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Friday, August 24

lunchbox ideas (Giveaway)

Jeremiah starts school again in just one short week.  I really meant to get all my back to school shopping done before baby's arrival...but baby Frank had other plans...and thats all good too... (:

It seems aside from all the shopping, and making sure the kids are prepared the next big challenge is making sure they eat a healthy meal at school...would you agree?

We are pretty lucky to have a great lunch program at Jeremiah's charter school but I'll be home from work for the rest of the year so I can give baby and kids lots of snuggles... and this means we will definitely be on a budget. 

Walmart recently contacted me asking me if I could share some healthy lunchbox ideas with you. They sent me a gift card to shop their assortment of healthier food options in order to create healthy lunchbox options...here's what I came up with...



chicken salad: shredded chicken, a little mayo, seasoning and a can of veggies ( I have to thank grandma for this quick, easy and yummy recipe) served with Tostada pieces. 
mashed sweet potatoes
blueberries
and a sweet and salty trail mix


whole wheat tortilla rolls up's: cream cheese, avocado and deli meat of your choice rolled up in a whole wheat tortilla and cut up in rolls
berries, melon and grapes
pretzels


Salmon burger: canned salmon mixed with a little mayo, lime juice, seasoning, leaf lettuce, all in a bun
plum
graham crackers

All very easy to make. 

Giveaway

To celebrate back to school, Walmart wants to send one of you a $25 gift card to help you make a healthier lunchbox for your kiddos. 

Leave me a comment telling me your best tip for making a healthy lunchbox or tell me a challenge you face. I will randomly pick a winner on September 4th at 11:59pm. US only. Make sure you include your email address if not already on your profile. 

*Walmart sent me a gift card to shop for this post and share with you my lunchbox ideas. All thoughts are my own. They also sent one for a giveaway. No other compensation was given. 


128 comments:

Mami2jcn said...

My challenge is that my son doesn't like vegetables except for carrots. I always put baby carrots in his lunch, but I wish he would try celery or other vegetables.

mami2jcn at gmail dot com

Mary Beatty said...

School in the Southeast started back on Aug. 8th. I'd love to see school kids eat the type of lunch you suggested, but I think it would be a hard sell.

mail4rosey said...

OH my gosh, these look delicious and are making me hungry for lunch at 8 in the morning, lol!!

Stephanie said...

Your pictures are making me hungry!

Our oldest just started Kindergarten this year. Since we're homeschooling, we don't have to pack her a lunch...but we still have to plan lunches daily. Some of our standbys include: grilled cheese sandwiches, salads, smoothies, fresh fruit, and quesadillas.

stephanie@metropolitanmama.net

mar said...

My best tip for making a healthy lunchbox is to be sure the little ones like it and that it is good for them

tristatecruisers said...

i have 4 kids and they all want something different--to make it healthy for them all--i had them tell me their favorite fruit & veggie and went from there--that way, nothing got wasted at school :) Their pick--bananas and celery :)

marci h
tristatecruisers at yahoo dot com



Elena said...

My tip is to include your children's favorite fruits to their lunchboxes

elena150980@yahoo.com

Amy Z said...

My best tip is to make healthy food look fun! Shaping veggies and fruit into fun animals, for example, goes a long way toward making them appetizing.

chadro said...

my tip is make a lunch with a variety of colors involved with the foods, seems to be a good way for a nutritional lunch

Anonymous said...

my best tip for making a healthy lunchbox is to always mix things up. You can have different pieces of fruit each day.

pokergrl8 at gmail.com

Amber said...

my best tip for packing a healthy lunch is to pack fruit for dessert. My kids have learned to love fruit and it has just enough sweetness to satisfy their sweet teeth. Grapes, pear, apple slices with almond butter and berries are all great ideas!
Thank you for the giveaway :)
hurdler4eva(at)gmail(dot)com

peg42 said...

