Need Back-to-School Lunch and Snack Ideas? Get Great Tips for Healthy Options and Discover the Luv Club Monthly Subscription.
My son (aka Honey Bear) on his first day of school.
For many parents, it's the most wonderful time of the year! Back-to-school time means a return to routine. Your kids will be going to bed early, getting up and going to school at the same time every weekday, and coming home tired and ready for homework, dinner, and bedtime.
But despite the comfort of routine, back-to-school time can also be stressful. You have a lot more to do, and that includes preparing lunches and snacks for your kids. What should you pack in their lunchboxes? How can you quickly prepare something nutritious? And what will your kids actually eat?
As a parent, I have experienced similar challenges. I would like to share my insights on how to put together appetizing, nutritious, and fun back-to-school snacks and lunches — and they include a brownie or two!
A great addition to any back-to-school lunch or snack
Let’s start with the fun stuff. Imagine the look on your child's face when they open their lunch box to discover that you've packed a moist brownie alongside their sliced fruit. With the Luv Brownie's Luv Club, you can have a dozen of our award-winning Luv Bites® — bite-sized heart-shaped brownies or a special heart-shaped brownie delivered to your home every month. Our brownies are the perfect sweet treat to pack for school, and the heart shape will tell your child you ❤️ them.
Membership to the Luv Club only costs $28 per month, and members are also eligible for free brownies on their birthdays and membership anniversaries. Deliveries can only be made in the United States, but you can choose to send the brownies to a different person each month.
4 tips for creating healthy back-to-school lunches and snacks
Our kids know what's healthy, because we drill that information into their heads from the time they’re in preschool. Still, they don't always gravitate toward the best food options. You won't win every battle, but the following tips can help you keep their diet on the right track:
Include fruits and vegetables in their snack and lunch boxes, even if it's just carrot sticks, apple slices, or a container of sweetcorn. The fiber will keep them feeling full throughout the day.
Switch from white to whole-grain pastas and breads whenever possible. A lunch full of whole grains (and fiber) will force the body to release energy slowly throughout the afternoon. This means your child won't be asleep by fifth period, even if they have an early lunch.
Include dairy or other calcium-rich foods. Kids’ bones are growing, and calcium is essential for that growth. Try cheese sticks or plain yogurt with frozen fruit like blueberries or raspberries on top, with a side of granola.
It’s okay to include a sweet treat like a Luv Bite, as long as you balance it with other food groups. And the promise of dessert should get your child excited about eating lunch!
3 ideas for keeping back-to-school lunches and snacks interesting
To keep your child from getting bored with the same old fare — and to make sure they have enough variety in their diet — here are a few tips for changing things up:
Stock your freezer with different kinds of whole-grain breads — like pita bread, rolls, and seeded sliced bread — so you can quickly defrost it in the toaster in the morning. Stuff a personalized frittata wedge into a pita and wrap it up for a perfect school snack.
Use whole-grain wraps to make quesadillas with beans, leftover chicken or beef, or even sweetcorn. Or use a wrap to make a burrito with mayo, cooked bacon bits, baby spinach, and tomato. My son’s favorite is cream cheese, smoked ham and havarti cheese. A sweeter sandwich could include peanut butter and banana.
For snacks, try a variety of simple options that pack fiber and protein, like nuts and dried fruits, plain or Greek yogurt, cut-up fruits, and seeded or whole-grain crackers with cheese.
If your child resists change and doesn’t seem to be eating enough at school, don't panic. Try introducing new foods gradually, and always combine them with old favorites. And when your child gets home from school, offer them a substantial after-school snack that’s filling and healthy.
Oh, and don’t forget the Luv Bite or special heart-shaped brownie to remind them how much you ❤️ them and missed them throughout the day!
A portion of all of our sales goes to our scholarship fund.
Thank you for being part of the Luv’s Brownies journey.
❤️
Andrea (pronounced Aundrea)