Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Hummus And Cucumber Sandwiches
- Toast sprouted wheat bread, spread with hummus, and layer with sliced cucumbers. Serve alongside mandarin oranges, steamed broccoli with olive oil and salt, and optional dark chocolate.
Healthy Grilled Cheese
- Prepare grilled cheese on sprouted wheat bread, incorporating chopped spinach or diced tomatoes with the cheese. Serve with apple slices, roasted sweet potato fries, and optional turkey or ham.
Egg Salad Or Chickpea Salad Sandwich
- Make an egg salad or chickpea salad sandwich on sprouted wheat bread. Serve with carrot sticks and hummus, or a side of fruit and steamed carrots.
Avocado “Toast” Sandwich
- Spread mashed avocado or guacamole on bread, then top with cheese and tomatoes. Serve with tortilla chips and fresh fruit.
Nut Butter And “Fresh Jam” Sandwiches
- Spread nut butter on sprouted wheat bread and top with thin slices of fruit. Serve with steamed cauliflower florets, and optionally add extra fruit or crunchy snacks like crackers.
Apple And Cheddar Sandwich
- Toast sprouted wheat bread, layer with cheddar cheese and apple slices, then serve cold or grilled. Accompany with homemade fries or potato wedges and a side of sautéed vegetables.
Brie And Pear
- Toast sprouted wheat bread, add brie and thin pear slices, drizzling with vegan honey and crushed walnuts if desired. Serve with steamed or roasted vegetables, salad, and potato chips.
Bean & Cheese Burrito “Sushi”
- Heat refried black beans with taco seasoning, then spread onto a whole wheat tortilla. Add Mexican shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, bell peppers, and onion, then roll and slice into "sushi." Serve with cucumber sticks, hummus, apple slices, and optional guacamole and salsa.
Breakfast Burrito
- Fill a whole wheat tortilla with scrambled eggs, diced bell peppers, tomatoes, spinach, and shredded cheese. Serve with apple slices and a crunchy snack like crackers or pretzels.
Rainbow Wraps
- Spread cream cheese on a whole wheat tortilla, then layer with thin slices of bell peppers, carrots, and shredded spinach. Serve alongside diced berries, Greek yogurt, and granola as a deconstructed parfait.
Mezze Platter
- Create a mezze platter with hummus or roasted chickpeas, whole wheat pita, tomatoes, olives, sliced cucumbers, and cheddar cheese. Offer optional fruit for kids to mix and match.
Fancy Cheese And Crackers
- Arrange whole grain crackers, favorite cheeses, cucumbers, carrots, snap peas, olives, apple and pear slices, and a nut mix. Optionally add dried apricots, cherries, and dark chocolate.
Protein Bento Box
- Assemble a bento box with hardboiled eggs, a cheese stick, steamed vegetables seasoned with olive oil and salt, and crackers with nut butter for dipping.
Pita Pizzas
- Prepare pita pizzas, cut them into triangles, and serve with carrot sticks, celery sticks, and hummus. Offer diced apples or pears as a fruit option.
BBQ Pizza
- Prepare BBQ black bean pizza in advance, slice for lunches, and serve with tortilla chips, guacamole, and fresh fruit.
Healthy English Muffin Pizzas
- Toast whole wheat English muffins, top with pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese, and let kids add their favorite veggie toppings. Serve with a green salad or steamed broccoli and fruit.
Bean And Cheese Quesadillas
- Grill bean and cheese quesadillas on a wheat tortilla, cut into quarters, and serve with guacamole or salsa for dipping. Accompany with tortilla chips and strawberries.
Lentil Quesadillas
- Prepare lentil quesadillas and serve with steamed or roasted corn, carrot sticks, tortilla chips, and fresh berries.
Vegan Quesadillas
- Make butternut squash and kale quesadillas and serve with applesauce and pretzels.
Sweet Quesadillas
- Spread nut butter on a wheat tortilla, top with banana slices, crushed walnuts, cinnamon, and a drizzle of honey. Fold, cut into quarters, and serve with a side salad or roasted vegetables.
Pasta
- Cook whole wheat or legume-based pasta, then toss with pesto or marinara sauce and sautéed vegetables. Serve with Parmesan cheese and homemade garlic bread.
Salad
- Prepare a chopped salad with protein and healthy fats, or a pasta salad. Mix in the dressing and portion into containers for easy grab-and-go lunches.
Soups
- Prepare Tuscan bean stew with garlic bread or Instant Pot vegetarian chili with brown rice, quinoa, or tortilla chips. Make in bulk, portion, and heat before packing.
Grain Bowls
- Create custom grain bowls with quinoa or brown rice, protein, vegetables, and sauce, or prepare vegetarian burrito bowls in advance for lunchboxes.
Breakfast For Lunch
- Serve vegan baked oatmeal, breakfast cookies with a cheese stick and steamed veggies, or oat flour pancakes/waffles with syrup or as a sandwich for a fun breakfast-for-lunch option.
Notes
These lunch ideas are designed to be flexible and adaptable to your toddler's preferences. Feel free to mix and match ingredients, offer dips, and present food in fun, appealing ways to encourage exploration and enjoyment.
