It’s so hard to keep coming up with healthy and fun school lunch ideas. No wonder most parents tend to pack the same foods over and over again. Here are a few ideas to change things up a little.

Change the Bread – Or don’t use bread at all. Kids can get bored with sandwiches so why not try the same fillings but make it a little more exciting by changing the bread. You can try pita bread, bagels, tortilla wraps or even crackers or breadsticks.

Make the old standards fun – On the days where you go for the traditional sandwich try cutting the bread with fun shapes using cookie cutters. You can also cut slices of cheese or ham into fun shapes. You’ll be amazed at how a boring cheese sandwich will get gobbled up when shaped into a flower or dinosaur.

Finger Foods – Sometimes kids, especially younger ones, don’t like to eat a whole sandwich or bowl of food. Instead you can try preparing cut up cubes of cheese, grapes, carrot sticks, pretzels, mini crackers, and ham cubes. Place in a container with individual compartments for a fun lunch.

Dip It – Kids love dipping stuff. For an easy and nutritious lunch snack you can cut apple wedges and serve with a strawberry or peanut butter dip or cut up veggies served with a hummus dip or try a cream cheese dip. For a more substantial lunch add pieces of pita bread, breadsticks or crackers.

Lunch Notes – Write cute little notes once in a while to put a smile on your little one’s face. A simple note with a smiley face saying I love you or miss you can instantly make a child feel better. For older children (who will no doubt be embarrassed by smiley faces and cutsie notes) try a riddle or brain teaser instead. I used to send a definition of one new word on a slip of paper every day in my boys’ lunches. It was a cool, and sometimes funny, new way for them to learn a new word.

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