Have a picky eater? These back to school lunch ideas for picky eaters have you covered so kids can eat a healthy lunch so they can learn. Let’s explore some of the best ways to support kids with picky palates.
Back to School Lunch Ideas for Picky Eaters
Back to School means it’s time to start thinking about packing lunches. The same old peanut butter and jelly gets old. Old for the kids to open in the lunchroom every day and old for mama to make day after day! We’ve started to think about healthy lunch choices for our little students so that they are eating a rainbow of foods in the cafeteria.
There are tons of links out there with super cute, themed lunches. And that’s fine. They are beyond adorable and will make the kids smile. But sometimes, a mom wants to get the kids out the door and know that they have a healthy and nourishing meal for lunch. We’ve got some easy options that you may not have thought of.
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Healthy Lunch Ideas for Back to School
Pack items from this list to replace the same old sandwich, apple, chips lunch that the kids get tired of day after day:
hummus
cucumber slices
berries (blue, red, black)
peanut butter (or butter substitute) and honey wraps
cheese cubes
sliced bananas tossed in a graham cracker/wheat germ combo
sliced raw veggies (peppers, carrots, celery, radishes)
sandwiches cut with a cookie cutter (Be creative if you like. A pumpkin shaped sandwich works in May, too!)
pasta leftovers
slider sandwiches using mini rolls
applesauce
nuts (only if approved by your child’s school allergy policies)
half a banana (keep the peel on)
edamame
lunch meat/cheese wraps
frozen peas
mini bagels
lettuce wrap
cheese sticks
air popped popcorn
dried fruit
soup in a thermos
Smoothies (freeze the thermos the night before, pour smoothie into the thermos in the morning)
ham and cheese skewered onto popsicle sticks
banana and cream cheese sandwich (or wrap)
mini pizzas made on English muffins (keep warm in a thermos)
grape tomatoes
raisins
dried cranberries
cubed melons (watermelon, cantaloupe, honey dew)
olives
granola and yogurt
hard boiled egg
sliced kiwi
dry cereal
sliced avocado
cucumber slices and mustard on a whole wheat pita
leftover turkey or chicken (kept in a thermos) or cold with cheese slices
corn on the cob (heated and stored in a thermos)
shredded carrots
“ants on a log” (peanut butter and raisins on celery sticks)
homemade chicken nuggets with barbeque sauce or ranch to dip
cereal bars or homemade granola bars
sandwich made with waffles instead of bread
cottage cheese with fruit
greek yogurt with fruit
Tips and Tools for Healthy Lunches for Kids:
Sometimes, a child just needs a unique presentation to encourage healthy eating and trying new foods. We wanted to check out different tools for packing school lunches. If you’ve got all of those healthy foods, you have to keep them arranged and edible!
How great are these ideas for school lunches (or stay at home lunches!):
would be a great (and adorable) way to arrange a lunch box variety of veggies, fruits, or even meats and cheeses. Note- These would be great for older kids. Use caution when sending skewers (even the plastic variety) off to school with a young child.
could be a great way to encourage picky eaters to try new foods.
make it easy to divide foods into compartments and snap a lid into place. Throw it all in a lunch box and you’re set.
. It’s such an easy way to separate lunch items into sections and keep everything cool and ready for lunch. The dip container is perfect for yogurt, hummus, or dressing.
Colleen Beck, OTR/L has been an occupational therapist since 2000, working in school-based, hand therapy, outpatient peds, EI, and SNF. Colleen created The OT Toolbox to inspire therapists, teachers, and parents with easy and fun tools to help children thrive. Read her story about going from an OT making $3/hour (after paying for kids’ childcare) to a full-time OT resource creator for millions of readers. Want to collaborate? Send an email to contact@theottoolbox.com.
