mix and match lunchbox ideas

[Sara Noel]

Feel free to add to this list and I'll update it.

Fruit ideas

Grapes
Watermelon
Cherries
Plums
Canteloupe
Honey Dew
Peaches
Mandarin oranges (oranges, tangerines)
Bananas
Apples
Dried fruit (raisins, craisins, pineapple, apples, banana chips, etc)
Strawberries
Blueberries
Raspberries
Pears
Kiwi
Fruit salads


Vegetable ideas

Celery
Baby carrots
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Cherry/grape tomatoes
Cucumber
Dill pickle
Pea pods
Radishes
Green beans
Bell peppers
Olives
Corn on the cob cut into smaller medallion slices
Tossed salad

Crackers/breads ideas

Whole wheat crackers (wheat thins, triscuits)
Cheezits
Goldfish
Soft pretzels
Animal crackers
Breadsticks
Quick bread
Muffins
Cornbread
Pita
Bagels
Croissants
English muffins
Tortillas
Graham crackers
Biscuits
Rolls
Rye bread
Pumpernickel bread
Wheat bread
Multi grain bread
Raisin bread
Sour dough bread
Rice cakes
Vanilla wafers
Granola bars
Bagel chips

Dairy ideas

Cheeses (cubed such as cheddar, swiss, monterey Jack)
String cheese
Cottage cheese
Yogurt

Breakfast foods great for lunch

Oatmeal
Cereal
French Toast sticks
Pancakes (mini pancake sandwiches with jelly, cream cheese)
Waffles

Additional snack ideas

Popcorn
Trail mix
Seeds and nuts
Applesauce
Pudding (add graham crackers and mini marshmallows for smores)
Jello

Spreads/dips ideas

Peanut butter
Jellies, jams, preserves (try cranberry jelly on turkey and chicken sandwiches)
Nutella
Almond butter
Apple butter
Cashew butter
Cream cheese
Fruit dip
Hummus
Salsa
Caramel dip
Condiments such as salad dressings
Spaghetti sauce
Peanut butter dip
Tuna salad
Chicken salad


Soups/stews

Soup
Chili
Stew
Casseroles

Additional mains

Chicken nuggets (occasional)
Macaroni and cheese
Taco meat and fixings (tacos or taco salads)
Meatballs
Hard boiled eggs
Pasta (spaghetti, lasagna) and pasta salad
Frozen ravioli (versus canned)
Pizza muffins
Rice
Veggie sushi
Sloppy Joe meat
Grilled chicken
BBQ beef or pork
Chicken paty sandwiches
Quesadillas
Lean deli meats

Ideas: Roll meat around string cheese, roll tortilla wraps and cut into “pinwheels”, add fruits, jelly or vegetables to cream cheese as a spread (http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2009/...-kids-eat.html) or sandwich filling, hollow out rolls to make a mini bread bowl, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar onto apple slices, hollow out an apple and add fruit dip, yogurt or peanut butter to dip. Or use hot dog buns and add fruit such as a banana with peanut butter or nutella or fruit or veggie and cream cheese.



Trail mixes


golden graham cerealor teddy grahams
chocolate chips
mini marshmallows



For fall:
1 box of chocolate Chex cereal
1 box of chocolate flavored Teddy Grahams
1 box of graham flavored Teddy Grahams
1 bag of candy corn
1/2-1 bag of Reece's Pieces
1/2 bag of mini marshmallows

Mix it all together.


Puppy chow

9 cups crispy rice cereal squares
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

In a saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate; add peanut butter and mix until smooth.
Remove from heat, add cereal and stir until coated.
Pour powdered sugar into large plastic bag, add coated cereal and shake until well coated. Store in airtight container.