My kids love sliced fruit which I usually pack for them, along with a sandwich. I rather them eat the fruit instead of buying unhealthy choices from the school. I sometimes pack a little dip with it too or a little container of yogart for them to use as a dip.
Thanks so much.
rickpeggysmith(at)aol(dot)com

Janet W. said...

One challenge I face is keeping apples from turning brown. My grandson loves to eat them but doesn't like the peel, so I have to skin it and cut them up for him but they always turn brown!
janet3rdgrade@yahoo.com

Mysharona said...

Easy, organic all the way.

Unknown said...

A challenge I face is putting healthy food in my childrens' lunches that they actually like to eat.

rounder9834 at yahoo dot com

Kia89 said...

My tip is to include your children's favorite fruits in their lunches.
austm7@aol.com

Anonymous said...

My challenge is keeping cold foods cold
Wrgauntt@yahoo.com

JC said...

My challenge is to get creative of including beans into the meal.

Karla said...

My biggest challenge is staying creative and making sure my family doesn't get bored with their lunches.

Tabathia B said...

My daughter loves fruit so I freeze seedless green grapes so that by the time she has lunch the grapes are still cold for her

tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

Unknown said...

A mi hija le encata todo tipo de frutas y verduras y vegetales a ella no se le hara dificil incoplementar una dieta saludable. nilyrivera@yahoo.com

Kelly R. said...

My daughter loves bananas so, I try to add a banana at least 2-3 per week. So, my tip is to add what you know they will actually eat that is healthy for them.

clc408 said...

Kids will eat lots more veggies if you include a small container of dip. I like healthy ones like hummus or fat free greek yogurt.

DeeAnn S said...

I find it helpful to have a weekly lunch menu that the kids fill in themselves from a list of healthy items they like and will eat. Luckily, they eat just about anything so it's never been a problem. Thanks.
sweepster49 at comcast dot net

Kristy Thiel said...

My biggest challenge is finding things that can stay at room temperature!

HarleyC said...

I make the foods interesting & fun by having lots of shapes & colors in what they have!

shootin4par said...

I like to let my daughter help me pick out her food and fruits. Because it doesn't matter how good it is for you if your child doesn't eat it.

ehhogan said...

I like to put fruit and yogurt in lunches to keep it healthy

Patrice said...

Include fruit and veggies in the lunch.

Unknown said...

The challenge I face is getting my daughter to eat veggies at lunch

kport207 at gmail dot com

Jessica To said...

My challenge is that my son will eat the cookie I send for dessert first!
reklaw422 at hotmail dot com

sksweeps said...

I used to make my own fruit cups for my daughter's lunch with fresh fruit (no added sugar, no preservatives) and send them in the small glad lidded containers

sksweeps (at) earthlink (dot) net

STRANGEONE1120 said...

I always try to make lunch fun with different fruits and veggies with homemade dips

Sarah S said...

My challenge is finding time to make healthy lunches. s2inamug @ aim dot com

Kathleen said...

We are vegetarian so I have to make sure my son gets enough protein. Luckily he loves beans and lots of veggies.

washoekathy@ yahoo.com

llinda29 said...

I try to make it colorful and give choices

Tamar said...

The challenge I face is that my son only likes peanut butter sandwiches and cheese sandwiches. He can't bring PB to school, so he's stuck with cheese all day.

tamarsweeps-at-gmail-dot-com

Kim H. said...

Keep it colorful and fun! Lots of variety, fun shapes, etc. Take a cookie cutter and make fun shaped sandwiches!

skyejaden at gmail dot com

Barbara Montag said...

I cut healthy sandwhich - chicken tuna into fancy shapes.
The kids love it!
And fresh fruit or veggies.
Thank you.

barbara dot montyj at gmail dot com

Anonymous said...

I like to mix up the colors and flavors. My challenge is making it fast and on time.
marypopmom@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

Getting them to eat veggies. I started to put surprises in so that they would look forward to lunch time.

cgentry15952@yahoo.com

mogrill said...

