Although Grayson will be 5 this year, he technically doesn’t meet the cutoff to enter Kindergarten, so I will be keeping him home and homeschooling. Him being home does give us more time to focus on one on one learning. And I’m confident that extra time will ensure he’s ready for next year. He was really looking forward to going to school, and so I am trying to make it as “official” for him as I can–I did a store pickup for some essentials (a backpack with his favorite character, pencils, paper, etc). I even purchased a few different “bento” style lunch boxes, which is really what inspired this post.
There are a lot of options and ideas during the week, and of course you can change out veggie and fruit options to ones your kids enjoy. These choices are just what works for my kids, so they’re what I used.
Monday:
Chicken Salad Croissants, Crackers, a Veggie, and Cookies
These chicken salad croissants were so fun to make, and the kids really enjoyed them. It’s a different take on the classic sandwich, is easy to eat, and I’m already thinking of new ideas that we can use our croissants for. Maybe little pizzas? That would be another great lunch idea!
New Thomas’® Mini Croissants are made with mess-free, flakeless dough and come in a plain variety, which really gives you the ability to use your imagination!
I paired the chicken salad croissants with some of our favorite cracker/chip hybrid, one of the kid’s favorite veggies, and a sweet treat.
Tuesday:
Turkey Sandwich and a Pickle with Leftover Dinner Veggies
You can’t really beat the traditional lunch meat sandwich, right? You’ve got to include it at least once– and it’s one of our favorite lunch staples in my house. With a slice of bacon added, because it’s Grayson’s favorite, this sandwich is just perfect for lunch time.
The new Arnold® Organic Kids White made with Whole Wheat Bread featuring Disney’s Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse is the perfect size for little eaters, and both of my kids were all about it when they saw Mickey Mouse and Minnie Minnie on the packaging. Arnold® Organic Kids White made with Whole Wheat Bread is a soft, smooth, and slightly sweet bread baked for picky eaters with Simple Ingredients. It’s also a good source of Vitamins A, D, and E….giving you the nutrition you need and the taste you love!
One of my favorite lunch time hacks? Use leftovers whenever you can! I paired this delicious sandwich with a pickle on the side, and then added some leftover steamed veggies from the night before.
Wednesday:
Soft Taco with Refried Beans and Cheese, Guacamole for Dipping, and a Sweet Treat
This is another day where I used leftovers to create a really awesome lunch! Using Taco Meat from the night before, I created a “soft taco” with a flour tortilla wrap, I added lettuce and cheese inside. On the side, I paired it with some refried beans topped with cheese, and some guacamole for dipping.
The sweet treat this day was an Entenmann’s® Minis Brownie Chocolate Chip Cakes.
These perfectly sized treats that allow you to indulge in moderation, and the individually wrapped packaging allows for them to stay fresher longer. We’ve always been big Entenmann’s® fans in this house, and this treat was no exception–it’s the best of both worlds, with the chocolate chip and brownie flavors combined.
Thursday:
Grilled Cheese Stars (with Marinara to dip), Fruit, and oatmeal snack bars
Another lunchtime staple, the grilled cheese. You can make any sandwich one hundred times more exciting if you cut it into a fun shape. Grayson loves stars, and so this one was a no brainer.
I added a little marinara cup for dipping, and included some of his favorite fruit (pears).
On the side, I packed a pouch of the new Thomas’® Pick Me Ups soft-baked oatmeal squares. They are perfect for a lunch time snack and they’re even great as a grab-and-go breakfast you can feel good about!
They do come in two different flavors, Trail Mix AND Chocolate Chip, and we definitely grabbed them both.
They’re made from real, high-quality ingredients you can taste and see like rolled oats, seeds, cranberries and chocolate chips. I love that they aren’t made with artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or preservative AND they have 13g of whole grains per serving. Best of all, Grayson loves them too! They are great for breakfast, pair really well with his lunch, and are the perfect anytime, anywhere snack.
Friday:
Breakfast for Lunch!
I’ve admitted, more than a few times, how often we do Breakfast for Dinner in this house. Truly, it’s the one meal that I know both kids will eat consistently, and it’s so easy to change it up.
To make this lunch box friendly, I made a homemade Bacon and Egg English Muffin. Being that it’s Friday, and the end of the week, I kept it simple with some more fruit (apple), and another Entenmann’s® Minis Brownie Chocolate Chip Cake…because they’re just that good.
What I love about this meal is that you can just prep it while you’re making breakfast that morning– two birds, one stone.
What are some of your favorite easy lunches to pack in your kid’s lunchboxes?
If you’re interested in snagging any of these new products to add to your kid’s lunchboxes, click here and you can save $.75 on any one (1) Entenmann’s®, Arnold®, or Thomas’® product!
Leave a Reply