and jam, continue beating until smooth. Cover and chill for at least an hour before serving. Hint: Use reduced fat cream cheese and low-fat yogurt, and serve with fresh-cut chunks of cantaloupe, honeydew, or pineapple, and apple slices and whole strawberries. It all works!
* Pizza chips-
These are similar to the homemade tortilla chips only with a different spin.
½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 package (1 ¼ ounces) dry spaghetti sauce mix
10 (8 inch) tortillas
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the butter and spaghetti sauce; mix well. Spread evenly over on side of the tortillas then sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges and place on baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the chips are golden and crispy. These are terrific as is or served with marinara sauce for dunking.
* Fruit Roll Sushi-
1 tablespoon butter
12 marshmallows
2 cups crispy rice cereal
4 (4 ½ inch0 square fruit roll-ups
6 assorted licorice or fruit twist sticks, cut in half crosswise
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the cereal until completely coated. On a flat surface, unroll the fruit roll-ups. Spread equal amounts of the cereal mixture over each roll-up, covering the entire surface and packing the mixture flat. Place 3 different –colored licorice or fruit twists in the center of each and roll tightly into a log, sealing where the edges meet. Squeeze the rolls gently to secure. Trim the ends and slice with a serrated knife into ½ inch pieces. Serve, or store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Preparation Tip: To give your snack the most variety and color, use different-colored and flavored fruit roll-ups and licorice or fruit twist snacks. And if you can’t find different- colored licorice, you can even use gummy worms or fruit snacks.
Kids love anything that tastes like pizza. Take a tortilla, cover with pizza or spaghetti sauce, cheese, pepperoni, and any other topping that your kids would enjoy. Cover with another tortilla and cook it like a grilled cheese sandwich. Cut into wedges, and pack it in your kid’s lunch.
* Bagel Face Sandwiches-
Take a bagel and spread with cream cheese. Arrange any toppings that you like into a face shape on the bagel. Use toppings such as green peppers, olives, tomatoes, sprouts, and lunch meat. Wrap in plastic, and pack in kid’s lunch.
* Frito Pie-
Pack canned or homemade chili in a thermos. Send a bag of baked tortilla chips (store bought or homemade), and some shredded cheese. Have your child layer the chips and cheese in the bottom of the thermos cup, and top with the chili. Enjoy!
* Homemade Tortilla Chips-
I use the Tortilla Land uncooked flour tortillas, you can also use regular flour tortillas. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Arrange on cookie sheet and toast in a 400 degree oven for 6-8 minutes. Try brushing a very small amount of olive oil or cooking spray on chips and then sprinkling cinnamon sugar or parmesan cheese on top. If you try the cinnamon sugar, send the chips along with a container of applesauce for dipping in your child’s lunch.
* Deli Rolls-
My kids love these! Take a slice of deli meat and wrap a slice of cheese and a pickle spear inside.
* Cookie Dippers-
Kids love to dip! Send vanilla wafer cookies along with a container of their favorite yogurt to dip them in.
* Fruity Marshmallow Kabobs-
You can use drinking straws for the skewers, by pinching the end of the straw together so that it will poke through the fruit. Alternate putting chunked fruit and large marshmallows on the skewer. I like to use the flavored marshmallows to add a little variety; they have chocolate, strawberry, and coconut coated ones. Wrap in plastic and send in your child’s lunch for a fruity treat.
* Protein Balls-
1 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
½ cup nonfat dry milk powder (you may also use vanilla protein powder)
½ cup raisins, chocolate chips, carob chips, yogurt chips or whatever you think would be good.
¼ cup honey
Graham cracker crumbs
In large bowl, mix all ingredients except the graham cracker crumbs. Shape the mixture into 1 inch balls. Roll in graham cracker crumbs and refrigerate. Makes 24. YUMMY!
* Cookie Cutter Sandwiches-
Any sandwich cut with a large cookie cutter; star, heart, dinosaur, animals, etc. will become an irresistible treat!
* Pin Wheel Sandwiches-
Spread your child’s favorite sandwich filling onto a tortilla. Roll it up and slice it into small pieces. Our favorite fillings are peanut butter with jelly or banana slices, or lunch meat with cream cheese, or scrambled eggs (made with salsa) with cheese and sour cream.
* Cheesy Stars-
Use a small cookie cutter to cut cheddar cheese pieces. In a separate bag provide crackers or apple slices. You can also use the cookie cutter to cut bologna, ham or turkey.
* Bugs on a Log-
An old favorite with kids- Fill celery with cream cheese or peanut butter and top with raisins or craisins. Stick two of them together to form a log.
* Bean and Cheese Roll-ups-
Fill tortilla with refried beans and shredded cheese and roll.
* Ocean Yogurt-
Buy a large container of yogurt and spoon it into smaller containers that fit into the lunchbox. To make it fun, add some blue food coloring and tell the kids that it is ocean yogurt. Pack with some fish-shaped crackers. (Also, try green food coloring to make the yogurt alien slime)
* PB & J Spiders-
To make regular PB & J’s more exciting; turn the sandwich into a spider! Use a large glass to cut a circle shape from the already-made sandwich. Add eight pretzel-sticks for the legs and 2 chocolate chips for the eyes.
* Drinks-
Fill small plastic water bottle about 1/3 full with water, and freeze overnight. Add fruit-juice concentrate to the bottle in the morning. It will mix with the water as it thaws. It will also keep the food that is in the lunch box cold, and it will be ready to drink by lunch time.
* Strawberry Cream Dip-
1 Pkg. cream cheese, softened
½ cup vanilla yogurt
½ cup strawberry jam
In a medium bowl, with an electric beater on medium speed, beat the cream cheese until creamy. Add the yogurt and jam, continue beating until smooth. Cover and chill for at least an hour before serving. Hint: Use reduced fat cream cheese and low-fat yogurt, and serve with fresh-cut chunks of cantaloupe, honeydew, or pineapple, and apple slices and whole strawberries. It all works!
* Pizza chips-
These are similar to the homemade tortilla chips only with a different spin.
½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 package (1 ¼ ounces) dry spaghetti sauce mix
10 (8 inch) tortillas
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the butter and spaghetti sauce; mix well. Spread evenly over on side of the tortillas then sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges and place on baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the chips are golden and crispy. These are terrific as is or served with marinara sauce for dunking.
* Fruit Roll Sushi-
1 tablespoon butter
12 marshmallows
2 cups crispy rice cereal
4 (4 ½ inch0 square fruit roll-ups
6 assorted licorice or fruit twist sticks, cut in half crosswise
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the cereal until completely coated. On a flat surface, unroll the fruit roll-ups. Spread equal amounts of the cereal mixture over each roll-up, covering the entire surface and packing the mixture flat. Place 3 different –colored licorice or fruit twists in the center of each and roll tightly into a log, sealing where the edges meet. Squeeze the rolls gently to secure. Trim the ends and slice with a serrated knife into ½ inch pieces. Serve, or store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Preparation Tip: To give your snack the most variety and color, use different-colored and flavored fruit roll-ups and licorice or fruit twist snacks. And if you can’t find different- colored licorice, you can even use gummy worms or fruit snacks.
