{"id":66915,"date":"2024-09-10T12:06:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-10T16:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nutritiouslf.wpenginepowered.com\/healthy-brown-bag-lunches-kids\/"},"modified":"2025-06-27T17:28:31","modified_gmt":"2025-06-27T21:28:31","slug":"healthy-brown-bag-lunches-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nutritiouslife.com\/eat-empowered\/healthy-brown-bag-lunches-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Healthy Brown Bag Lunches Your Kids Will Actually Eat"},"content":{"rendered":"

Maybe you\u2019ve been focused on getting better cereal<\/a> into your kids\u2019 morning bowls, and you totally spaced on what to pack for lunch?<\/p>\n

Getting into back-to-school mode can be a real challenge, as everything shifts into overdrive and you\u2019re racing to make sure homework\u2019s done while also having to worry about three (three?!) meals a day.<\/p>\n

Lunchboxes filled with homemade meals presented in pretty shapes may have their time and place, but for most busy parents their lucky if playdoh is in pretty shapes, let alone their kids foods! Relying on leftovers from dinner, mixing and matching foods that may not be traditional lunch foods and using “healthier” packaged meals can really help a parent out. Frozen meals and packaged meals can be kind of a like a personal assistant to any parent, offering a little help with back-to-school meals<\/a>\u2014the key is finding the most healthiest packaged options.<\/p>\n

Keep reading for five super simple healthy brown bag lunches you can rely on all school year long.<\/p>\n

5 Healthy Brown Bag Lunches for Kids<\/h2>\n

Chicken Meatball Sub<\/h3>\n

Kidfresh\u2019s chicken meatballs<\/a> are packed with healthy protein and include hidden onion, celery, and carrots for extra nutrients. Heat \u2018em up at home and then make your little one a nutritious version of a meatball sub by adding tomatoes and cheese and using healthy bread<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Fruit and Yogurt and Veggies<\/h3>\n

Lunch doesn\u2019t have to be in sandwich form to be portable. Pack up foods your kids love in a Bento box for a smorgasbord-style lunch. Think a handful of apple slices, carrot sticks, some Greek yogurt and a nut butter for dipping, a few slices of organic cheese, and some healthy trail mix. There is something slightly decadent about this style of lunch that kids really enjoy.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/i>6 Lunchbox Essentials for Toting Healthy Food<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

Upgraded PB&J<\/h3>\n

The truth is: this classic never gets old. Sure, with white bread and super processed spreads, it\u2019s little more than a sugar bomb. But it\u2019s easy to make a healthy, delicious version. Choose a nut butter that\u2019s just nuts (and maybe some superfood seeds or a little salt), fruit preserves without added sugar, and a healthy bread<\/a> like sprouted grain, whole wheat, or sourdough.<\/p>\n

Goodles Mac \u2018N Cheese<\/h3>\n

Here\u2019s a food you usually serve hot but that totally works cold: Pasta! Cold mac \u2018n cheese is like a delicious, cheesy pasta salad. Heat up the Goodles<\/a> version and pack it in your kid\u2019s lunch box with a piece of fruit. They won\u2019t know but they\u2019ll also be having veggies for lunch, thanks to pureed added broccoli, kale, spinach, sweet potato and pumpkin.<\/p>\n

Leftover Burgers<\/h3>\n

Here\u2019s an idea: Instead of cold cuts, make a big batch of burgers, like these chicken-veggie burgers<\/a>, and then send the kids to school with a burger piled with veggies, on a whole wheat bun or English muffin.<\/p>\n

(Photo: Shutterstock)<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How about a chicken meatball sub (with hidden veggies!)?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":68103,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,333,336],"tags":[2811,2809,2806,154,2804,2810,2808,2805,2807],"class_list":["post-66915","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eat-empowered","category-family-kids-self","category-love-more","tag-back-to-school-lunch","tag-balanced-meals-for-children","tag-brown-bag-lunch-ideas","tag-eat-empowered-2","tag-healthy-kids-lunches","tag-kid-friendly-meals","tag-lunchbox-ideas","tag-nutritious-lunch-for-kids","tag-school-lunch-tips"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n5 Healthy Brown Bag 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