By Betty Gabriel┃Posted: June 07, 2019
When school starts, the only job kids have should be to go to school and study. Of course, parents need to support them in this! But from getting your kids up and dressed to packing their books, it can be tough to think of new, fun, and healthy ideas for their lunchbox.
Kids get bored with one type of food very soon and can resort to trading or even foregoing lunch altogether. They love one item a day, and the next they seem to hate it to the core. They get tired of foods often, so parents need a variety of options to fall back upon. Here’s a list of six healthy school lunch box ideas to keep your kids nourished.
Gluten-free Strawberry Banana Muffins
These muffins are chock full of healthy fruit, making them a good source of vitamin C and potassium, as well as a wholesome meal for your kids. They’re also gluten-free!
Ingredients
Chia “eggs” (a mixture of 2 tbsp. chia seeds and 6 tbsp. water) – these work the same as regular chicken eggs!
½ cup organic milk or organic almond milk
1 ½ tsp lemon juice
1 ½ tsp baking soda
⅓ cup granulated or brown sugar
½ tsp Himalayan pink salt
½ cup gluten-free rolled oats
½ cup almond meal
¾ cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
¾ cup mashed organic banana
¼ cup coconut oil or organic ghee (clarified butter)
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup pure maple syrup
½ cup diced strawberries
Method
Mash bananas and add to coconut oil, vanilla extract, maple syrup, milk and chia eggs. Mix all the dry ingredients together, and add them to the wet mixture. Mix well, pour into lined muffin tins, and toss it in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
Vegan Mac & Cheese
This super creamy vegan treat is a delicious substitution for traditional mac and cheese, and can be prepared in around 10 minutes! Once it’s a part of your lunch box rotation, your kids will be begging for it.
Ingredients
1 pack elbow pasta
¼ cup nutritional yeast
½ cup carrot puree -- you can use a jar of baby food!
½ cup mustard paste
½ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp paprika
¼ tsp onion powder (optional)
⅛ tsp garlic powder (optional)
1 pinch white pepper
Method
Cook and drain pasta, and pour into a large bowl. Add all the other ingredients and mix well. That’s it! Easiest mac and cheese ever.
Peanut Butter Cups
Goodbye, preservative-heavy vending machine snacks! All you need is five ingredients to make these delicious peanut butter cups.
Ingredients
½ cup organic peanut butter or organic almond butter or sunflower butter
¼ cup powdered brown sugar or honey
½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp Himalayan pink salt
1 ¼ cups chocolate chips
Method
Make soft dough by mixing peanut butter, brown sugar or honey, vanilla extract, and Himalayan pink salt. Use a double boiler to melt the chocolate chips. In a chocolate mould or cupcake liner, add the melted chocolate to cover the bottom. Make a disc with the peanut dough slightly smaller in size than the mould and toss it into each mould. Pour in melted chocolate to cover the top and the sides. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and store in an airtight jar.
Gluten-free Pasta Salad
This easy gluten-free salad is very easy to make, nutritious, and so delicious that your kids will want it every day of the week.
Ingredients
1 pack of gluten-free shell pasta
½ cup peas
6 chopped sundried tomatoes
1 tbsp shredded carrot
1 tbsp olive or coconut oil or organic ghee (clarified butter)
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
¼ tsp cumin powder
½ tsp garlic powder (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegan sauce (blend 3/4 cup vegan mayo, 1 tbsp. almond milk, 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp. yeast, 2 tbsps. fresh chives, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste)
Method
Add peas to cooked pasta (you can also boil peas separately). Then add soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add carrots and tomatoes. You can also add any other vegetable your kid likes! Mix in vegan sauce, and you are good to go.
Gluten-free Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
These crispy and scrumptious cookies are sure to be your kids’ favorite snack. Amazingly nutritious oats are full of antioxidants!
Dry ingredients
1 ¼ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1 tsp cinnamon
¾ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
Wet ingredients
¾ cup vegan butter
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup vegan chocolate chips
Method
Use two bowls to mix the dry and wet ingredients separately. Then pour the wet mixture to the dry one and whisk well. Add a few spoons of water if the dough is too dry. Add in chocolate chips and mix. Pour two tablespoon of the dough on the baking sheet and toss into the oven for 15 to 20 minutes and YOLA.
Veggie Pita Pizza
Kids love pizza, and they especially love finding it in their lunchboxes. This nutritious veggie pita pizza will delight their taste buds and nourish their bodies.
For the tomato sauce
2 large diced tomatoes
4 chopped sun-dried tomatoes
3 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 ½ tbsp maple syrup
2 cloves crushed garlic (optional)
1 handful fresh basil
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 ½ tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Toppings
1 cup halved olives
½ cup diced smoked tofu
3 tbsp vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast
Fresh basil to taste
Peperoncino (a spicy pepper) to taste (optional)
Method
Combine the ingredients for tomato sauce and blend them in a blender. Spread the pitas on a baking sheet and pour tomato sauce on it. Sprinkle olives, and tofu on top and put it in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Garnish with parmesan and fresh basil.
Vegan Crispy Potato Nuggets
These super crispy and delicious potato nuggets are going to be your kids’ favorite! They’re also a great snack to grab on the go.
Ingredients:
1 kg potatoes
½ cup whole grain breadcrumbs
½ cup flour
1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
1 tbsp chili powder (optional)
1 tsp dry fenugreek
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tbsp black pepper powder
½ tsp brown sugar
Salt to taste
Oil or organic ghee (clarified butter) for stir-frying
Method:
Boil and mash the potatoes. Then, add all the ingredients and mix them well. Make potato mixture balls, give them nugget shapes, and coat with flour and breadcrumbs. Cover all the nuggets and leave in the refrigerator for 30 mins. Heat the oil or organic ghee (clarified butter) and stir fry the nuggets until they turn golden brown and crispy.
These healthy and easy recipes will totally transform lunchtime! Give your kids the fun and taste they crave without compromising their nutrition.
Betty Gabriel is a writer and blogger at Himalayan Salt Valley. She is on a mission to help people start living a sustainable healthy life. She mostly writes about healthy lifestyle and everything natural. Go Natural, Go Healthy!
