Easy Lunches for Kids

Photo by Tiffany Washko

Packing lunches is one of my least favorite duties. Even before having children, I hated preparing my own lunch when heading to work. Thankfully, I've avoided this task in recent years, since the kids and I usually eat our meals at home. But no matter whether your children go on the school bus or hang out at the kitchen table, those little bodies still want food at lunchtime!

My mantra in all things meal-related is SIMPLICITY. Throughout my overseas travels, I've had the chance to see how various cultures view food and meal preparation. These insights frame most of my thoughts on the subject.

In many countries, people often eat the same staple three times a day. The staple of choice varies depending on location. In Asian countries, rice appears at most meals. In South America, it's tortillas. This isn't just due to poverty - it comes from the fact that people tend to eat what's grown locally.

Feeling like we need a different menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day of the month is really a Western-mentality born out of excess.

Photo by Karin Dalziel

With that said, here's what works for us:

1. I always aim for three items on our lunch plates (less seems bare, more too complicated).

2. We have the same lunch menu every day during the week (Monday - Friday). We save variety and more time-consuming lunches for the weekends.

3. Our weekday lunch menu includes:
- Slices of homemade bread (from our amazing bread machine) topped with a little jam, light cream cheese, or a sprinkle of cinnamon
- An easy vegetable, pretzels, or animal crackers
- An easy serving of fruit

That's it! It takes me about five minutes to make lunch for the four of us, and everyone eats happily.

Quick can still be healthy. Don't settle for processed store-bought lunches. You can feed your kids well while also maximizing your time.

Photo by DeusXFlorida