Lunch Ideas a Plenty!

So Ethan starts preschool next week and I am a little nervous about having to pack a lunch that contains all finger food! Parents magazine has had some great tips and suggestions about packing lunches and I wanted to list some of those here. For thermos ideas you can check out my other blog, My Favorite Things.

This month they had 25 easy ideas for are kidlets lunches (I might steal some of these ideas for myself). In the magazine the lunches were packed in a laptop lunch boxes with all the food groups represented in each example. I've listed below some items that I thought were inventive or particularly fun.

• bow-tie pasta salad
• watermelon (take seeds out for little ones)
• fig newtons
• shelled edamame
• ham, turkey, and cheese rolled up together sliced, and skewered with pretzels
• sliced hard boiled egg
• mini whole grain waffles
• bell-pepper strips
• sliced kiwi mixed with a few blackberries
• mini corn muffin
• slice of banana bread
• blueberries
• bean salad
• melon wedges
• PB&J on mini bagel
• mini oatmeal cookies
• pita pockets with grilled chicken and veggies
• yogurt with strawberry slices
  

They also had great sandwich ideas (for those who are tired of PB&J) and I'll list these here too:

• Veggie cream cheese and cucumbers
• Tuna salad with sliced tomatoes
• Almond butter with slivered almonds and dried cranberries
• Hummus and chopped peppers
• Apple butter and fresh apple slices
• Whipped cream cheese and fresh blueberries
• The Laughing Cow spreadable cheese with ham and grated carrot
• Blueberry cream cheese with strawberry slices
• Jam and cream cheese

Of course, if you still need more lunch ideas, check out Betsy's blog!