Do you need some fresh and innovative ideas for school lunches? There is still a possibility for you to wow your youngster and come up with some fascinating dishes, even if they are rather picky about the food that they eat, and it appears to be uninteresting. Get out of the habit of preparing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every day and try one of these other alternatives for a nutritious lunch that everyone will like.
Discover 10 new and exciting ideas for your child’s school lunch by reading the list below.
1. A Recipe for Pizzadillas with Pepperoni and Mozzarella
You will require the following ingredients:
- 1 tortilla, medium-soft in texture
- 1/8 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
- 1/3 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
- 4 pieces of pepperoni and turkey pepperoni
- Cooking spray or oil for frying
- Dipped pizza sauce
Instructions:
- To begin, ensure that a non-stick skillet is heated over medium-low heat and that a small amount of oil or cooking spray has been added to the pan. After that, lay one medium-sized soft tortilla on the skillet, and then sprinkle some shredded cheese over half of the tortilla. After that, sprinkle approximately 1/8 teaspoon of Italian spice over the cheese and continue cooking until the cheese starts to melt slowly.
- After that, fold the pizza in half and place pepperoni on atop of the cheese. Continue to cook the tortilla for one more minute until both sides are a golden brown color. At this point, you should take a lovely condiment jar and offer the pizza sauce for dunking with the appetizer.
BONUS: Along with your child’s preferred beverage, include some crackers, vegetables, or fruit in the school lunch.
2. Easy Peanut Butter and Jelly Energy Yummy Bites that Require No Baking
Get started by gathering these components:
- 1 cup of oats made the traditional way
- A quarter of a cup of bananas mashed.
- A half a cup of smooth peanut butter
- 1/2 cup of strawberry powder that has been freeze-dried
- 2 teaspoons of maple syrup
Instructions:
- Take a bowl and combine the banana, peanut butter, and maple syrup. Stir together the oats and freeze-dried strawberries after adding them to the bowl.
- After that, mold the mixture into balls about the size of a bite using your hands. You may prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands by coating them with a little amount of oil or cooking spray first. You may want to add a little bit of extra mashed banana if the mixture looks to be lacking in moisture. If the mixture is overly moist, add a few more tablespoons of rolled oats.
- Arrange the balls in a single layer on a cookie sheet that has been covered with parchment paper.
- Keep it in the refrigerator in a jar with a lid on it until you are ready to consume it.
3. A Recipe for a Street Taco
You are going to require the following items in order to make this fun meal for a school lunch:
- Tortillas made of flour
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes grapes, cut in half
- The cheese, shredded
- Meat from leftover tacos
- Salsa, but only if you like it
- Guacamole is also an optional addition
- An optional dollop of sour cream
This school lunch box is simple to adapt to the preferences of picky eaters; simply add or remove toppings to suit your kid’s tastes. To prepare some of the street tastiest tacos possible, follow the directions that are listed below:
- Put at least two or three flour tortillas used for street tacos in the lunch box.
- Next to the tortillas, pack the lettuce, meat, and cheese for the tacos.
- If you want to be creative, here is the part when you add the toppings to your tacos.
- If you want to keep your salsa, sour cream, and guacamole separate from one another in your lunch box, you may purchase little condiment containers with lids.
EXTRA TIP: If you like, you may also add some tortilla chips and your kid’s favorite guacamole. You may as well ask for your kid’s help to prepare everything!
4. A Simple Sandwich Prepared on the Grill
If you’re looking for a lunch option that the whole family will like, you can’t go wrong with grilled cheese sandwiches. For this dish, the following goodies should be included on your shopping list:
- 4 thin slices of deli turkey
- 4 strips of cooked turkey bacon
- 2 green lettuce leaves
- 1 to 2 grilled cheese sandwiches after they have been allowed to cool
- 2 Small plum tomatoes
- Optional ranch dipping sauce
- Tools
- Cookie cutter shaped like a star (or any other fun shape)
- 2 Skewers made of Wood
The following detailed steps are included in the instructions:
You may either use star-shaped cookie cutters to make two grilled cheese sandwiches, or you can use a single sandwich and cut it into four squares. Separate every piece of bacon into a total of four individual pieces. Put the skewers together in the following order:
- Melted cheese on a grilled sandwich
- 2 very bite-sized chunks of bacon
- A slice of turkey
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- 2 very bite-sized chunks of bacon
4. A Snack High in Protein
What about a solution for the preparation of lunchtime meals that is simple, tasty, and suitable for everyone? Here are some of the best snack pack ideas:
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Sugar snap peas
- Cherry tomatoes
- Deli meat
- Cubes of cheese or cheese strung on a string
- Salad with chicken
- Grapes
- Cucumbers
- Yummy leftover chicken
- Nut assortments
- Greek yogurt
5. A Recipe for Pizzadillas Filled with Spinach
This concept for a school lunch is also relatively simple, and you can try to do it with your children and have real fun. Allowing your children to prepare their own meals engages them in the process of putting together a dinner for the family and encourages them to experiment with different foods. How exciting!