Chewy Trail mix

2 cups granola cereal
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 (3 1/2 ounce) cans flaked coconut (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup sunflower seed
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 (14 ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup banana chips
1/2 cup dark raisin
1/2 cup golden raisin
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup dried apricot, diced
1 cup M&M's

In large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except dried fruit (banana chips and raisins, cherries and apricots) and m&m's.Mix well.Spread evenly in an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet-spray foil with Pam (makes for easy clean-up).Bake at 300 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes (I like to leave some large clumps and break apart when cool).Note: Check at 40 minutes. Sometimes it's done. It will harden when cooled.Remove from oven. I like to immediately remove trail mix onto another pan or cookie sheet to cool.When warm, stir in banana chips, raisins, cherries and apricots.Cool thoroughly and add chocolate candies.Store tightly covered at room temperature.


Ultimate trail mix

1/2 cup chocolate turtle Chex mix
1/2 cup caramel Chex cereal
1/2 cup pretzel stick
1/2 cup M&M's plain chocolate candy
1/2 cup gummy bears
1/2 cup toffee pieces
1/2 cup mini marshmallows
1/2 cup caramel corn
1/2 cup cinnamon goldfish graham snacks
1/2 cup caramel, bites
1/2 cup butter toffee peanuts
1/2 cup cashews
1/2 cup peanuts
1/2 cup miniature Oreo cookie
1/2 cup candy corn
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup Teddy Grahams honey graham snacks
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup pretzel rings
1/2 cup cinnamon red cinnamon candies

Mix all together in a large bowl. Store in an airtight container.

Fisherman’s Friend Party Mix

Makes about 10 cups

5 cups Corn Chex or Rice Chex cereal
2 cups oyster crackers
1 cup Pepperidge Farm Cheddar Goldfish
1 cup Pepperidge Farm Pretzel Goldfish
1 cup Melba toast rounds
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons hot sauce (see note)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Combine cereal, oyster crackers, Goldfish, and Melba toast in large bowl. Whisk butter, hot sauce, and lemon juice in small bowl, then drizzle over cereal mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Old Bay and toss until well combined.

Spread mixture over rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring every 15 minutes, until golden and crisp, about 45 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Serve. (Mix can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.)

Powerballs
Makes about 40 snack balls, and leftovers can be kept in the fridge or frozen with wax paper separating the layers.

Mix 1 cup peanut butter and 1 cup honey until smooth
Add 3 cups old-fashioned oats and 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
Add 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup nuts and dried fruit (any combintion of peanuts, sliced almonds, chopped walnuts, chopped pecans, raisins, dried cranberries, chopped dates, etc)
Roll into ping-pong sized balls and store in fridge or freezer

Nuts and bolts

1/4 cup pecans
1/4 cup cashew pieces
1/4 cup walnut pieces
1/4 cup whole almonds
1/4 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts
4 cups crispy rice cereal
4 cups mini pretzels
5 tablespoons butter
4 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt


Preheat oven to 225°F.In a large bowl combine pecans, cashews, walnuts, almonds, peanuts, rice cereal, and pretzels. Melt butter and add Worcestershire sauce, pour over dry ingredients and mix well. Sprinkle with salt and bake on a cookie sheet for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool completely then store in airtight bags.

[Ceashels]

That Fisherman's Party Mix looks good! I might have to make that soon.

[monkeywrangler71]

My son likes processed cheese slices, we normally buy them for burgers but he will eat them alone as a snack. I will probably put some in his lunches.

Also fruit rollups/leather, I make them from applesauce in the dehydrator and the kids love them. Can also buy some in the store that are actually made from fruit (some are just sugar)

Granola bars and cereal bars

This is a bit of a weird one, but when I was a kid I loved beef jerky. It's quick and easy protein, I eat it when we travel to offset all the sugar in most snack foods.

[Sara Noel]

My kids love beef jerky. Sometimes Gabe buys it for them and himself. It's not my type of thing, but they all love it. My kids would be thrilled to get a piece in their lunch box.

[nuisance26]

~OooOOo, yummy recipes! I've got to make those power balls. ~

[McD]

Bumping this. Great ideas! We are only a week into school lunches and Dubya is getting bored with his selections already.

[frugrrl]

This is great! Thanks SO much!!

I saw a lunch chart Magnetic Lunch Chart - Martha Stewart Kids' Crafts one could print online, but it didn't have that many ideas of what foods to put on the chart. Your list is PERFECT for that!