Monday, July 30, 2018

Gluten-Free School Lunch Tips and Menu Ideas

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links. I received a very small, small percentage, but it is very much appreciated.**

(republished post from 2016)

School will be back in session in just a few weeks. When it comes to packing lunches, I will be packing Jack's lunch every day, 5 days a week, 20 days a month, for 40 weeks out of the year. That's a lot of lunch packin'! But, I don't complain, as it keeps my boy healthy.

But, you gotta get creative, so it doesn't get boring and your child says, "Do I have to eat that again?"

Below I have some tips to offer you and some gluten-free menu ideas.

3 TIPS: 
  • Lunch doesn't mean having a "sandwich"- anything nutritious that fills your kiddo up until they get home from school will be just fine.
  • Packing a lunch full of iron and protein packed foods, will help provide energy for the afternoon math test.


















3 DO(s) FOR PACKING LUNCHES:
  • Healthy Foods - Fruit, Cheese, Yogurt, Turkey, Veggies 
  • Milk or Water
  • Pack a little treat - other kids at school will bring all types of treats and even buy ice cream from the cafeteria. 
3 DON'T(s) FOR PACKING LUNCHES
  • Sugar Drinks 
  • No items that are too hard to open - they need to focus on eating, not trying to open something for 10 minutes
  • Minimal plastic baggies - it really is a waste - find a great plastic container to reuse  

GLUTEN-FREE SCHOOL LUNCH IDEAS

Lunch 1:

(Jack's Favorite lunch)

Hard Boiled egg
Strawberries
Spinach leaves (yes, he eats SPINACH!)
Yogurt
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Milk

Lunch 2:

Turkey and Swiss Cheese Roll-ups
Strawberries
Carrot Sticks
String Cheese
Yogurt
Milk

Lunch 3: 

PB and Jelly sandwich on your favorite GF bread
Lay's Potato Chips
Pear Slices
Carrot Sticks/Spinach Leaves
Yogurt
Glutino's Chocolate Chip Cookie
Milk


Special treat in this one! And extra ketchup packets, save
them for lunch!
Lunch 4:
Perdue Breaded Chicken Tenders  
Fritos
Grapes
Carrot Sticks/Spinach Leaves
Cybele's Cookies
Milk

Lunch 5:

Pizza Squares - Udi's Pizza Crust or Kinnickinnick Pizza Crust - bake, cut in squares, put in thermos to keep warm.
Mandarin Oranges
Carrots/Spinach Leaves
Yogurt
Milk


Here are some products to get you prepared to pack lunches every day! From lunch containers to an individual cupcake holder for parties and more, I got you covered! 

Happy lunch packing! 
Best wishes for a great gluten-free school year!



4 comments:

  1. You're so fabulous! Thanks for the mention!! :)

    Jack is gonna ROCK kindergarten.. and so are you Mom!! XO

    ReplyDelete
  2. That's so cool, that you are paying so much attention to the ration of your child and worries about your kids lunch.
    Good food allows you to keep your brain awaken while writing process and allows you to concentrate on academic articles or exams or other important lessons

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lays potato chips are not gluten free. Ruffles plain are among other brands like Kettle.

    ReplyDelete