Healthy lunch and snack ideas for kids during COVID back-to-school

Back to school. For most, this is an exciting time. Finally, kids are out of your hands! At this time, with COVID, kids may be going back to school in person, but some may be going back virtually. This may be anxiety-filled, and the last thing on your mind might be meal and snack ideas. But as the caregiver/parent, you still have the responsibility to provide snacks and lunches for kids at home.

As dietitian moms ourselves, we have a few lunch and snack ideas to fall back on, as well as some from our clients and friends. These snacks are great to have on hand or rotate during the week. Remember, you can choose what your kids eat. What they eat can influence their behavior, learning ability, memory, and anxiety.  As a rule of thumb, always include a carb with fiber (fruit, vegetable, grain) and a protein/fat in a snack to keep from a “crash” and keep your child sustained throughout the “at-home” school day.

Here are 20 simple lunches, 20 quick snacks, and 20 nutritious food products for your kids to cycle through!

Need help?

Do you find yourself struggling to get your kids to eat veggies or less “pantry foods”? Curious about what they should be eating? Have a picky eater? 

Schedule a session with Tammy Leeper! She is amazing with kids. She has this ability to chat with them on their level and get them eating healthier. 

Tammy is in-network with most major insurance companies. 

Lunch ideas:

1. Snack lunch – Whole grain crackers, cheese slices, cherry tomatoes, and apple slices
2. Hummus, pita chips, carrots, and bell peppers
3. Veggie pizza quesadilla with toppings of choice
4. Nachos with whole grain chips, low-fat cheese, beans, and chopped tomatoes
5. Whole grain almond butter and banana sandwich
6. Red Lentil Mac n Cheese
7. Veggie pita pocket with hummus and veggies of choice
8. Turkey, spinach, tomato, and avocado rolled in a whole wheat tortilla
9. Egg salad sandwich on whole grain bread with avocado instead of mayo
10. Tuna sandwich on whole-grain bread with cucumbers and pickles
11. Scrambled eggs burrito and berries
12. Whole wheat bagel with cream cheese, fruit, and veggies
13. Sweet potato topped with chili
14. Grilled chicken salad
15. Mediterranean Pita Pizza
16. Lentil Tacos
17. Cheesy Baked Veggie Dunkers
18. Veggie Loaded Sloppy Joes
19. Avocado Hummus Sandwich
20. Chicken Tostadas

Snack ideas:

1. Hard-boiled egg and whole-grain crackers
2. Oatmeal and peanut butter
3. Popcorn and Lily’s dark chocolate
4. Smoothie (Milk, spinach or cauliflower, the fruit of choice, and nut butter) — Let the kids choose what you put for each base in the smoothie! They are more likely to eat it when they have the choice.
5. Dessert Hummus and fruit
6. Greek yogurt and frozen fruit
7. Cheese stick and frozen fruit
8. Milk and graham crackers with peanut butter
9. Nut butter and fruit of choice
10. Celery and peanut butter
11. Watermelon pizza (spread Greek yogurt and ground flaxseed on top of the watermelon)
12. Avocado and whole-grain crackers or rice cakes
13. Hummus and veggies
14. Banana “ice cream” (Milk, frozen bananas, and nut butter blended)
15. Bananas or strawberries dipped in Lily’s melted chocolate chips and frozen
16. Sliced pears and ricotta cheese
17. Cottage cheese topped on whole-grain toast or crackers
18. Baked sweet potato fries dipped in guacamole
19. Frozen fruit and Greek yogurt pureed and frozen into a popsicle
20. Roast chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) and season with spices

Prepackaged snacks and brands:

1. Biena Chickpea Snacks
2. Trail Mix
3. Snack Mates Kids Turkey Sticks
4. Peeled Pea Crisps
5. Biena Chickpea Puffs
6. Perfect Kids Snack bars
7. Stretch Island Fruit Leather
8. Mamma Chia Squeeze
9. Wyman’s or Yogi’s Freeze-dried Yogurt and Fruit Snacks
10. Kind Kids Granola Bars
11. Larabar Minis
12. Dino Bars Fruit Bars
13. Freeze-dried fruit
14. Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars
15. RX Bars Kids or Skout Bars
16. Bitsy’s Cheddar Chia Crackers
17. Stonyfield Organic Fruit and Veggie and Milk Pouches
18. Fruit and Nut Muesli Cereal with milk
19. Almond Spinach Artichoke Dip with veggies
20. Dr. Praeger’s Sensible Foods Kids Kale Littles

Taking these meals on the go – click to purchase

Do you find yourself struggling to get your kids to eat veggies or less “pantry foods”? Curious about what they should be eating? Have a picky eater? 

Schedule a session with Tammy Leeper! She is amazing with kids. She has this ability to chat with them on their level and get them eating healthier. 

Tammy is in-network with most major insurance companies. 

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