Nutritious and Inexpensive Lunch Ideas for Back to School

As we gear up for the end of summer and the start of school, my mind starts clicking off the things I need to take care of: purchasing back to school shoes, back to school backpacks, and making a list of easy but nutritious back to school lunch ideas.

Now that my daughters are a bit older, they sometimes purchase lunch at school. I still like to send lunch several times each week to ensure they are eating healthfully, though.

Here are a few of our favorite items to pack during the school year.

1. Turkey and cheese wraps. My kids love wraps. I don’t know if it is the idea of bread being rolled up into a tube or the actual taste. I purchase whole wheat tortillas, nitrate-free turkey, and white American cheese. To make the wraps I put a dab of hummus on the tortilla; then the turkey; then the cheese; and in the middle, shredded lettuce. Voila! Easy and inexpensive and, best of all, nutritious, too!

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2. Veggie medley. To make sure my kids are getting enough fruits and veggies during the school day I always pack them in their lunches. This veggie medley is a favorite. I cut up their favorites – celery, cucumbers, and peppers, though you could use anything from cauliflower to radishes – and then, in a small cup, put a few tablespoons of hummus. (I like to make mine, but I also buy it when time is limited and it is on sale.)  The girls like the finger food idea and the dish always ends up empty by the end of lunch.


3. Fruit skewers. These are fun and easy to make. You can use regular barbecue skewers cut in smaller pieces or fancy toothpicks. Skewer a variety of fruits, such as grapes, watermelon, and cantaloupe. Wrap the skewers in aluminum foil. I sometimes make a yogurt dip (non-fat yogurt, cinnamon, and honey) that I include with the lunch for dipping the skewers.

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4. Homemade granola bars. I love granola bars; I don’t like the fact that they are often loaded with sugar. So we make our own following this delicious recipe on Our Family Eats. This is our ‘sweet treat’ at the end of the lunch. We add things like chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and dried fruit. While they aren’t completely sugar free, they are healthier than the alternative store-bought variety.

What healthy but inexpensive lunch options do you pack for your children? What is their favorite entrée, side dish and ‘dessert’ item?