I include a variety and always a treat for the end of the lunch!
Thanks for the chance.
mogrill12@gmail.com

Julie said...

My daughter packs her own lunch
than ks
aunteegem@yahoo.com

kyl neusch said...

always have fruit and veggies

Meggiedarlin said...

I try to always have fruit to put into lunches.

ighmeg at yahoo dot com

marcia goss said...

My tip is to get an insulated lunch bag and some of those cold packs that you keep in the freezer. It's really important to keep some foods cold.
marcia.goss@gmail.com

cowboyswife said...

By including an apple, banana or some yogurt

Ellie Wright said...

My 2 boys are hard to pack healthy lunches for. For some reason they love green apples though. No other kind just green. So I try to include apple slices in their lunch boxes.
Thanks for the giveaway!
eswright18 at gmail dot com

Crystal F said...

I have a hard time coming up with a variety of lunch ideas. My girls usually go back and forth between 3 things. The items aren't really all that healthy either. Thank you!
crystalfaulkner2000 at yahoo dot com

ky2here said...

They love watermelon and I freeze the chunks so they thaw out enough by lunchtime for them to enjoy a delicious healthy sweet.

ky2here at msn dot com

Emmy Coffee said...

What I find challenging is the peer pressure kids face in school sometimes abo0ut eating, sometimes it's not cool to eat healthy, sometimes it's not even cool to eat!

Anonymous said...

I find it challenging to include enough vegetables in my daughters lunch.

Anonymous said...

Use fast food type coffee stirrers as skewers and load them with fresh fruit and cheese chunks.

Cindy Merrill said...

My granddaughter is Lactose intolorant, so it's a challenge trying to make sure she has enough calcium- also, we've had to inform her school & warn them not to give her milk.
writer61@yahoo.com

smilekisses said...

Letting my daughter mix up her own trail mix is always a big hit for lunches.
dolniaks at consolidated dot net

kdkdkd said...

My biggest challenge is a picky eater who can change his mind in a minute about things he always liked before
Katharine D on rafflecopter

kjasus said...

i think of the rainbow and try to include a food for each color. for example: red-apple. orange-carrots, yellow-bread, green-grapes, blue-juice, purple-jam

Daniel M said...

include a fruit every day - regnod(at)yahoo(d0t)com

Unknown said...

I add colors to the lunches, the more colorful the more healthier

mellanhead74 at hotmail.com

Ashley T. said...

Add a fruit and vegetable each day
ajoy1332 at yahoo dot com

Cjnedrow said...

I try to make the food look appealing to them so they hopefully will be more inclined to eat up!
cjnedrow at gmail dot com

Carolyn Daley said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Carolyn Daley said...

My best tip is having variety. Kids get tired of the same things day in and day out. For a main entree not only can you do sandwiches, but you can choose from salad, soup with an insulted container, grilled chicken breast, etc. Always have a fruit and veggie as its essential to growing kids, but also add in a variety of other snacks. Instead of chips you can choose pretzels or rice cakes which are low calorie snacks that come in a variety of flavors.
darkmysticnight(at)hotmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

My challenge is picky eaters! They don't really like vegetables that much. I always make sure they have fruits, lean meats, and water in their lunches.

Deanna said...

Always put in fresh fruits & veggies! :)

Hotsnotty2 said...

I usually put fruit and cheeses in her lunch as well as 100% real fruit juice

Hotsnotty2@hotmail.com

Angela M said...

My challenge is my daughter likes very few fruits and vegetables. It is very hard to pack her a healthy lunch.

thisisme79 @ gmail dot com

Valerie Taylor Mabrey said...

I try to always pack a fresh fruit.

Chrystal said...

My best tip is to pack fresh fruits and veggies each day.

chrystaljns at gmail dot com

natalia ryjova said...

I put in colorful fruits and veggies!
rusik76@hotmail.com

Robin T said...

I try to put in a different fruit in their lunch from the previous day

rtrexel@gmail.com

Kim (Randominities) said...

