I can hardly believe it myself, but this month the kids are going back to school! I’m looking forward to a more consistent family schedule, but fear the return of packing a school lunch. Getting something healthy in my 6-year-old is the bane of my existence, and it gets even more difficult during the school months.

Here’s a few of my go-to items for the lunch box:

• Fresh Fruit and Veggies. I know it sounds like a no-brainer, but sometimes I forget how easy it is to add some fun tasty produce to a school lunch. There’s always celery and carrot sticks, but I urge you to think outside of the (lunch) box. Some items you may not automatically think of make great snack additions: fresh sugar snap peas, star fruit, kohlrabi and jicama just to name a few!
  
• Cheese and Crackers. Spread your favorite The Laughing Cow Wedge on some whole wheat crackers. To pack them in a lunch box, simply top with some turkey pepperoni or deli ham then stack them mess free!
• Nuts and Seeds. So easy and portable, and there’s so many options you’ll never get bored. Peanuts, almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds and pecans are our favorites. I try to put at least one in Little Guy’s lunch box daily.
• Sandwich Sushi. This is a little trick I came up with for the child who doesn’t like sandwiches. Smear your favorite The Laughing Cow Wedge on a whole wheat tortilla and top with sliced deli ham or turkey, honey mustard and shredded carrots. Then roll and cut like sushi. Click here for step by step instructions with pictures.
• Lunch Kabobs. Another sandwich substitute. Using toothpicks, make mini kabobs with cubed cheese (Mini Babybels work great for this!) cubed ham and cherry tomatoes.

Please share your favorite back-to-school snacks. We can never have enough options in our school lunch arsenal!

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