How to Pack a Well-Balanced Lunch for Your Child

There is nothing more exciting than the start of a new school year! If you’re a busy parent with a child in school, here is how to ensure your child has a healthy and filling lunch each day.

Annabelle is off to Kindergarten and she is so enthusiastic about the big cafeteria at her new school. Bonus: she gets to pick where she sits with her friends. To ensure our busy mornings before school run smoothly, I’m planning out what we need to buy ahead of time for Annabelle’s school lunch each day. She needs a healthy, well-balanced lunch to keep her energized for learning and having fun.

How to Pack a Well-Balanced Lunch for Your Child

Make a school lunch shopping list ahead of time featuring the foods your child loves.

I shop over the weekend and stock the cabinets and fridge. Annabelle doesn’t always want to eat the same thing every day, so we have a variety of snacks and lunch items.!

Make sure you pack your child a full lunch box to ensure he or she is well-fed at lunchtime.

Wondering what to put inside?

Well-Balanced Lunch Ideas for Your Child

Fruit: fresh-cut fruit, dried fruit, Mott’s Applesauce Pouch Pals
Vegetables: carrot sticks, celery sticks, cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, steamed broccoli
Meat: turkey, chicken nuggets, ham
Protein: hummus, nut butter, hardboiled egg
Dairy: cheese cubes, cheese stick, yogurt, milk
Starch: crackers, veggie chips, popcorn, bread

Here are 25 School Lunch Ideas – all kid approved!

A must-have item in Annabelle’s lunch box is an Applesauce Pouch. Annabelle loves the Mott’s Applesauce Pouch Pals because they are tasty, sweet like a treat, and so easy to eat. With a screw top lid, the applesauce can be enjoyed right from the pouch without a utensil.

To save time, prepare food for lunches ahead of time.

• Pre-wash and cut any fresh fruit or veggies and store in airtight containers.
• Separate snacks into reusable snack bags, one for every day of the week, and store away until needed.
• Usually I pack the lunch box the night before school but if I forget, it’s easy to assemble everything if it’s all prepared ahead of time.

Do you have any tips for easily packing a well-balanced lunch for your child?