Back-to-school season is quickly approaching! Put on those thinking caps, because it’s time to plan and pack snacks to delight your little ones and keep them energized throughout the day.
Some snack ideas that are easy to pack and prepare:
- Wild salmon burger- this has lots of protein to keep them full!
- Home made lentil soup/chili/chicken noodle soup-(they are great to make in big batches and freeze in meal size portions) pack the child’s meal in a thermos to-go!
- Green Smoothie-prepare in a magic bullet or blender and pack for a refreshment later in the day!
- Veggie wrap- take a whole wheat tortilla, or brown rice torilla for a gluten free alternative, apply hummus or tzatziki dip to the tortilla. Cut up some veggies length wise, try cucumber, celery, and place them in a row down the middle of the tortilla, wrap it up. Cut it into bite size pices and enjoy!
- Unsalted pumpkin seeds (come in a variety of flavours) and celery sticks
- Soft boiled free range organic egg + snap peas – put the egg in cold water, bring to a boil, turn off heat and let sit for 4 minutes. Run the egg under cold water for several minutes. With this timing the yolk will not be overcooked, providing optimal nutrients
- ½ green apple and 2 slices of organic ‘raw cheese’ – ‘raw cheese’ can be found in the organic refrigerator section of the local grocery store. Look for the brand ‘L’ancetre’.
- Home made chicken tenders-cut chicken breast into pieces, dredge in an egg wash, lightly beaten. Coat with corn meal and bake in oven.
- Whole wheat quesadilla (or brown rice tortilla for a gluten free alternative), mix black beans, shredded cheese, diced pepper, and melt together. Alternatives would be to add chicken, turkey, beef, eggs for a breakfast quesadilla option, tofue/tempeh!
- Ryvita crackers or rice crackers with dip-try tomato bruschetta or hummus
- Homemade muffins
- Chia pudding
Lunch bags have come a long way from when my mom was packing my food for the school day (my lunches were packed in Safeway plastic grocery store bags! Haha). Here are a few options that are versatile and fun for the kiddos, they organize the food into different compartments. I find this so useful for parents to ensure they are getting their healthy foods (think veggies, fruits, protein, fats!). Not to mention, the wash ability for these lunch bags make for easier cleaning and to help avoid staining from spills make these our new favourites!
Here are a few that can be found online at Chapters/Indigo/Amazon (some found in stores):
Enjoy the last month of summer!
Kyra MacArthur, RHN
