Mini Pizza Lunch FINALSummer is coming quickly to a close and we’re getting ready for school time once again. Man this summer flew by! Getting into the rhythm of going back to school can be challenging after all that time off. Mornings can especially be a super huge challenge making sure people get ready on time. In order to reduce morning stress, I pack our lunches the night before. Simplicity is my goal. Here are some of my favorite back to school lunch ideas:

#1. Mini-pizzas with steamed broccoli & parmesan cheese: Make this English muffin pizza by putting ½  Tbsp of tomato paste on each muffin. Top with a slice of Jarlsberg lite cheese. Place it in the microwave or toaster oven to melt the cheese. (I prefer the toaster so the cheese gets a nice golden color when it melts and the muffin gets slightly crispy. This holds up better when the kids eat it the next day). Steam broccoli. Add salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese.

Chicken Tenders_Lunch Ideas

#2. Oven-baked chicken tenders with carrots & homemade ranch dip: Make the chicken tenders for dinner and put the leftovers for school lunch. Here’s the recipe for the chicken tenders. Adding in the carrots and ranch dip provide a perfect balance and dipping enjoyment. Get my homemade ranch dip Alphonso and I made during one of our Kids In The Kitchen Videos.

 

 

 

FINAL Spaghetti Turkey Meatball LUNCH

#3. Spaghetti & Meatball Leftovers: Yes: you can have leftovers for lunch! Spaghetti and meatballs are delicious and hold up great for lunch. Now you’ve made a great dinner and you can just put the leftovers into lunch containers before sending the kids on their way. This is a very simple lunch because there’s no additional prep after dinner.

 

 

 

 

Chicken Bullet Sandwich

#4. The Italian Chicken Bullet Bread Sandwich: This sandwich is very hearty. Depending on the age of your child, you can just give the child half the sandwich. The Italian Chicken Bullet Bread sandwich provides a complete meal because it has the bread, chicken, and veggies all inside.

 

 

 

 

Turkey_Hummus_Pita_Pocket

#5. Pita Pocket Medley: Instead of using regular bread for a sandwich, put the fillings into a pita! Pitas can provide pizzazz and switch up the standard sandwich. Get some great pita sandwich ideas here.

Have fun getting ready for back to school! Let’s make lunch simple, delicious, and well-balanced.

What other ideas do you have for school lunch?

Sarah Koszyk, MA, RDN