My healthy tip would be to put things in the lunch that the child picked out. Being able to make their own lunch from healthy choices makes a child happier about their lunch.

brich2222 said...

pack their lunch with an apple, grapes, orange or other fruit


brich22 at earthlink dot net

April said...

The canned veggies may be quick but not healthy as they usually have lots of salt. Steam frozen veggies and use those instead.
april dot vrugtman at gmail dot com

Ashley Morrissey said...

When dealing with children and veggies always make it look and sound exciting! Find a way to spice things up!

Ashley Marie Morrissey
ashummz05@yahoo.com

Mommy 2 Monkeys said...

I just try to remember 4 food groups when putting their lunches together.

Karen said...

Have the kids help pick and prepare the items for their lunc. Thanks for the giveaway.

President(dot)peaches(at)hotmail(dot)com

Chip said...

My daughter won't eat any cold veggies so that rules out veggies at lunchtime. Packing for her can be so tough.
chipdip2010(at)hotmail(dot)com

Erica C. said...

I cut up fruit and veggies on the weekend to use all week long in the lunches.
ericacarnes(at)gmail(dot)com

bellz said...

My tip is to get your kids involved - my son makes his shopping list and we got together and we alwasy make his lunches together. hes allowed one sugar snack - so gushers or a brownie the rest is cheese and crackers, fruits, dips and greek yogurts

Paige said...

Like you I love roll ups, i find i can put almost anything in a tortilla and roll it up and my kids love it! We use peanut butter in them alot since we dont eat meat

Storm, The Psychotic Housewife said...

I always go for variety.

jlafount said...

Diet Coke and lunchables. Easy

Unknown said...

My child does not like very many vegetables, so I usually have to mix them with something sweet like applesauce.

Jennifer said...

Cut your veggies in fun shapes to make them more interesting.

jennylovesjeff (at) hotmail (dot) com

Denise Donaldson (MistySunrise) said...

my best tip is use a frozen juice or water bottle to keep items cool.

itsjustme62613 at gmail.com

Lisa Garner said...

The challenge I face is that my children are much older and consider most of the traditional lunch box foods to young for them. I have trouble finding unique and tasty healthy items that they would all enjoy.
lisalmg25 at gmail dot com

willdebbie said...

I do find it hard to make their lunch new and exciting. I usually make wraps instead of normal sandwhiches. Tuna wrap, pb & j wrap veggie bacon ranch .
willdebbie97 at yahoo dot com

Tracey said...

I let Liz choose what she wants in her lunch. That way I know she'll eat it all. I only give her healthy foods to choose from.
traymona[at]aol.com

robyn paris said...

i like to cut bell peppers and stick them in the lunch box.
rparis100@gmail.com

Lisa said...

My challenge is packing snacks (other than fruit, yogurt, cheese, etc) that are healthy.

Peachesncream887(at)hotmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

My best tip- using one of the principals of the bento lunch, try to have a 5 color lunch. (I don't mean from food dyes lolol). It gives you a pretty good balance.
discriminating_diva at yahoo dot com

tlcfromtn said...

My challenge is that one is a very picky eater. It's hard to get him to even try some things.

braaisjo at gmail dot com

Harriett said...

My challenge is finding a healthy VARIETY!

Tamara said...

I usually try to add in healthy extras for my kids' lunches, like yogurt or fruit.
I have to say, your trail mix looks scrumptious!
westiemks5@yahoo.com

Brad Merrell said...

The lunchbox is kind of small. I can't always fit everything.

Laura said...

My challenge is getting them to drink enough water!

lmerritt49903@gmail.com

Unknown said...

i add fruits and water to their lunch
amy16323(at)gmail(dot)com

Melanie Montgomery said...

I try to do "lunchbox themes"


clarkmurdock@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

Luckily my daughter likes most veggies, so I don't have trouble with it. her fave in her lunchbox is Baby Carrots.

chrissylea1979 (at)gmail(dot) com

ashley said...

