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Healthy Lunch Ideas for Tweens
Packable lunches for tweens, with small swaps that keep them balanced.
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Soccer Mom Nutrition breaks a balanced lunch into four parts: carbohydrates, protein, healthy fats, and colorful fruit or vegetables. That's a handy check when you're staring at an open lunchbox. In one DC Urban Mom thread, a parent sends a main, a fruit, a yogurt and a snack, and another just sends whatever he'll eat. This list sticks to lunches that pack cold or reheat, and leaves out breakfast and dinner. Some ideas come from teen lunch lists, so adjust portions for your tween.
Why these items are on the list
- Turkey and avocado wrap. Whole-grain wrap, mashed avocado, lean turkey and crunchy veg. Cut it into bite-sized pieces.
- Quinoa salad with chickpeas. Chickpeas add protein. Toss with veggies like bell peppers, cherry tomatoes and cucumber, plus a light vinaigrette.
- Veggie pasta salad. Whole-grain pasta with colorful veggies like broccoli, carrots and peppers. Add diced chicken or tofu.
- Peanut butter and banana sandwich. Whole-grain bread, natural peanut butter and sliced banana. A touch of honey is optional.
- Yogurt parfait kit. One parent's teen packs yogurt, berries and a bag of granola and makes a parfait.
- Rice and bean burrito bowl. Brown rice, black beans, chicken or tofu, with toppings like salsa, shredded cheese and avocado.
- Hummus and turkey pita. Whole-wheat pita with hummus, lean turkey, spinach, feta and sliced peppers.
- Egg salad with Greek yogurt. Swap the mayo for Greek yogurt. Add lettuce and tomato on whole-grain bread.
- Protein snack pack. Hard-boiled eggs, almonds, hummus and crunchy veg. Good for kids who like lots of little foods.
- Taco pinwheels. Rolled tortillas are easy to eat and work for picky eaters who like familiar flavors.
- Cranberry chicken salad. Chicken, apples, dried cranberries and Greek yogurt dressing. Pack it in a wrap or on its own.
- Leftover spaghetti. Reheats well if there's a microwave. The Speedy Gourmet says a thermos keeps meals warm for a few hours.
- Soup and crackers. One parent makes soup on Sunday or freezes it ahead, and says it's full of vegetables.
- Hummus and veggie bento. Sliced veggies like carrots, cucumbers and bell peppers, with pita triangles for dipping.
- Fruit sticks with yogurt dip. Crunchy melon bites with a creamy coconut dip. Think fruit fries.
- Tuna and avocado salad. Canned tuna packed in water, diced avocado, red onion and lemon. Serve on bread or as a wrap.
- Ice pack in the lunchbox. No school fridge? The Speedy Gourmet says an ice pack keeps chicken or egg salad safe until lunchtime.
- Let your tween pick one. The Speedy Gourmet says if they pick it, they're more likely to eat it.
Star the ones your tween says yes to and the packing gets easier to plan. It's easy to pass your phone across the table and let them vote.
When to use it
Handy before the school year starts, or any time the lunchbox has gone stale.