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A Month of Healthy, Kid-Approved School Lunches

By: Holley Grainger, MS, RD

Here’s some simple math even the grown-up kids can get behind: 4 grocery lists + 15 ingredients per list = 1 month of creative school lunches. That’s right, with just 15 items per week, you can make a different power-packed lunchbox each day for your child. Best of all, these meals are easy to make and created by a registered dietitian to assure your child gets a variety of nutrients (and a little bit of fun) each day.

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Ingredients

Photo: Holley Grainger Nutrition

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Week 1: Ingredients

Sugar Snap Peas ● Dark Chocolate Chips ● Pistachios ● Grapes ● Cottage Cheese ● Low-Sodium Deli Ham ● Apple-Chicken Sausage ● Roma Tomato ● Pineapple ● Spinach Tortillas ● Brown Rice ● Feta Cheese ● Baby Spinach ● Fresh Grapefruit ● Low-Sugar Cereal

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Spinach and Ham Salad

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Monday: Spinach and Ham Salad

Spinach Salad With Ham, Feta and Pistachios ● Sugar Snap Peas and Tomatoes ● Grapefruit ● Apple Chicken Sausage ● Dark Chocolate Chips

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Ham and Spinach Tortilla Pinwheels

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Tuesday: Ham and Spinach Tortilla Pinwheels

Cottage Cheese With Pistachios ● Grapes ● Tomato and Feta Salad ● Ham and Spinach Tortilla Pinwheels (Layer tortilla with ham and, if desired, mustard or mayo. Roll and cut into 1-inch slices.) ● Low-Sugar Cereal

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Rice and Veggie Salad

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Wednesday: Rice and Veggie Salad

Brown Rice, Spinach, Feta and Tomato Salad (Prepare brown rice then stir in sliced spinach, chopped tomato and feta cheese.) ● Pineapple ● Cereal and Dark Chocolate Chip Trail Mix ● Steamed Sugar Snap Peas ● Sticker

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Ham and Feta Quesadillas

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Thursday: Ham and Feta Quesadillas

Ham and Feta Quesadillas (Layer ham and feta between a folded tortilla and cook until tortilla is browned.) ● Brown Rice ● Pineapple and Grapes ● Tomato Slices ● Pistachios

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Deconstructed Cottage Cheese Parfait

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Friday: Deconstructed Cottage Cheese Parfait

Grapefruit, Cereal and Pistachios ● Sausage and Pineapple Skewers ● Cottage Cheese With Cinnamon (Enjoy cottage cheese on its own or add in grapefruit, cereal, and pistachios.) ● Sugar Snap Peas ● Dark Chocolate Chips

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Ingredients

Photo: Holley Grainger Nutrition

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Week 2: Ingredients

Mini Whole Wheat Pita Pockets ● Kosher Pickle Spears ● Air-Popped Popcorn ● Cucumbers ● Low-Sodium Deli Turkey ● All-Fruit Preserves ● Whole Wheat Waffles ● Mini Bell Peppers ● Blueberries ● Hard-Boiled Eggs ● Plain Greek Yogurt ● Apples ● Dried Cranberries ● Peanut Butter* ● Peaches (*Allergy Note: If your school is peanut and/or tree nut free, substitute for sunflower seed butter.)

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Egg Salad Pita Pockets

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Monday: Egg Salad Pita Pockets

Egg Salad in Mini Whole Wheat Pita Pockets (Stir together chopped hard-boiled eggs, Greek yogurt and chopped pickle.) ● Cucumber Slices ● Plain Greek Yogurt With Peaches and Cinnamon ● Blueberries and Dried Cranberries ● Sticker

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Turkey Waffle Wedges

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Tuesday: Turkey Waffle Wedges

Turkey Waffle Wedges (Layer turkey and condiments of choice between toasted waffle wedges.) ● Kosher Pickle Spear ● Mini Bell Peppers ● Apple Slices With Cinnamon ● Dried Cranberries

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Apple Dippers

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Wednesday: Apple Dippers

Peanut Butter and Preserves With Apple Slices ● Air-Popped Popcorn ● Hard-Boiled Egg ● Mini Bell Peppers ● Dried Cranberries

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Turkey and Pickle “Sushi”

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Thursday: Turkey and Pickle “Sushi”

Air-Popped Popcorn ● Peach Slices ● Mini Bell Peppers ● Turkey and Pickle “Sushi” (Lay turkey slice on a flat surface, add pickle lengthwise to one side and roll turkey around pickle. Slice into 1-inch rounds.) ● Note From Mom

