Sharing a few of my favourite lunchbox concepts for teenagers!
Hello associates! How are you? I hope that you simply’re having a stunning morning to this point. I’ve packed this week with podcast interviews and consumer calls – right here we goooooo – as a result of the Pilot is residence and may take over homeschool duties.
For at present’s put up, I wished to share some lunchbox concepts for youngsters. I make the women’ lunches each day, and I like placing them collectively. Liv’s college provides sizzling lunch, which is takeout from completely different quick meals eating places, nevertheless it’s tremendous costly (like $20 for Chick-Fil-A) they usually don’t even preserve the meals heat earlier than serving it to the children. So for high quality and value causes, I preserve making their meals right here at residence.
Final 12 months, I’d generally open Liv’s lunchbox to scrub it, and fairly a little bit of it might nonetheless be sitting in right here.
“Why didn’t you eat lunch? Aren’t you hungry at lunchtime?”
“I’m a little bit hungry however generally I don’t actually need a bagel or a sandwich… I’d love a meal.”
“A meal? Like what do you imply?”
“Like ramen, or rooster, or salad or one thing like that.”
This blew my thoughts. I used to be nonetheless form of packing her “little child lunches.” Don’t get me flawed, they nonetheless regarded good and had a lot of tasty and wholesome elements, however she wished an precise meal as a substitute of a bagel or PB&J. It was an enormous lightbulb second for me as a result of I’d really feel the identical method. I don’t like consuming the identical chilly issues each day, and for lunch, I usually desire a *meal* as a substitute of a bagel or PB&J.
[And for the friends out there who might be wondering why she didn’t pack her own lunch, she was dancing 10+ hours a week last year across town and had hours of homework each night. It’s also one of those things that I’m happy to do for them – I enjoy it!]
I began asking her for lunch concepts, and taking her to Costco and Entire Meals with me to pick issues that look good to her. Now I make her *meals* for lunch which might be nonetheless simply as quick as making a PB&J or bagel, however they’re extra satisfying and pleasing.
Listed here are among the issues which might be within the rotation:
Packed lunch concepts for teen
Fundamental course:
Pasta salad
That is the greatest pasta salad on the planet and you may make it upfront to take pleasure in all through the week.
Chopped salad with do-it-yourself dressing
Liv loves a chopped salad and I’ll normally add several types of greens, a protein (like leftover rooster or sliced deli turkey), garbanzo beans, edamame, poshi artichokes or asparagus, grated cheese, olives, veggies, and a do-it-yourself dressing.
Jennifer Aniston salad
All of us LOVE this salad and it’s really easy to pack for lunch with grilled rooster on high.
Egg bites
These will also be made upfront and frozen. All of us love these Mediterranean Egg Bites or these Starbucks copycat egg bites.
Ramen or Buldok
She loves ramen and doesn’t thoughts consuming it chilly/room temperature, so I’ll make it the evening earlier than and preserve it in a glass container.
Sliced grilled rooster with dipping sauces and rice
I’ll usually meal prep rooster or meatballs and pack these in her lunch with ranch or BBQ sauce to dip.
Ravioli with olive oil and grated cheese on high
Pre-cook the ravioli, drizzle olive oil on high and grated parmegiano reggiano.
Pizza
It’s really easy to wrap up and pack a few items of pizza
Leftovers
It’s humorous as a result of I used to hate leftovers as a child, however the women love them. Generally after dinner I’ll ask Liv what I can pack her for lunch and he or she’ll ask if we now have leftovers from our meal. If we do, I simply pack them as much as go. Issues like lasagna, enchiladas, papusas, chili or floor beef, and stir fries are all choices that she’s wished to pack up and take for lunch.
Greek bowls with pita bread
Rice, rooster, hummus, Greek salad, grape leaves, and pita
Sides:
Fruit
I’ll wash, chop up, and prep a ton of fruit for the week since all of us love snacking on it. I normally purchase what’s in season, so currently it’s been berries (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries), grapes, a number of forms of melon, and a pineapple. I soak the berries in vinegar and water for 2-5 minutes and allow them to dry utterly earlier than storing in glass containers. I additionally chop the melon and pineapple and retailer in glass containers.
Jerky
Chips – Boulder, Siete, or Jackson’s are the go-tos however she additionally loves Taki’s once in a while or the Dealer Joe’s copycat Taki’s
Dried fruit or fruit strips
Poshi veggie packs
Sliced veggies with hummus
Cheese
Yogurt with fruit on high
Do-it-yourself cookies, brownies, bars, or some chocolate for dessert
I’m making an attempt to cut back the quantity of pacakged snacks we purchase, however we nonetheless get snacky issues and pantry staples at Thrive Market < — my hyperlink saves you 40% in your first order.
So, inform me, associates: what do your teenagers prefer to eat for lunch? What’s the new lunch situtaion like at your college?
At Liv’s preschool in San Diego, that they had the BEST sizzling lunch choices. You possibly can order sushi (!), acai bowls, Caesar salads, soups, sandwiches, it was ridiculous.
xo
Gina