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Building A Healthy Lunchbox

August 21, 2016 by Lindsay 7 Comments

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Three tips for assembling Healthy Packable Lunches For Kids that are quick and satisfying to help fuel kids through their busy afternoons!

Three tips for assembling Healthy Packable Lunches For Kids that are quick and satisfying to help fuel kids through their busy afternoons!

Thanks to Igloo for sponsoring this post.

Hi Friends!

Let’s talk about lunch. Although I’m lucky enough to work from home so I don’t yet need to worry about packing Squish’s lunch, I know a lot of you out there have to frequently pack lunch for your kiddos. Today I teamed up with Igloo to share a few tips about building a healthy lunchbox and doing it in style!

I remember taking a huge amount of pride in my lunchbox as a kid. Picking out a new one was always a very serious occasion because I wanted to find the perfect one to show off to all my friends. In fact, several of my childhood lunchboxes were Igloo brand! No surprise since they’ve been around for 69 years and are still the number one cooler brand and are known for their high quality, durable lunchboxes!

This year, as an adult (but still a  kid at heart), I was excited to browse all their options. They have so many bright colors, patterns, and shapes that are fun and stylish! Plus I was excited to learn that all of their lunch boxes are PVC & BPA free, water resistant and contain a thick antimicrobial, puncture-resistant liner that’s easy to wipe clean!

Igloo Coolers

After a bit of browsing, I selected a few to try out! I chose the:

Boys PM Lunch
Girls Hot Brights Messenger
Dual Comp
Once they arrived, I set about filling them with healthy food options! Squish may not be in school, but there are definitely busy days when we’re not home to eat lunch. Last week we needed to be at the gym for a while in the morning so I packed us each a lunch. I was impressed with how much stuff I could fit in and how cool they kept everything.
Here are a few tips I try to follow when I’m putting together a lunch, whether it’s for eating at home or school:
  • Include lots of options. I never know what Squish will be in the mood to eat on a given day so I try to include a variety of foods for him to choose from. 
  • Always include a vegetable. Sometimes I struggle with this one since vegetables are not his favorite, but I really think it’s important to include a veggie at lunch. They may not always eat it, but continued exposure to vegetables prepared a variety of different ways is good for kids.
  • Aim for balance. I focus on including several different food groups in every lunch, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, healthy fats, lean protein etc. I may not get them all in each time, but I try not to put together a lunch that all fruit or all protein.
  • Get colorful. Color = nutrients so I try to serve bright, colorful foods!

Let’s take a look at a few healthy lunchbox ideas:

Three tips for assembling Healthy Packable Lunches For Kids that are quick and satisfying to help fuel kids through their busy afternoons!

A classic pb&J sandwich on 21 Whole Grain & Seed Bread, blueberries, string cheese and green beans & tomatoes mixed with Italian dressing.

Sometimes a little dressing can go a long way toward making veggies more appealing to kids.

Three tips for assembling Healthy Packable Lunches For Kids that are quick and satisfying to help fuel kids through their busy afternoons!

Hard-boiled egg, Cheddar Almond Flour Crackers, cottage cheese with fresh berries, baby carrots and guacamole.

Kids can dip a variety of things in the guacamole including the egg, crackers and carrots!

Three tips for assembling Healthy Packable Lunches For Kids that are quick and satisfying to help fuel kids through their busy afternoons!

Turkey, cheese and hummus rollup on a whole wheat tortilla, nectarine, snap peas with yogurt ranch for dipping & a small cookie.

There’s definitely room for a small treat in a balanced lunchbox!

Three tips for assembling Healthy Packable Lunches For Kids that are quick and satisfying to help fuel kids through their busy afternoons!

Balsamic Chicken Caprese Pasta, grapes, full-fat yogurt and trail mix.

Leftovers are great for packing in lunchboxes, especially things like pasta salad that taste good hot or cold. Make your own trailmix so you can customize with your kiddo’s favorite mix-ins!

Three tips for assembling Healthy Packable Lunches For Kids that are quick and satisfying to help fuel kids through their busy afternoons!

[Tweet “Build A Healthy Lunchbox with these tips from @leangrnbeanblog!”]

Igloo helps you enjoy the life you work so hard for and is right along side you with cold drinks, fresh, healthy food and warm smiles. Be sure to check out Igloo’s Back To School collection and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

Let’s chat:

Do you have guidelines you try to follow when packing lunches? Any tips?

Need more ideas? Check out these 50 Packable Lunch Ideas (great for kids and adults!)

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

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Filed Under: Lunch, Sponsored

About Lindsay

Lindsay Livingston is a Registered Dietitian and new mom from Columbus, Ohio. On her blog, she shares simple, healthy recipes, nutrition tips, workouts and snapshots of her life. Follow her on Twitter @LeanGrnBeanBlog and Instagram @TheLeanGreenBean and be sure to subscribe via RSS or email so you never miss a post!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jen V. says

    August 21, 2016 at 10:16 AM

    I agree with you on always including a vegetable, but I have to wonder how many times my kids just don’t eat it and throw it out. Most days I try to include something I know they will eat – like cucumber slices or cherry tomatoes.

    Reply
  2. Ashley says

    August 21, 2016 at 11:14 AM

    Love all of these ideas! While I admit I don’t have any children yet, I always pack mine and my husband’s lunches during the week and this still gives me some great ideas for our lunches. 🙂

    Reply
  3. Caitlin Howe says

    August 21, 2016 at 10:00 PM

    Totally agree on the veggies! And, with a fun dip, veggies can be a bit more palatable for picky eaters. I try to get two veggie and two fruit options into lunch. Thanks for these great ideas…especially like the make your own trailmix.

    Reply
  4. Melissa @Made by Melissa Lee says

    August 22, 2016 at 8:10 AM

    Love these ideas, Lindsay! I too struggle with getting my daughter (17 months) to eat her veggies, but I really like the idea of adding a little Italian dressing to them! Thank you for the suggestion – trying it tonight!!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      August 22, 2016 at 8:14 AM

      i feel ya! I struggle with squish too…but i still try. Sometimes dips/dressings help, sometimes they don’t. I’ve also tried different temperatures – for example, he will eat frozen peas sometimes but rarely eats them when they’re warm.

      Reply
  5. Carolyn Kingston says

    August 22, 2016 at 8:37 AM

    Great ideas for back to school-definitely trying many of these.~Carolyn @ Cabot

    Reply
  6. Kyle Mikami says

    August 23, 2016 at 2:38 PM

    Love all the different ideas! I don’t have any kids, but I myself am a very picky eater so these ideas are great to get me to eat my fruits and veggies. I always add a little treat in my lunch to reward myself for eating my fruits and veggies.

    Reply

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Lindsay Livingston The Lean Green Bean Healthy Living Tips and Tricks

I'm a Registered Dietitian and mom of three from Columbus, Ohio. I use this blog to share simple, healthy recipes, nutrition tips, and an honest glimpse of motherhood!

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Learn how food affects your body.

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