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Apple and Peanut Butter Wafflewich

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Friday: Apple and Peanut Butter Wafflewich

Apple, Cinnamon and Peanut Butter Wafflewich (Spread bottom half of waffle sandwich with peanut butter then top with thinly sliced apple and cinnamon.) ● Plain Greek Yogurt With Preserves ● Blueberries ● Hard-Boiled Egg ● Sticker

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Ingredients

Photo: Holley Grainger Nutrition

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Week 3: Ingredients

Grape Tomatoes ● Cheddar Cheese ● Tortellini ● Almonds ● Dark Chocolate Squares ● Carrots ● Lean Ground Beef ● Tomato Sauce ● Fresh Green Beans ● Mini Whole Wheat Bagel ● Salami ● Butter Lettuce ● Mandarin Oranges ● Strawberries ● Hummus

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Tortellini With Meat Sauce

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Monday: Tortellini With Meat Sauce

Tortellini With Meat Sauce (Add marinara sauce to cooked ground beef. Toss with cooked tortellini.) ● Mandarin Orange Segments ● Sliced Cheddar Cheese ● Steamed Green Beans ● Stickers

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Pizza Bagel

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Tuesday: Pizza Bagel

Cheese Pizza Bagel (Top mini bagel half with marina sauce and cheese. Broil until cheese is melted.) ● Dark Chocolate and Almonds ● Mini Veggie Salad ● Strawberries ● Sticker

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Spring Salad

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Wednesday: Spring Salad

Spring Salad (Top lettuce with strawberries and almonds. Thin hummus with olive oil to make dressing.) ● Salami and Tomato Kebabs ● Mandarin Orange ● Carrot Sticks ● Dark Chocolate

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Cheeseburger Slider

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Thursday: Cheeseburger Slider

Cheeseburger Slider (Prepare cheeseburger slider and top with lettuce on a mini whole-wheat bagel. Cut in half and secure with picks.) ● Hummus ● Carrots Sticks and Blanched Green Beans ● Strawberries ● Stickers

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Pasta Salad Skewers

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Friday: Pasta Salad Skewers

Pasta Salad Skewers (Thread tortellini, salami, cherry tomatoes and cheese on a skewer.) ● Steamed Green Beans With Almonds ● Whole Wheat Bagel Slice ● Mandarin Orange and Strawberries ● Note From Mom

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Ingredients

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Week 4: Ingredients

Cookie* ● Strawberry Greek Yogurt ● Whole Wheat Bread ● Broccoli ● Quinoa ● Black Beans ● Raspberries ● Kiwi ● Cantaloupe ● Avocado ● Macaroni and Cheese ● Asparagus ● Corn ● Rotisserie Chicken ● Salsa (*Allergy Note: If your school is peanut and/or tree nut free, substitute for another small sweet treat.)

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Southwest Quinoa Salad

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Monday: Southwest Quinoa Salad

Southwest Quinoa Salad (Toss together quinoa with black beans, chopped avocado, corn and chopped tomatoes.) ● Sliced Chicken Breast ● Fruit Salad ● Steamed Broccoli ● Cookie

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Veggie Mac and Cheese

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Tuesday: Veggie Mac and Cheese

Veggie Macaroni and Cheese (Stir chopped broccoli, tomato and corn into prepared macaroni and cheese.) ● Strawberry Greek Yogurt With Raspberries ● Kiwi ● Chicken Drumstick ● Note From Mom

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Salsa Chicken

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Wednesday: Salsa Chicken

Salsa Chicken (Top sliced cooked chicken breast with prepared salsa.) ● Cantaloupe ● Black Bean, Corn and Avocado Salad ● Toasted Bread Strips ● Raspberries

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Avocado and Asparagus Toast

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Thursday: Avocado and Asparagus Toast

Avocado and Asparagus Toast (Spread toasted whole wheat bread with avocado and top with blanched asparagus.) ● Black Beans and Salsa ● Quinoa ● Cantaloupe and Raspberries ● Sticker

Healthy Lunchbox Idea: Deconstructed Southwest Mac and Cheese

Photo: Holley Grainger Nutrition

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Friday: Deconstructed Southwest Macaroni

Black Beans, Corn and Avocado ● Strawberry Greek Yogurt and Chopped Kiwi ● Macaroni and Cheese (Stir black beans, corn and avocado into Mac and Cheese or eat separately.) ● Blanched Asparagus ● Cookie

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