You will require the following items:
- 1 tortilla, medium-soft in texture
- One-third of a cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
- A bunch of spinach leaves
- 1/8 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
- Dipped pizza sauce is an option
Now, for the cooking part:
- To begin, ensure that a non-stick skillet is heated over medium-low heat and that a small amount of oil or cooking spray has been added to the pan. After that, lay one medium-sized soft tortilla on the skillet, and then sprinkle some shredded cheese over half of the tortilla. Then, on top of the cheese, sprinkle approximately 1/8 of a teaspoon’s worth of Italian spice and continue cooking until the cheese starts to melt gradually.
- After that, place the spinach leaves on atop of the cheese, and then fold the tortilla in half. Continue to cook the tortilla for one more minute until both sides are a golden brown color. Pizza dipping sauce should be placed on the side when your tasty spinach pizzadillas are served.
6. Bento Box with Chicken Taco
These are the delicious ingredients:
- 7–10 scoops of Tostitos Multigrain
- 1-fourth of a cup of diced tomatoes
- Pieces of grilled chicken breast weighing 2 ounces each
- 1/2 of an orange, sliced
- A quarter of a cup of cheese crackers
- 1 chocolate milk or juice box with reduced fat content
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese equal to one-fourth of a cup
- A quarter of a cup of shredded lettuce
Now, for the preparation part, you’ll see that the process is relatively easy and fun. Check it out below:
- Put each component into a separate cup, then transfer everything to the Bento Box. Let your kid come up with an original way of arranging everything in the little box!
7. Mini Pancakes with Peanut Butter and Jam
These little pancake stacks topped with peanut butter and jelly are a delightful twist on a time-honored lunchtime favorite. The following products are going to be necessary for your recipe:
- Some mini pancakes
- Your favorite peanut butter
- Jam or jelly (or any other favorite alternative)
- Strawberries (optional)
Check out the instructions:
- On top of each pancake, smear some peanut butter.
- Add one more tiny pancake on top, and then spread more preserves over it.
- Add one more of the little pancakes on top.
- Using a bamboo fork, pierce a fresh strawberry, and then skewer a little stack of pancakes. Proceed in the same manner with the remaining pancakes. How cool is that?!
- Prepare at room temperature and pack them in your kid’s school lunch box.
8. A Recipe for Taco Pinwheels
You can use up any leftover taco meat from the previous night’s meal. Then, just simply follow the instructions below so this delicious recipe for taco pinwheels will turn into the best thing your kid has ever eaten!
These are the ingredients:
- 4–6 extra-large tortillas made of flour
- 1 cup of seasoned leftover taco meat
- 1/2 cup of red bell pepper (chopped)
- 8 ounces of cream cheese, softened in the microwave
- Guacamole, sour cream, and salsa are also included
- 1 fluid ounce of shredded cheese
- 1/2 cup of green bell pepper (chopped)
Now, follow these steps:
- Combine the cream cheese, shredded cheese, taco meat, and red and green bell peppers in a mixing bowl until everything is coated. Spread between a third and half a cup of the cream cheese filling onto the flour tortilla in an even layer. To prepare the tortillas for overnight storage in the refrigerator, roll them up tightly and then wrap each tortilla individually in plastic wrap.
- Cut each tortilla into pinwheels about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and place them in the lunch box in the morning before school starts.
BONUS: Add some apple juice or a bottle of water, as well as some sort of sweet treat.
9. Pizza Rolls in a Roll
Making some simple pizza scrolls takes a little more time if you have the pizza dough and the components for the toppings prepared. How delightful! Just picture the joy that will be on your child’s face!
