Smart Lunch Ideas for Healthy Students

08/01/2021

This week I am making smart lunch ideas a no-brainer! Building a lunch for your healthy student is easier than you may think...

Whether you are sending the kids out the door to school or sending them to the living room for virtual learning or homeschool...they need FOOD! Having the proper nutrition leads to better behavior, improved focus, and boosts their ability to learn and retain new information.

Last week we covered disposable lunch packaging (insert blog link) - so when you think of foods to pack in a kid lunch, it doesn't have to be pre-packaged, sugar-laden, food with a shelf life of 1,398 years...

Kids do not need to be entertained by their food as much as Pinterest leads us to believe!

My boys have eaten the. same. (non-dinosaur shaped) lunch. forever.

Kids need healthy brain food!

And SUGAR is not brain food.

Keep it simple with proven kid favorites!

And it will be even easier with the breakdown of our kid macro categories...

Muscles

Colors

Brains

Protein = Muscles

This is the building block for those little growing bodies! Protein provides amino acids - some we can make and some must come from our nutrition. These are called the essential amino acids and 12 of them are required from our nutrition for growing children...so we must get these in first!

To figure out how many grams of protein your child needs each day, take their weight in pounds and divide it by 2 (ex: an 80 lb child would need 40 grams of protein a day)

Pack a protein punch with:

  • Nitrate/nitrite free deli meat in a wrap
  • Rotisserie chicken (change it up with BBQ sauce, salsa, or taco seasoning)
  • Hard boiled eggs
  • Kodiak cakes or frozen waffles w/ nut or seed butter
  • Classic PB+J (freeze it as an ice pack)
  • Protein pasta (chickpea pasta) with olive oil + mix-ins or classic marinara
  • Beans

Fruits + Veggies = Colors (Carbs)

Carbohydrates provide the major source of energy that we need to live, grow, and thrive. When you eat your colors you get quality carbohydrates with some fiber (and that helps with digestion.)

  • Nature makes some great to-go packaging - apples, bananas, and clementines are perfect grab and go options. Grapes and berries pack easily too!
  • Baby carrots or cucumbers with hummus or dip
  • Fruit pouches or fruit cups (unsweetened)
  • Steamed or roasted green beans can become Hulk Fries

Healthy Fats = Brains

Fat is the real deal brain power! Our brains are the fattiest organ in the body at nearly 60% fat...so it makes sense that we need healthy fat to fuel our brain and protect our entire nervous system. But we want the good fats...

Pack some good brain fuel with these options...

  • Nut or seed butters
  • Avocado or Guacamole
  • Salmon

OR for easy brain fuel lunch ideas, whip up these recipes that make healthy fats a kid friendly treat!

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BRAIN BITES

5 min to make. 1 hour to chill. Ready to eat.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Unrefined Coconut Oil
  • 1 cup Coconut Manna (I love Artisana brand)
  • 3 tbsp Cocoa Powder
  • 3 tbsp Peanut Butter
  • 1 cup Unsweetened Coconut Flakes (you can skip if you wish)
  • ½ cup Lily's Brand Mini Chocolate Chips

Instructions

  • Heat manna and oil in a glass bowl until liquid.
  • Stir in other ingredients.
  • Use a measuring cup for easy pour into ice cube trays.
  • Sprinkle chocolate chips on top.
  • Freeze.

LEMON HEAD BRAIN BITES

5 min to make. 1 hour to chill. Ready to eat.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Unrefined Coconut Oil
  • 1 cup Coconut Manna (I love Artisana brand)
  • 1 tbsp Lemon Extract OR 4-5 Drops Lemon Essential Oil
  • 1 tsp 'CALM' Brand (raspberry lemon flavor) Magnesium Powder (See show notes for link to this product)

Instructions

  • Heat manna and oil in a glass bowl until liquid.
  • Stir lemon extract/oil + magnesium really well so flavors are even.
  • Taste it! If more bitter taste is desired then add more CALM.
  • Use a measuring cup to pour into ice cube trays.
  • Freeze & Enjoy!

As always, have questions? Drop those below.

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Rocked your world? Share with others you love.

Show Notes

Need CALM magnesium powder for the Lemon Head recipe? Grab it HERE!

You can find all of my favorite lunch box items in my Healthy Lunch Box Kit.

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