This year we decided to send our daughter to school with a lunch box. So what do you put in that lunch box everyday?? In this post I’m gonna offer up some ideas AND ask for any you might have! And as an added twist, for every comment you will be entered into a contest to win an insulated lunch box. Contest ends at the end of the month. Just for fun!

My daughter is one of those that likes to same thing everyday, but I’m the kind of mom that doesn’t like the same thing all the time. So she makes it easy because I don’t have to change it up a lot, but I do like to throw in surprises. Let’s start with sandwiches:
Peanut butter and honey (or jelly if you are ol’ fashioned)
Lunch meat and cheese
Fruit and Nut butters like this one
Tuna or Chicken Salad
BLT (if you are into bacon)
Egg or Ham salad

Or change it up a bit and use pita bread or tortillas. Throw in a quesadilla or a veggie pita. We also do tortilla roll ups and the kids love them.

The simplest Tortilla Roll Up

Spread tortilla with cream cheese. Sprinkle with herbs of choice (basil, dill, or lemon pepper are favorites). And roll. Slice tortilla into rolled up bites and your kids will eat them up fast!

Now we like to add a few things when we have them. You can fix it up with lettuce, tomato, meat, onion, etc. Another fun way is to spice up the cream cheese. Place the cream cheese and some yogurt into a blender or food processor. Add cilantro, black olives, a jalapeno, cumin, salt and pepper. Blend together and spread on tortilla. Yum!

We also include a water bottle in her lunch box so we can just refill it everyday. This is much cheaper and better for her than using juice boxes or sodas.

And you have to have snacks in the lunch box. We have included homemade cookies, chips (buy a big bag of chips and then pack them in baggies each day), pickled okra, pickles, cheese sticks, fruit (use real fruit and not fruit packs, these are cheaper and healthier), carrot sticks (or other chopped raw veggies), raw nuts, and fruit roll ups (there are all natural kinds or make your own).

We just decided that feeding her lunch everyday was a much better alternative to eating cafeteria food everyday. I’m all up for fresh ideas, so start sharing!