After the first few weeks of the new semester, do you find yourself giving your kids the same lunches every day? Don’t worry – we all do the same. It’s often easier and much more convenient. But, whether you’re looking for innovative homeschool lunch ideas or just to mix up what goes in their lunchboxes, these five-minute lunches are for you.
Salmon Salad Pitas
Like tuna salad, but even tastier! Mix some tinned salmon with chopped lettuce and peppers, then put into a pita. Done! You can add some low-fat mayo if your kids like it, or just let the flavor of the fish speak for itself.
Bread-less Roll-ups
Slice some cheese and wrap it in deli ham or turkey. Then chop into portions, like you would with tortillas. There are loads of different options for this, so try it with different fillings to keep your children on their toes.
Pizza Pasta
It’s pasta that tastes like pizza! Use leftover pasta from dinner (or batch cook ahead of time), then mix in some sliced tomatoes and grated cheese. It’s as simple as that. If you want to experiment with different ‘toppings’, then go ahead. Why not try adding some black olives, cubes of ham, or diced pineapple?
BLT Salad
Admittedly, this one takes some prep. But, so long as you boil a couple of eggs and cook some bacon ahead of time, it still takes less than five minutes to put it all together. First, chop your hard-boiled eggs into quarters and add to your bacon, which you’ll need to cut into small pieces. Then toss with slices of tomato and some fresh salad (I recommend lettuce and avocado).
Top Tips
Whatever you decide to go for regarding your new, quick lunch ideas, there are some key things to remember.
- If your children are going to school, make sure you have the right containers. If you get some lunch boxes with compartments already built-in, you’ll save the daily battle of finding which lids go with which plastic containers. Compartments make lunches quick to pack and easily separate items that might squash fruits and vegetables you’ve given them.
- Use staple foods. None of these ideas will be as quick as they’re designed to be if they mean you have to go out of your way to buy or prepare food that you wouldn’t usually have in the cupboard. So instead, have items that can be used in various ways, such as tortilla wraps, leftovers, sliced deli meats, or fresh vegetables.
- Mix it up. Try not to give your kids the same lunch every day, as that might lead to them getting bored of it and becoming picky.
