I'm always trying to come up with interesting lunch ideas, for myself and for my son. There's always the tried and true soups, sandwiches and salads, but how about a little variety? I'm also not nearly artistically-inclined (or patient!) enough to fill my kid's plate with flower shaped carrot slices, duck shaped pieces of cheese, or a sandwich shaped like a sailboat - so some easy options are always necessary in my house. Here are some fun and healthy lunch ideas that we use in our house - enjoy!
Personal pizzas: Spread tomato sauce on a whole wheat pita, tortilla or english muffin and top with pizza favourites - peppers, mushrooms, onions, olives, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, spinach, fresh herbs, and cheese of course! Bake until the cheese has melted and the base is nice and hot. This is also a great way to get older kids involved by making their own pizzas. I've also made these on a base of baked polenta when my son was younger and still not eating wheat.
Pasta salad: A great way to use leftover pasta - toss in veggies, beans, bits of cheese, tofu cubes, you name it! Toss it with a little olive oil, lemon and parsley and you're all set!
Veggie quesadillas: These are a quick stand-by in our house. Fold whole wheat tortillas filled with cheese, beans, and veggies and fry/bake/grill both sides until crispy and cheese is melted. Cut into triangles and serve with salsa. Yum!
Veggie burritos: Mash up red kidney beans and combine with cooked brown rice, diced onion and green pepper and any other veggies you want. Fill whole wheat tortillas and bake in a 375 degree oven until tortillas are crispy. Top with grated cheese before baking if you want. Serve with salsa.
Toothpick lunch: When I was little, my mom used to make this for me and it was by absolute favourite lunch to have. I now realize that it was probably a sinister plot to get me to eat my veggies! Fill a plate with cubes of cheese, marinated tofu cubes, chunks of fruit and veggies, beans, toasted bread cubes, etc.... Insert a toothpick into each piece and feast!
"Sushi" sandwiches: Spread any sandwich filling on a whole wheat tortillas, roll it up and slice horizontally into discs - the final product should resemble a maki roll. This can be done with a number of fillings: cream cheese and roasted red peppers, nut/seed butter and fruit spread, nut/seed butter and banana, spinach pesto and mozzarella, etc... You can also use regular bread, just roll it out flat with a rolling pin before spreading on your filling.
Sandwich on a stick: Make a sandwich "kebab" with a bamboo skewer. Great ingredients are: bread cubes, cheese, marinated tofu cubes, grape tomatoes, olives, pickles, cucumber, bell peppers, or fruit chunks.
Sandwich cut outs: As long as you don't mind eating the leftovers, use a cookie cutter to cut your kid's sandwich into fun shapes - stars, hearts, etc... This is about as creative as I am able to get when it comes to shaped sandwiches!
