Lunch Makeover: Fast, Healthy Meals for Kids

The best lunch is one that’s nutritious and quick to prepare, but also fun to eat. Pack a punch with tips from 4 Ingredients authors Kim McCosker and Rachael Bermingham.

By Kim McCosker And Rachael Bermingham



Encouraging your children to be involved in choosing foods and preparing their lunch can help ensure that it not only gets eaten, but is enjoyed as well.

Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

If you shop wisely and choose fruit in season, you can still afford these and many more fresh fruits and vegetables for lunch boxes.

FRUIT

Apples: Ask the vendor for the crunchiest varieties, as no one, least of all a child, likes a mealy apple! The skin of an apple is the best part, nutrientwise.

Apricots

Asian pears: Crunchy and juicy – our children love these.

Bananas

Grapes: Green, red, or purple. The darker the skin, the more antioxidants!

Kiwifruit

Mangoes: Get lots in season and freeze for use all year.

Nectarines

Oranges, quartered

Peaches

Pears

Pineapple chunks

Plums

Strawberries

Tangerines

Watermelon, honeydew melon, or cantaloupe, cubed

VEGETABLES

Bell pepper, yellow, red, or green, cut into strips

Carrot sticks

Celery sticks

Cherry tomatoes

Cucumbers, cut into strips

Green beans, whole

Sugar snap peas and snow peas

Dairy

You read everywhere that experts suggest you include one serving of dairy food in a lunch box every day. One serving is equal to:

1 cup milk: In the summer, try freezing milk overnight. Wrap the container in a cloth for the lunch box to minimize sweating. By lunchtime it will be ready to drink.

1 ounces cheese slices, cubes, or sticks

1 cup yogurt–plain or with fruit: Try freezing a container of yogurt and placing it in the lunch box. As with the milk, by lunchtime it will have partially thawed and be ready to eat.

Protein Food

Choose one or more of these protein-rich foods as a starter for your sandwich:

Baked beans: Choose low salt where available. Consider trying Mexican or barbecue flavors.

Bean salad

Canned fish, such as tuna, salmon, sardines, or mackerel

Cheese

Deviled eggs

Falafel

Fish sticks

Homemade lentil patties

Peanut butter

Plain unsalted nuts (1/3 cup)

Sliced cold meats or fish, such as ham, turkey, smoked salmon, chicken, lamb, corned beef, roast beef, ham, meat loaf, or meatballs

Sandwiches

Try to include lots of varieties of bread, fillings, and spreads to retain interest in sandwiches. Breads/rolls: whole wheat, multigrain, rye, corn, pita, sourdough, pumpernickel, mountain, lavash, white fiber-enriched, omega-3-enriched, soy and flax, herb . . . The list goes on.

Pack sandwich fillings separately so that children can make their own sandwiches once they sit down to eat. This should prevent any “it’s too soggy” complaints.

Bagels

Crackers

Crispbreads

English muffins

Foccacias

Mountain bread: Try wheat, corn, rice, or barley

Pita bread

Raisin bread

Rice cakes

Scones

More fast and fun cooking tips can be found in the book 4 Ingredients: More Than 400 Quick, Easy, and Delicious Recipes Using 4 or Fewer Ingredients