My challange is getting enough veggies in!
ohsmiledarling(at)gmail(dot)com

cassandra marquez said...

I add a lot of vegetables and fruits as well as yogurts to keep lunch healthy. It's important to also mix it up so the kids don't get bored!
cassandraashleym(at)yahoo(dot)com

McKim said...

My challenge is keeping the lunch fresh and cool until lunch time.

dmoniz1980 said...

Our biggest challenge is our 13 year old has refused to eat school lunch since day one so it's tough sometimes if we forgot to get bread or something and have to run out in the morning and get it before bus comes which is really early

yanktheese@yahoo.com

susansmoaks said...

for a healthy lunch put berries in it, like strawberries, they taste good and they are good for you too!

susansmoaks at gmail dot com

Amy delong said...

i usually add cut up carrots or celery or any fresh fruit and they love it
ardelong2(at)gmail(dot)com

Jenny18286 said...

A tip is to have a 'taste test' day on the weekend...put out healthy options like veggies and fruits...an assortment of those they say they like, those they say they dont, and new ones. Have a 'review card' to rate each one. Use the review card to help pick healthy snacks for lunches

buzzd said...

I struggle with getting veggies and fruit eaten..cookies seem to be more popular

huggr1960 said...

I will pack whole wheat bread

Katharina said...

My best tip for making a healthy lunchbox is to let my daughter help choose which foods will go into it... of course the options I give her will all be healthy choices. She always liked the fact that she has some say in it.

The biggest challenge I face is finding enough fruit and veggie options that will be eaten.

Katharina angelsandmusic[at]gmail[dot]com

Yona Williams said...

Fresh strawberries are juicy and easy to eat for little kiddies. EMail: yona(at)pricelesswriters.com

daveshir2005 said...

A challenge I face is making it healthy and something she'd eat. She is a very picky eater but luckily she does like alot of fruit.

email/ daveshir2005@yahoo.com

susan1215 said...

My biggest challenge is getting my daughter to eat healthier foods.

s2s2 at comcast dot net

Kathy P said...

my son loves when I add in carrot sticks and celery with peanut butter

kathypease(at)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

My 9 year old loves it when I take shishkebob sticks and put grapes, strawberries, and blueberries on them.

Mary Gardner said...

some type of fresh fruit every day!

jagar0047 at yahoo dot com

annemarie562000 said...

I like to pack fruit as a snack!

annemarie562000(at)yahoo(dot)com

Unknown said...

Always get fruit packed but my challenge is the veggies the only "raw" veggie my son will eat is carrots.
schueler.jessica@yahoo.com

Julieh said...

I pack fruits like apple slices or carrots and peanut butter to dip them in, they will eat them that way.
honeypie411 at yahoo dot com

Charity/CC said...

I'm always looking for easy portable fruit & veggie options.

ccboobooy at gmail dot com

Anonymous said...

My challenge is not to get in a lunchbag rut...of the same thing.

Bakersdozen said...

My kids love variety in their lunches. One thing I have to avoid for school is peanut butter and anything with nuts because there is a child with a serious nut allergy at my kids school. vidomich(at)yahoo(dot)com

Unknown said...

my favorite thing to do is bento boxes! cutting up little fruits and vegetables to make faces and shapes. he loves it and will eat things he normally wouldnt.

Unknown said...

My nephew likes to help pack his lunch and i give him choices (grapes vs oranges, yogurt vs string cheese) so he feels more "in charge" of his own lunch!
Ttrockwood@yahoo.com

Brian E. said...

Thanks for the giveaway...our challenge is to get our kids to eat their entire lunch in the alloted time vs socializing !

senorpiero [at] yahoo [dot] com

Karla said...

One challenge I face is staying creative in the kitchen so that my family does not get bored with their lunch.

slehan said...

Mushrooms, Green Chilies and Feta Cheese in a tortilla wrap.
Thanks for the contest.

cman said...

Everyone likes something different.

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