Lunchbox Rescue: Fuel for School

A lot has changed in the 20 years since my mom packed me a lunch and sent me off to school: A few fast-food chains have increased their commitment to sustainability and organics, vegetables have moved from side dish to main course, and brown-bag lunches have turned into bento boxes.

Gone are the days when parents could reflexively stuff a PB&J and potato chips into a bag and call it lunch. These days we’re faced with the culinary challenge of providing variety and, most importantly, nutrition that keeps kids fueled and happy.

When dealing with kids’ developing taste buds and desire to exercise their right to refuse, nutrition is often sacrificed for familiar foods that actually get eaten. Fear not: You can have both. We’ve taken brown-bag classics and amped up the nutrition and excitement for a delicious packable lunch—brown bag or bento box.

The healthiest school lunches are often the simplest. Stock your cupboards with these basic foods and let your child pack lunch by picking one or two from each group.

HEALTHY GRAINS

Whole grain sandwich bread
Whole grain crackers
Corn tortillas
Whole grain flour tortillas
Pasta
Rice
Low sugar cereal
Tortilla chips
Whole grain muffins

HEARTY PROTEINS

Peanut or almond butter
Cheese slices or cheese sticks
Hummus
Lunch meats
Yogurt
Hard boiled eggs

FRUITS AND VEGGIES

Apples
Bananas
Cherries
Plums
Orange wedges
Cherry tomatoes
Carrots
Snap peas
Edamame
Broccoli
Fruit cups
Applesauce cups