How to make the most delicious pizza scrolls in no time:
- First, spread out your pizza dough, but instead of forming it into something circular as you would for pizza, then shape it into a broad rectangle. This will give you more room to work with. After that, cover the dough entirely in the pizza sauce of your choice. After that, spread the cheese over the pizza and cover it with the toppings of your choice or your kid’s favorite. It will be a lot more challenging to roll if you put too much on, and the cheese is just going to seep out while it is cooking if you do. So, avoid putting on too much.
- After you have added all of the ingredients and cheese to the pizza, the next step is to roll it up. Beginning with the edge of the dough that is closest to you, roll every inch of dough up like a Swiss roll in a slow and meticulous manner. After you have wrapped it up, you should smooth it down and carefully press it together so that it is even and won’t crumble apart when you slice it. This will ensure that it will not break apart.
- Cut the dough into pieces that are 1 inch long, beginning at one end. After giving each pizza scroll a little squeeze with your palm, set it on your pizza tray or, why not, a pizza stone. Bake in an oven preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) for approximately 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Have fun!
10. Rolls Filled with Spinach and Ricotta
These savory scrolls are absolutely ideal for the holidays, but they may also be enjoyed at any moment of the year! In order to prepare these savory rolls, you will need two different ‘sets’ of ingredients: the bread roll dough, as well as the spinach, along with the ricotta filling. Let’s have a look at the ‘assembling’ part:
- Ricotta Spinach Filling:
- An egg
- Some chopped garlic
- Ricotta cheese that Is very smooth
- To season, start with salt, black pepper, and dried oregano
- Fresh spinach leaves (you also have to chop them)
- You will require one additional egg for the egg wash, which is what will give the rolls their gorgeous golden-brown finish. How cool!
- Dough for Bread Rolls:
- Instant yeast
- Sugar
- Milk cream
- Salt
- Plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- Some olive oil
- Eggs
Instructions:
- Prepare the milk so that it is lukewarm, and follow exactly the steps. Sugar should be whisked in until it is completely dissolved before adding instant dry yeast. After a hasty combination, put the mixture aside for approximately ten minutes or until bubbles or froth appear at the surface.
- Put the flour and salt in the container of your mixer and start it up.
- Whisk the eggs with the olive oil in a separate basin until they are combined.
- Finally, mix all of the ingredients together. Form a well in the center of the flour, then pour in the eggs, oil, and yeast. Follow this by pouring the milk into the well. To begin, knead the dough at a low pace for around 8 minutes, after which you should gradually increase the speed to a medium one. It is essential that the dough does not adhere to the bowl and that it has a texture that is both soft and elastic.
- It should be allowed to remain under a tea towel for approximately an hour or until it actually doubles in size.
- Now that you have the bread dough made out, you must get ready the “wet” component of the filling beforehand so that it can be sprinkled over the dough once it has been rolled.
- Put the egg, ricotta cheese, garlic, pepper, salt, and dried oregano into a bowl and thoroughly mix all of the ingredients together. If necessary, adjust the seasoning so that it suits your taste.
- Prepare the spinach leaves by chopping them very finely and setting them away to use later as a topping for the rolls.
Instructions for putting together the rolls just perfectly:
- First, you will need to roll out the dough until it is very thin and flat, then you will need to layer it with the filling, quickly roll it on its side, and last, you will need to cut the scrolls without hurrying up.
- Remove any trapped air from the yeast dough, and then place it on a surface that has been lightly floured. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin into a big, thin rectangle that is approximately 30 by 40 centimeters broad.
- Ricotta filling should be spread over the dough, but one of the dough’s longest sides should be left uncovered. The chopped spinach should be sprinkled across the Ricotta filling.
- The dough should be rolled out along its longest side while attempting to maintain as much tension as possible.
- Cut the rolls into slices using a very pointy knife. The thickness of the rolls should be roughly 2 centimeters. You are free to make them thinner or bigger according to your tastes; however, keep in mind that they will change their form a couple of times during the baking process and after.
- After another half an hour of proofing, arrange the individual rolls in a single layer on a baking sheet that has been lined.
- When you are ready to bake the rolls, whip the egg that will be used for the egg wash and brush it on top of the rolls.
What’s great is that after baking, you can try these spinach and ricotta Pinwheels, either warm or cold.
Have you been keeping an eye out for a particular recipe? If so, which one would you enjoy doing the most? Please leave your feedback and suggestions for new recipes in the comments area below.
