Recently in Sanity Saving Chores, I mentioned that my 10-year-old often takes care of lunch on her own. Today I decided to throw out some of our favorite quick and easy lunch ideas. These can all be easily prepared by my oldest, and sometimes little sis helps too. So without further ado, here are 5 easy lunches kids can cook.
~ The Sandwich Lunch
- Pros – Quick & easy to prepare with minimal mess.
- Cons – Can easily become boring.
- Our Favorites – Peanut Butter & Bananas, Peppered Turkey with cheese & mustard, hot ham & cheese, grilled cheese, pizza bread
- Tip – Want to add some fun? Pull out your favorite cookie cutters and let the kids go to town.
- Check out these cute ideas from Cool Creativity!
~ The Salad Lunch
- Pros – Loaded with veggies!
- Cons – Can be messy & time-consuming if you don’t prep ahead.
- Our Favorites – Taco Salad (with meat prepped in advance & frozen), garden salads topped with leftover meat, fruit salad
- Tip – Prep fruits & veggies in advance to save time and minimize the mess.
- Check out my Pinterest board for some great salad ideas.
~The Snack Tray Lunch
- Pros – Easy to get every food group in one meal; great for picky eaters.
- Cons – Hunger may occur quickly if enough protein isn’t added.
- Our Favorites – Meat & Cheese roll-ups, diced fruit, veggies with dip, boiled eggs, cheese cubes, yogurt, occasionally chicken nuggets
- Tip – Make things extra fun by serving in a muffin tin.
- Check out this cute idea for snack boxes on the go!
~The Mexican Lunch
- Pros – Everyone loves Mexican!
- Cons – Can be time-consuming & usually involves a heat source.
- Our Favorites – Tacos, Quesadillas, Bean burritos, Nachos
- Tip – Let your kids try out some basic cooking on these recipes. My oldest makes better re-fried beans than I do.
- Check out this yummy looking ham & cheese quesadilla!
~The Leftover Lunch
- Pros – No fuss, No waste, Easy cleanup
- Cons – Hmmmm…..Leftovers are always a win for me, so I don’t know a downside.
- Our Favorites – beans, stir-fry, grilled chicken, mac n cheese
- Tip – Double up your dinner recipes, and lunch is finished the night before!
- Check out these handy storage containers from Amazon.
So there you have it! Simply select one meal from each group and you have your weekday lunches covered. The best part is my daughter can fix these meals with minimal assistance, which means she learns some life skills, and I have a little extra time. It’s a win/win situation.
Interested in more recipes just for kids? Check out Cooking Class: 57 Fun Recipes Kids Will Love to Make (and Eat!)
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