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Healthy Lunch Ideas for Children

If you are anything like us, we are always on the lookout for healthy lunch ideas for children. Whether they are to put into lunchboxes or on the table during the weekend, they become much treasured foods you know little tummies will enjoy.

But trying to find new and exciting ideas does get a bit time consuming and adds yet another job to the to-do-list. That’s why we thought we’d put together a collection of our favourites for you to enjoy, and to pass on and share with other parents too.

6 Healthy Lunch Ideas for Children

Healthy food doesn’t have to be boring. Nor need it be tasteless. Overtime, as a society we have moved on from believing that a salad sandwich or a plate of meat with three vegetables are the only healthy foods we should be giving our children. Instead, today parents are encouraged to offer a wide selection of foods little and often. To give you some ideas to try with your little ones, here are six of our favourite healthy lunch ideas for children:

  1. Energy balls – a great raw food item and easy to make, energy balls are made with pureed dates, oatmeal, honey and your choice of nut butter. Blitz together and then roll in coconut before setting in the fridge for a few hours.
  2. Raw fingers – not real fingers, but rather raw fruit and vegetables chopped into sized perfect for little fingers to hold. The types of raw foods you can use will depend upon your child’s age, and can range from halved grapes, apple slices, chopped cherry tomatoes, celery and banana pieces.
  3. Yogurt – its quite easy to make your own yogurt and then dish it out to your child in small quantities. Young children tend to prefer smooth yogurt, rather than one which has fruit pieces in it, so your food processor comes in handy here.
  4. Crackers and hummus – being presented with something new on their plate or in their lunchbox can be rather frightening for some children. Why not encourage your child into the kitchen to help you make some hummus? It’s quick and easy to make and perfect for dipping crackers (and yes, little fingers too) into! Choose crackers that are low in salt and sugar, and are small in size.
  5. Grated cheese – doesn’t cheese make everything better? Many young (and old) children think so. Great on its own in a little lidded container, cheese provides both protein and calcium to help little tummies feel fuller for longer. Most health professionals recommend that full fat dairy products are given to young children, but check with your doctor for personalised advice.
  6. Savoury muffins – there is no end to the flavours you can add to a savoury muffin. Pumpkin, spinach, ham, cheese, avocado, courgette…the list goes on for ever. If you are baking at home, use the little patty tins to avoid the waste of half-eaten muffins. They are also easy to freeze, and thaw quickly in lunchboxes during the morning.

Now that we’ve inspired you with our healthy lunch ideas for children, what are you waiting for? It’s time to tempt their tastebuds – and remember to try some of these foods yourself too.

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