The Chirping Moms

Lunchbox Ideas for Kids

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions stated are my own.

 

It’s hard to believe that we are almost a month into the school season.  We are finally starting to get the morning routine down in this house:  eating breakfast, getting dressed, brushing teeth, & putting on shoes before heading out the door.  And there is one thing that I have learned how to add into my own morning routine:  packing lunches!

 

Lunchbox Ideas for Kids : The Chirping Moms

 

I am quickly learning the ropes of packing lunches every day & learning what to pack and what not to pack for each kid.  Packing a variety of wholesome and delicious lunches for the kids can be difficult, especially for those who are not huge fans of deli meat sandwiches.  So today, I am sharing some ways to incorporate lunch meat into the meal without actually creating the traditional sandwich. My kids’ favorite deli meat of choice is ham.   For the featured meals below, I am using the new premium line of lunchmeat from Hillshire Farm.  Recently launched, Hillshire Farm Naturals, contains no artificial ingredients, preservatives or colors, and no added nitrites/nitrates except those occurring naturally in beet juice.  Ham that the kids will eat & it is mom-approved.

Lunchbox Ideas for Kids : The Chirping Moms

 

Just to give you an idea, before I share the ideas, I often use this divided case from Easy Lunchboxes to help separate foods & organize my packing.  In the large section, I have the main part of the meal which often contains the “protein” part of the lunch.  In the two small side containers, I always fill these with fruit or vegetables.  You will not see anything in these meals that takes a lot of time or effort.  I like to keep it simple, trust me!

 

LUNCHBOX IDEAS:

IDEAS ON HOW TO PACK DELI MEAT INTO THE LUNCH WITHOUT MAKING THE TRADITIONAL SANDWICH

 

Lunchbox Ideas for Kids : The Chirping Moms
1.  Pickle Rolls:  On the deli meat, spread a thin layer of cream cheese.  Wrap a gherkin pickle in the middle.
 Lunchbox Ideas for Kids : The Chirping Moms
2.  Ham & Cheese Bites:  Cut cheese in fun shapes.  On toothpicks, add ham & cheese bites.  Serve with crackers.
Lunchbox Ideas for Kids : The Chirping Moms
3.  Mini Ham and/or Cucumber Bites:  Mix approximately a block of cream cheese & 1/2 cup mayonnaise & a handful of chopped onion or dash of onion powder .  (I do this all by taste without measuring!) On a small piece of bread (found in the gourmet cheese section at the grocery store), mix the cream cheese & mayo mixture.  Add ham or cucumber on top.
Lunchbox Ideas for Kids : The Chirping Moms
4.  Ham Rolls:  This one is simple, but my kids like the ham rolls.  Just roll the ham up (add a slice of cheese, if you would like as well)  & add to meal!
Lunchbox Ideas for Kids : The Chirping Moms
5.  Ham Bites:  Spread cream cheese on ham & roll up.  Cut into small slices & serve on a toothpick.
Lunchbox Ideas for Kids : The Chirping Moms
6.  Pasta Salad with Ham:  This is a good way to use up leftovers.  My kids love pasta salad so we often eat it for dinner as a side dish.  I always have a little bit left over so it’s a great idea to add into a lunchbox.  Toss with lunch meat cut up into small pieces.
Lunchbox Ideas for Kids : The Chirping Moms

7.  Tortilla & Ham Roll-Ups:  Spread cream cheese on a tortilla.  Sprinkle with diced olives.  Add 1-2 pieces of ham.  Roll up & slice into small bites.

 

Lunchbox Ideas for Kids : The Chirping Moms

 

8.  Homemade Lunchable:  My kids love this one.  Cut the meat & cheese into small cracker-size bites with fun shaped cookie cutters.   Serve with crackers!

 

Other Ideas:

9.  Make a Deli Meat & Cheese Taco.  Grab a soft tortilla.  Add a couple slices of deli meat & a couple slices of cheese.  Add lettuce & chopped tomatoes.  Optional, add ranch dressing on top.  Fold like a taco!

 

10.  Chef Salad.  Make a mini chef salad with lettuce, cheese, ham, & vegetables.  Top with croutons.  Serve with a side of their favorite dressing.

 

11.  You can still make a traditional sandwich, but cut the sandwich using a cookie cutter.  Somehow, my kids always like their sandwiches better when they are shaped like a dinosaur!

 

12.  Mix up the bread.  If you do want to make a sandwich with deli meat, go for something new instead of the traditional sandwich bread.  Every time I stop in our local gourmet grocery shop, I love to pick up a loaf of french bread to go with dinner.  Anything that I have left over, I cut into sandwich sized pieces & throw in the freezer.  I pop it out in the morning, add a couple slices of lunch meat, & by the time lunch is served at school, the bread is thawed & takes as fresh as it was the day that we bought it!

 

The best tip I have for lunchbox packing is:  Keep it simple & mix it up.  All I needed was some simple kitchen essentials: fruits, vegetables, cheese, deli meat, and a few other must-have ingredients.  The kids are happy with the variety that has come in their lunchbox & are gobbling up the Hillshire Farm Naturals honey roasted ham.  Next time you are at the store, make sure to check out this new line from Hillshire Farm.

 

The lunchmeat comes in four varieties:  Slow Roasted Turkey Breast, Hardwood Smoked Turkey Breast, Honey Roasted Ham, & Black Forest Ham which can be found in the packaged deli section at your local Wal-Mart.  Hillshire Farm Naturals comes in double sealed, resealable tubs that keep the meat fresh & delicious.  We hope that these ideas will challenge you to stay inspired & creative in the daily task of packing lunches!

 

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