We've all experienced or at least heard stories of the horrors of public school lunches, but a few weeks ago, an expose with details straight from the source–high school students–hit the internet. Random students from across the United States were asked to submit photos of what they ate for lunch at school, resulting in a gallery of horrific images of grey meat, neon cheese sauce, an assortment of deep-fried atrocities and pale, overcooked vegetables.
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I've known for years that I would pack lunches for my children when the time came, and now after being reminded of what passes for food in public school cafeterias, I'm all the more convicted to do so. Here are five great ideas from school-lunch experts to keep lunch healthy AND delicious:
Re-Think Pizza Day
The frozen disasters massacrading as cafeteria pizza are just sad. Instead, you can pack your kiddo some variation of a homemade pizza, whether you use whole grain toast, pita bread or a homemade corn tortilla as demonstrated here. This outside-the-box version is actually a tostada topped with refried beans and cheese and paired with a nut butter and apple sandwich, fresh melon and a handful of nuts.
Sandwich on a Stick
Getting creative with traditional lunch foods is the perfect way to make brown bagging it more appealing for your kids. This adorable sandwich-on-a-stick concept can be customized to suit each kid's preferences and makes for a well-rounded meal when paired with fruit, veggies and a homemade treat.
(Real) Frozen Food
If you have a free weekend day, you can use it to prepare some grab-and-go lunch staples for days when you don't have a lot of time or food in the house. Things like crockpot chicken, muffins, and smoothie pops can all be prepared ahead, frozen, and dropped in lunch boxes when you're in a pinch.
Film-Inspired Feast
For a special treat, try preparing a lunch inspired by your child's favorite movie. This adorable Toy Story version is sure to be a hit, plus it stars whole grain pita, protein-packed egg salad and fruit for lots of nutritional impact.
Sunny Faux Sushi
The beautiful bento-reminiscent lunch is so much fun! The faux sushi is made of whole grain bread, hummus and shredded carrots, making for a unique sandwich component. And with such a pretty assortment of fresh fruit and veggies, your cutie is sure to get plenty of health-boosting vitamins in.
