Healthy and Fun Lunchbox Ideas: Making Nutritious Lunches Exciting for Children
Life moves at a brisk pace, and parents often face the challenge of preparing nutritious and enticing meals for their children. Fortunately, a diverse range of fresh and high-quality ingredients is conveniently available for delivery from places like Spinneys Dubai.
That said, having the best ingredients on hand is just the start. The burden of creating healthy and fun lunchboxes for your children remains. Read on for a few lunchbox ideas that are nutritionally balanced and engaging to young palates.
1. Vegetable Tortilla Wrap Pinwheels
Tortillas with veggies are an attractive and highly nutritious lunch. SImply wrap your choice of vegetables in a tortilla, then cut into bite-sized discs. The creamy sauce and the colorful vegetables (carefully arranged for visual impact) make this an excellent lunch idea.
Prepare these ingredients:
Whole-wheat tortillas
Cream cheese (or a dairy-free alternative)
Colorful vegetables, such as red bell peppers, carrots, cucumber, and spinach
Follow these steps:
Prepare the vegetables. Wash and pat dry all vegetables. Thinly slice the bell peppers, carrots, and cucumber into long strips. Leave the spinach leaves as is.
Prepare the wrap. Lay out a whole-wheat tortilla and spread a thin layer of cream cheese over it. This will add a creamy taste to your pinwheels and serve as the “glue” that will hold the wrap together.
Arrange the sliced vegetables. Place the vegetable strips on the tortilla. Aim for a rainbow effect by alternating the colors: red peppers, orange carrots, green cucumbers, and spinach. Do not overfill the tortilla; leave a small margin at the edge for sealing.
Wrap. Carefully and tightly roll the tortilla, ensuring the vegetables are securely wrapped inside. Slice the roll into 1-inch-thick pinwheels. Do this correctly, and you’ll get colorful and bite-sized stuffed tortilla rounds.
Pack and serve. Arrange the pinwheels in a lunchbox for a colorful visual treat that appeals to children’s love for bright and fun shapes.
Nutritional Note: This lunchbox idea is visually appealing and packed with nutrients, a balanced meal for growing children. Whole-wheat tortillas provide fiber, while the variety of vegetables ensures a good intake of vitamins and minerals. Cream cheese adds a touch of calcium and protein.
Tip: Add some hummus or avocado spread inside the tortilla for an extra health kick. This will add healthy fats and more flavor.
2. Grilled Chicken and Veggie Bento Box
Prepare a simple chicken and veggie lunch you can make ahead for convenience. You can grill chicken in advance and have the fruits and vegetables in ready containers waiting to be dispatched into lunchboxes.
Prepare these ingredients:
Grilled chicken breast, thinly sliced
Cherry tomatoes
Cucumber slices
Baby carrots
Hummus for dipping
Whole grain pita bread, cut into triangles
Fresh fruit of your choice, like grapes or apple slices
Follow these steps:
Grill the chicken. Grill a chicken breast until it’s fully cooked. You can give it more flavor by marinating it in a garlic-onion powder rub or a teriyaki marinade. Once the chicken is cool, slice the meat into thin bite-sized strips. Chicken is a lean protein vital for children’s growth and development.
Prepare the vegetables. Wash and dry the cherry tomatoes, cucumber and baby carrots. Chop into bite-sized pieces (e.g., cut the cucumbers into strips). These vitamin-rich vegetables add a crunchy texture that kids love.
Prepare the fruit. Wash and dry your choice of fruit thoroughly and slice as needed. Good options include apples, grapes and oranges.
Prepare the pita triangles. Get whole-grain pita bread and cut it into triangles. Whole grains are important for children as they provide sustained energy and essential nutrients.
Prepare the dipping sauce. Get a small, sealable container that can fit inside your bento box and fill it with hummus. Hummus is made from chickpeas, so it’s rich in protein and fiber and perfect for dipping veggies and pita bread.
Assemble the bento. Put the pita bread triangles, vegetables and fruit slices in different compartments. Add the small container of hummus and close the box.
Nutritional Note: This bento box makes up a well-rounded meal, offering a balance of protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. It’s a satisfying and nutritious lunch for young children.
Tip: Customize the box according to your child’s preferences. You can swap out any of the veggies or fruits for their favorites, making it a meal they’ll surely enjoy.
3. Whole Wheat Pasta Salad
Children love pasta. Elevate it by turning it into a hearty, easy-to-eat salad dish. It’s colorful, tasty, and easy to eat, making it perfect for children.
Prepare these ingredients:
Whole-wheat pasta, cooked according to package instructions
Grilled chicken breast, cut into bite-sized cubes
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Cheese, cubed (mozzarella or cheddar)
Cucumber, diced
Black olives, sliced (optional)
Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon juice
A pinch of salt and pepper
Fresh herbs like basil or parsley, chopped (optional)
Follow these steps:
Cook and prepare the pasta. Choose pasta in interesting colors and shapes. Whole-wheat bowtie (e.g., farfalle), fusilli, penne, and pasta shells are good choices. Prepare and cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Rinse under cold water after cooking to cool it down and prevent overcooking. Drain the pasta, so it won’t get mushy.
Cook and prepare the chicken. Grill the chicken breast according to your usual recipe. Marinate it in teriyaki sauce or your preferred spice mix before grilling for more flavor; remember, it’s for children, so don’t be heavy-handed with the spices. Cut the cooked chicken into bite-sized cubes.
Prepare the vegetables and cheese. Wash and dry the vegetables thoroughly. Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumbers and slice the black olives. Slice your choice of cheese into cubes.
Assemble the salad. In a large bowl, combine the cooled and drained pasta, bite-sized chicken pieces, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, sliced black olives (if using), and cheese cubes. Chop some parsley and basil (if using) and add to the mix.
Dress and toss the salad. Drizzle in some extra virgin olive oil, squeeze half a lemon (or more, according to taste), add a pinch of salt, and sprinkle freshly ground pepper. Gently toss until everything is well-mixed.
Pack. Transfer the pasta salad to a lunchbox.
Nutritional Note: This pasta salad is a wholesome, nutritious meal. The whole-wheat pasta provides fiber, the vegetables vitamins and minerals, the chicken protein, the cheese calcium and more protein, and the olive oil healthy fats.
Tip: You can easily customize this salad by adding different veggies (e.g., beans) or changing the protein (e.g., turkey). It’s also a great way to use leftovers (e.g., roast chicken).
Healthy Lunches for Kids to Enjoy
Packed lunches are an excellent way to ensure your children are eating right. They’re suitable for everyday consumption at school, and particularly essential during school trips and outings.
Make your kids’ packed lunches fun and nutritious by using the ideas shared here.