Dads Dish On Their Kids’ School Lunches

A dad in the community doesn’t want to give his kids PB&J every day for school lunch so he asks for some school lunch ideas from the Life of Dad Facebook page. Here are some awesome kid school lunch ideas from real dads who pack lunch every day!

Stephen Bernal: How jealous am I of all the parents who are like “Oh, send a salad!” “I make *mine* organic tuna wraps!”

My daughter hates almost everything. So lunch, literally every day, is the same: yogurt, mozzarella cheese stick, a berry-like fruit (strawberries, raspberries) and a little package of Oreos. To add some variety and ensure she gets some nutrition, I’ve been thinking about using a food dehydrator to make homemade fruit snacks. 

Christopher Smith: Why not ask them what they want?
Also, they don’t necessarily need a main dish. At least once a week my kids get a grouping of snacks…hummus, carrots, chips, apple sauce, etc.

Jackie Gerhardt: I make my kids wraps (chicken, lettuce, olives, bacon and either dressing or mayo), pinwheels (ham and cheese rolled in a tortilla and sliced into little rolls), salads with chicken on top, Greek yogurt with granola on the side to mix in, fruit and yogurt parfaits with granola on the side, pasta salad with veggies and cheese… those are the usual things I make my 3 kids for lunch!

Benny Barrette: I make cheese quesadillas. Today she had nuggets I cooked this morn. Let cool just a bit then pack either in tin foil or baggy. Grilled cheese. Don’t rule out hot foods!

James Davidson: A friend of mine had the same sack lunch everyday since I met him on the first day of kindergarten, until we graduated high school: Bagel with cream cheese, 3 Oreos, Apple, beef jerky.

Niclas Sjöström: I seriously feel the school system over there needs to serve nutritious lunches and healthy kids snacks. A PB&J sandwich really isn’t something anyone can rely on to have energy for their studying.

But since it seems fruitless: ever tried pasta with a good protein like bolognese, carbonara or even meatballs (Swedish of course).

Dan Harrison: Cold cuts are unhealthy. Try roasting boneless chicken breasts or thigh’s, turkey breasts, extra. This can all be done on Saturday or Sunday and put in the fridge or freezer. Cheaper too.

Hal Tiberius Horton: I get up early and make regular meals, not the ‘traditional’ kid’s lunch.. Sometimes I just make extra for supper so I can pack it in her lunch. I make some really epic salads. She loves salads. I mix it up so she doesn’t get the same thing every day. That would get very boring.

Jordan Martínez: Yeah I would do sandwiches without cold cuts. Think homemade turkey (like post thanksgiving), shredded chicken breast, that sort of thing.

You could also do chicken salad with crackers, or any other homemade deli-style food. I didn’t provide any examples, but not every single main course needs meat.

Chuck Bohall III: My son refuses almost everything. Peanut butter with pretzels, a pudding cup, and a snack is all he’ll eat. Believe me, I’ve tried… and flat out starving him just makes my life hell.

Brandon Kerns: Cold chicken tenders have been really popular with my kids. They come precooked and frozen. Just thaw and eat. Send a packet of sauce to dip. I also send leftover fried chicken or rotisserie chicken. It’s great cold, too. Pull it from the bone for them if necessary.

David Esslinger: A couple snickers and a small diet monster, (I hate the preschool teacher) and by the time he comes home she’s crashing and ready for a 2 hour nap it’s beautiful. [HAHAHAHA!]

What do you give your kids for lunch at school? Share your ideas with us on Facebook!

Flickr photo from USDA.