Back-to-School Lunches by Meghan McNaughton, Naturopathic Medical Graduate

Looking to freshen up your back-to-school lunches? Check out our list of healthy lunches

and snacks for kids and adults! Skip the packaged food (i.e. cookies, sugary granola bar,

luncheables) and opt for fresh, unprocessed choices. For quick and simple meals, leftovers

from dinner are perfectly fine for the next-day’s lunch. Below are more simple and healthy

ideas.

Note:

• For gluten free, swap wraps or pita for veggie wraps (Wrap it up raw) or lettuce

  wraps

• For dairy free, omit cheese or use Daiya non-dairy cheese

• Nuts such as almonds, cashews, walnuts, and pecans are healthy choices in a

  trail mix or nut-butter spread, however, many schools are nut-free.

 

Mains

Wraps

• Savory: chicken slices, lettuce, pickle, tomato
• Old-fashioned: banana and nut butter

Boiled eggs

Cooked quinoa

• For the more adventurous palate, you can spice it up with sunflower seeds, driedcranberries, or add in any cooked veggie. A sprinkle of curry powder goes a longway for taste and colour too!

Toasted quinoa in yogurt or cottage cheese

• 1/3 cup quinoa, 1/2 tbsp. ground flax, 1 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut, 1 tbsp

  maple syrup – toast in the over at 425F for 10 mins

Quesadillas

• Protein: beans, chickpeas, ground chicken or beef
• Veggie: tomato with lettuce for veg

Cucumber hummus “sandwich” (spread hummus between cucumber slices)

Cottage cheese with berries

Deli roll-ups

• Roll sliced turkey or chicken with a slice of cheese and avocado or diced tomato.

  Use a toothpick to keep them rolled up.

• Note: watch out for sodium levels and additives in the meat. Aim for fresh slices

  deli meat rather than pre-packaged.

Tuna salad and pita wedges

Baked sweet potato

• Slice a baked sweet potato lengthwise and stuff it with your choice of protein

  (ground beef, shredded chicken, cottage cheese) and diced veggies

Skewers – cherry tomato, chicken cubes, cheese cubes, olives

Quinoa or rice pasta

• Top with spaghetti sauce and ground meat or cooked veggies
• For a cheesy twist, melt Daiya cheese slices on the noodles

Crust-less mini quiches

• Beat eggs and salt/pepper to taste. Pour into cupcake liners and bake at 375°F for

  20-25mins or until firm

• Optional add-ins: cooked veggies (cauliflower, peppers, greens), bacon pieces,

  cheese shreds

• You can make enough for 1-2 weeks, store them in the freezer, and thaw the night

  before.

Coconut muffins

• 5 eggs beat, 1 cup applesauce, 1/2 cup coconut flour, cinnamon, 2 tsp honey or

  maple syrup, 1/2 tsp sea salt. Pour into muffin tins and bake at 400°F for 15 mins.

Snacks

• Hummus and cut veggies
• Sunbutter (or nut butter) with celery, carrots, or pita wedges
• Apples and sunbutter with raisins
• Cut fruit blend
  • Grapes, apples, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, peaches…the possibilities

    are endless!

• Rice cakes and sunbutter or hummus
• Popcorn (butter-free) sprinkled with nutritional yeast (for a cheesy flavour)
• Olives (without the pits) and cherry tomatoes or cheese cubes
• Toasted chickpeas
  • 3/4 cup chickpeas, 1 tbsp olive or coconut oil, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper

    (optional)– roast in the over for 20-30 mins at 375°F

• Nut-free Granola
  • Pumpkin and sunflower seeds with unsweetened dried fruit (such as raisins)
• Protein bites

  • 1 1/2 tbsp sunbutter (sunflower seed butter) or other nut butter, 3 tbsp oats, 1/2

    tbsp. honey, 1/2 tbsp. dark chocolate chips – roll into balls and enjoy!