OK it's that time of the year, summer break, means the kids are going to be home for lunch. I really dont like to give them too many sandwhiches over their school breaks because they eat so many of them during the school year. I went to Sam's club today and picked up some chicken nuggets, snacks, and cup of noodles, but I need some other things too and I am stumped! Would love to try some new ideas with them. THANKS! (kids are 9 &11)
We love "cool" or cold foods in the summer so we eat TON of cut up fruit; put fruit chunks in jello; fruit salads.
And then the salads - pasta salad, potato salad, macaroni salad, garden salad.
Bar-b-que hot dogs
Quiche
Burritos
pizzas
pitas stuffed w/shredded carrots, ham, sprouts, hummus spread etc
salad topped w/chicken, add corn, cucumbers, kidney beans, add your
favorite dressing
grilled chicken, corn
mini tacos
quesadillas filled w/black beans, chopped up chicken, diced tomatoes,
chopped red onions, ranch dressing
bbq chicken fingers
Pita pizzas. My boys like them better than pizzas made from English muffins. I use the large size pitas from the bread outlet. Spread some marinara sauce, layer some ham cold cuts and shredded mozzarella. You can heat them in the toaster oven or microwave.
I also buy grilled angus burger patties from Costco. Heat in microwave, melt cheese on top, throw on a bun.
Potstickers, mini-beef tacos, and tamales from Trader Joes are some other things my boys can heat up for themselves when they are hungry. Which is all the time.
Bagel pizzas. Smoked sausages. Chicken salad tortilla roll ups.
Grilled cheese, hot dogs, burritos/tacos/quesadillas, wraps, mac n cheese, Asian noodles/fried rice, warmed up leftovers, smoothies.
We always did a lot of snack type foods, veges and dip, cut up fruit, peanut butter or cheese with crackers, etc. I hate cooking when it's hot out, and we were often taking our food to the park or the pool anyway.
It's also fun to have breakfast for lunch, or just have brunch sometimes, with sausage, eggs, muffins and punch :)
Ok, here's one that went over really well with out daycare bunch last week (ages 8, 6, 5, 4, 15 months and 11 months) . I cut up some romaine lettuce, put out sliced carrots, sliced celery, peas, cut up cooked chicken, hot dogs, ham luncheon meat, craisins, and olives. Heated up some canned clam chowder. The kids made up their own salads from the ingredients I put out and each ate a good amount of salad. The surprise for me was that each of them really loved the clam chowder and asked for second... and some of them third... helpings.
my kids are 12 and 9. They love tostadas, cheap, easy and no cook! Premade shells, can of refried beans, shredded lettuce and cheese. Yum!
Also, not so healthy but mine love chili mac. Make a box of mac and cheese and stir in a can of chili...heat and eat!
They also love chinese chicken salad and BEG me to make it for them.
Bean and cheese burritos are a hit too. And I've also made breakfast burritos with eggs, hashbrowns and cheese, they will eat them for lunch too.
I also have a Word doc of 20 wraps if you, or anyone else wants it, just message me your email and I'll send it to you. Good luck!
One thing you can do is make sandwiches more interesting by cutting bread into different shapes.
Quesadillas
Wrap up little smokies in croissants for pigs in blankets
peanut butter bars (snack bars)
wraps (roll up tortillas with turkey cheese and whatever and slice)
what my kids call "homemade lunchables" - crackers, slices of cheese and deli meat - they stack them themselves
bagel pizzas
breakfast for lunch (<3 this)
get a cookbook for kids and see what pops up (I ahve one from Emeril Lagasse that my son loves)
Mine get sandwiches all summer because we picnic nearly every day.
