Stuck on what to put in your child’s lunch? Tired of sending healthy food only to get it back at the end of the day?

Beyond the Sandwich– while easy to pack, and healthy, you probably don’t need more sandwich recipes. “The Main Event” below provides alternative ideas for your child’s lunch.

In a Thermos:

• Chicken or Minestrone soup
• Chili and a bun
• Tuna Casserole
• Leftovers

In a box:

• Chicken pasta salad
• Couscous or Quinoa salad
• Potato salad and a chicken leg
• Leftover Pizza

Homemade Lunch-able:

• Hawaii 5-0: lean ham, shredded cheese, pineapple in a tortilla wrap
• Leaning tower of Pisa: Turkey pepperoni, mozzarella cubes, cherry tomatoes and      crackers
• A French picnic: Mini quiche, grapes and a baguette round

Lunch bag Add-ins- once the main event is chosen, have your child pick one item from each of the categories below. For example, if tuna casserole is the main event, your child could choose vegetable sticks, cheese cubes and a granola bar to round out thier lunch.

Vegetable/Fruit

• vegetable sticks
• orange or apple wedges
• fruit cup
• cherry tomatoes
• unsweetened applesauce

Dairy

• cheese string or cubes
• yogurt (3/4 cup)
• milk to go (1 cup)
• yogurt tube

Grains

• granola bar
• crackers
• homemade snack mix
• homamade muffin

Do you make your child’s lunch daily? Please share some of your successful tips in the comments below.