Healthy School Lunches & Snacks

Keep it simple with these easy ideas to make school lunches healthy and fun.

By Sally Kuzemchak, RD from Parents Magazine

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Paula Hible
The simplest and healthiest foods look extra-yummy when they're tucked inside colorful little compartments. That's the idea behind Laptop Lunches, the company that sells these cute plastic sets (starting at $21; laptoplunches.com). We filled the containers with a protein, some fruit, a vegetable, and a small treat -- all in perfect-size portions for kids 5 to 8.

All Dressed Up

* 1 cup bow-tie pasta salad with veggies
* 1 cup baby greens salad with 2 tablespoons low-fat dressing
* 3/4 cup watermelon
* 2 fig cookies
- Laptoplunches.com
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Paula Hible

Catch of the Day

Fish-shaped tuna sandwich with lettuce on whole wheat bread

10 baby carrots with 2 tablespoons low-fat ranch dip

Small plum

1/4 cup whole-grain Goldfish crackers

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Paula Hible
Pretzel Kabobs

Ham, turkey, and cheese rolled up together, sliced, and skewered with pretzel sticks

1/2 cup mandarin oranges

1/2 cup shelled edamame

1 container (4 ounces) fat-free chocolate pudding
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Change Your Child's School Food: Farm to School

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Paula Hible
Early Riser

Sliced hard-boiled egg and 2 mini whole-grain waffles

Bell-pepper strips

1 sliced kiwi fruit mixed with a few blackberries

Mini corn muffin
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Paula Hible
Finger Food

String cheese and a handful of whole wheat crackers

1 cup broccoli and cauliflower florets with 2 tablespoons light raspberry dressing

1/2 cup blueberries

Slice of banana bread
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Paula Hible
Fiesta!

1 cup bean salad

1/2 cup melon wedges

Handful of whole-grain tortilla chips with 2 tablespoons salsa

8 cubes of reduced-fat cheddar cheese
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Low-Cal Snack Foods

Low-Cal Snack Foods

Must-try low calorie snack foods.

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Paula Hible
Hole New PB&J

Peanut butter and jelly on a whole wheat mini bagel

3/4 cup cherry tomatoes with 2 tablespoons low-fat Caesar dressing

1/2 cup pineapple chunks

4 mini oatmeal cookies
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Paula Hible

Pizza Party

1 slice leftover cold veggie pizza cut into squares

3/4 cup cucumber moons with 2 tablespoons hummus

1/2 cup purple grapes

1/2 cup popcorn

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Paula Hible
Power Pita

2 mini whole wheat pita pockets with grilled-chicken strips and veggies

3/4 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt with sliced strawberries

1/2 cup sugar snap peas

8 animal crackers
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Paula Hible
After-School Snack Mixes: Sesame Sticks

These creative combos add up to one-of-a-kind after-school treats.

Sesame sticks + chopped cereal-nut bars + dried pineapple
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Paula Hible
After-School Snack Mixes: Pita Chips

Mini pita chips + soy nuts + mini chocolate chips
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Paula Hible

After-School Snack Mixes: Mini Pretzels

Mini pretzels twists + cashews + dried cranberries

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Paula Hible
After-School Snack Mixes: Low-Fat Granola

Low-fat granola + sunflower seeds + dried apricots
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Paula Hible

After-School Snack Mixes: Dried Papaya

Dried papaya + whole-grain cereal + golden raisins

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Paula Hible
After-School Snack Mixes: Almonds

Almonds + M&M's + dried mango
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Courtesy of TrueNorth Snacks
Best New Snacks for School: TrueNorth Peanut Clusters

Round out your kid's lunch with healthy, ready-to-go products.

These nuggets of freshly roasted nuts are ideal for slow eaters. Six pieces contain 170 calories and 5 grams of protein ($3.50 for a 5-1/2-ounce bag).
- Truenorthsnacks.com
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Courtesy of Backman Snax
Best New Snacks for School: Bachman The Puzzle Pretzels

Puzzle-shaped pretzels come in large and individual-size bags ($17 for six 12-ounce bags).
- Bachmansnax.com
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Courtesy of Lundberg Family Farms
Best New Snacks for School: Lundberg Family Farms Baked Rice with a Twist

These crunchy twists in child-friendly flavors like white cheddar and ranch are made from brown rice and packed with whole grains ($3 for a 4-1/2-ounce bag).
- Lundberg.com
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Courtesy of Back to Nature Foods
Best New Snacks for School: Back to Nature Granola to Go

Toss a mini bag of this granola -- along with a container of yogurt and a piece of fruit -- into your child's lunchbox. Kids will probably like the honey-almond variety the best ($4 for five 1-1/2-ounce bags).

Originally published in the September 2008 issue of Parents magazine.
- Backtonaturefoods.com
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