Jessica Roy, MS, RD, LDN
As most families with young children know, getting your kids out the door to school with a healthy and tasty packed lunch can be challenging. Bento boxes can be super helpful with packing items kids will enjoy with a focus on appropriate portions to include variety and not overwhelm picky eaters.
Follow my stepwise plan below for creating delicious bento box lunches any kid will love:
STEP ONE: Pick a protein. Kids may like fun colored food picks and/or colored muffin cup liners to make lunch time even more fun.
- Yogurt
- Cheese
- Hard boiled eggs
- Beans like chickpeas, lentils, black beans, etc.
- Edamame or tofu bites
- Deli meat or rotisserie chicken
- Tuna
- Nuts and seeds/butters
STEP TWO: Pair those veggies with a dip or seasoning to sprinkle on top. Dipping is a very kid friendly way to help make veggies more appealing.
- Celery and ranch
- Baby carrots and tzatziki
- Snap peas and hummus
- Cucumbers with guacamole
- Pepper strips with salsa
- Broccoli with ketchup (yes, ketchup is ok, and this is one my daughter loves!)
- Cauliflower with Parmesan cheese sprinkles
STEP THREE: Have fun with fruit. Use cookie cutters for some of these suggestions to make fun shapes for even more visual appeal.
- Watermelon stars
- Kiwi hearts
- Honeydew or cantaloupe farm animals
- Starfruit naturally has a fun shape!
STEP FOUR: Include a fun food. Allowing kids to pack a fun food with the rest of the lunch may inspire a sense of comfort and control over what is going into the meal.
- A few squares of milk or dark chocolate
- Chocolate or yogurt covered pretzels or fruit
- Handful of chips, pretzels, popcorn or Goldfish crackers
- Fruit snacks
Hoping everyone enjoys a happy and healthy new school year with plenty of energy for learning.
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Or call us at 978-577-6451.
