Almost every parent has been there–trying to get our child to just try a piece of broccoli or a carrot. Sometimes it seems impossible, but we keep trying because we want to feed our kids the most nutritious foods that will help them grow strong and healthy.
Let MOMables help you out at meal time, even if you have a picky eater who won’t even touch a vegetable. Grab a free week of meals to make your life a little easier!
Sometimes the easiest way for us to get our kids to eat vegetables is to sneak them into their food slowly. At first they won’t even know they’re in there, so when you tell them that there are hidden veggies in their food, they’ll be a little more open to the idea of vegetables.
Here’s 6 delicious school lunch ideas that will help you get some veggies in your kids’ diets!
Related: Top 5 Lunchboxes We’ve Tested
Crispy, full of flavor, and perfect for dipping…these nuggets are just like the ones your kids already love, plus they have veggies! Your kids will probably think it’s cool that the nuggets are green and won’t even realize it’s actually vegetables. These are perfect for packing in lunch boxes!
2. Homemade Veggie Mac and Cheese
Take a family meal staple and put a healthier twist on it! This mac and cheese has hidden pureed carrots, giving it that bright orange color and slight sweetness. Your kids will love this creamy pasta, and you’ll love that they’re getting in lots of nutrients. Simply pack in a thermos the night before, and you’re good to go!
3. Carrot Zucchini Mini Quiches
Mini quiches are the ultimate lunch for easy packing and transport, and these delicious carrot and zucchini bites are no exception! They’re cheesy and packed with veggies–it’s a win-win. You could even make these for breakfast and use the leftovers for lunch for a two-in-one meal.
4. Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo
This chicken and broccoli alfredo makes the perfect weeknight skillet meal, which makes even better leftovers for lunch the next day. Creamy pasta and chicken plus crunchy broccoli will make this recipe a family-favorite. Your kids won’t think twice about eating the veggies in this dish!
You can’t go wrong with waffles for any meal. With these cheesy waffles with hidden veggies, you definitely can’t go wrong. As with the mini quiches, you can even make these for breakfast and make extra to throw in your children’s lunch boxes.
6. Crustless Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche Muffins
If you ever find yourself with leftover veggies (probably from your child’s plate at dinner), this is the perfect recipe for you. These cheesy quiche muffins can use up that leftover broccoli and cheese before they go bad. No one will know just how much nutrition is packed into these little quiches!
We hope you enjoyed these school lunch ideas to help you get your kids to eat more veggies. Be sure to keep checking MOMables.com for more tips and tricks to make meal time easier!
Nicole
I would suggest (once classes start allowing it) to send in some of your heathy treats to her class. Let the other children taste it for themselves and see that just because it looks different doesn’t mean weird or that it tastes bad. I’m sure that they will go from making fun of her to begging her for her lunch because it’s so delicious.
Anita
My daughter loves eating healthy lunches that I pack for her. But the problem she has is other kids picking on her and making fun of her homemade lunches. It doesn’t seem to matter what I send to school with her, someone thinks it looks weird because it’s not in a package. This has brought her to tears many times. Any suggestions on what I can say to help her? She’s in 3rd grade.
MOMables
What I would suggest is to talk to the teacher. Do not dismiss your efforts and continue to send your daughter healthy lunches. Talk to your daughter about it and make sure she has the confidence to smile and not let these kids bother her. Kids can be cruel and talking to the teachers is where I would begin.
Kim
As parents we have to remind our kids that being different is not a bad thing. That we pick our friends because they are different or because we have similar taste. Remind her being health and taking pride in herself is more important then what anyone else thinks. Then I would also recommend talking to the teacher as well. This is not just about your daughter you have to bring it to a level the teacher can understand because it is a form of bullying. Schools have a no tolerance bully policy and if the teacher does not address it she can be in trouble. We have to remind our children that we are there to protect them no matter the battle or the giant. Mom your awesome and I’m sure she’s awesome because she keeps bring her lunch and eating it. Remind her beauty is not only how you look on the outside, but it is also influenced by what you but in.