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    Home » What We're Eating » Lunch » Healthy and Easy Lunch Ideas for Kids

    Healthy and Easy Lunch Ideas for Kids

    Published: Sep 18, 2014 by Blair Lonergan

    Thanks to Hillshire Farm for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

    Do you have a list of food items that you always have in your kitchen? You know, the stuff that your family loves and expects to find available at all times? Well for us, cheese, bread, yogurt, peanut butter, and deli lunchmeat are all considered staples, because they are the primary ingredients in some of our favorite healthy, quick, and tasty meals!

    Healthy and Easy Lunch Ideas for KidsAs you probably know by now, my three-year-old and four-year-old returned to morning preschool earlier this month. That means that I pick them up from school at noon and race them home to feed them lunch as quickly as possible. By that time of day, they spend most of the drive home telling me that they are “staaaaaarving.”

    photo-8

    Since I know that I will walk in the door with three hungry little kids and my hands full of backpacks, babies, lunch boxes, paperwork, etc., I make an effort on most days to prepare their midday meal ahead of time. That way we can walk straight into the kitchen and sit down to a calm lunch right away. Some days it works...other days? Not so much.

    What really helps me prep these lunches are convenient items that I know they will love…like the new premium line of lunchmeat from Hillshire Farm. These Hillshire Farm Naturals contain no artificial ingredients, preservatives, colors or added nitrites/nitrates except those occurring naturally in celery juice. That means that I’m a happy mom, and my boys are happy kids!

    Hillshire Naturals in Walmart

    Last week Spencer and I headed out for a grocery shopping run at Walmart while the boys were in school.

    Spence in Walmart

    We picked up two packs of the Hillshire Farm Naturals lunchmeat so that we could scurry home and get some goodies prepared for the boys before it was time for pick-up. In the packaged deli meat section, I grabbed a container of the Honey Roasted Ham (Casey’s favorite) and a container of the Slow Roasted Turkey (Gibbs’s favorite). The line also includes Hardwood Smoked Turkey Breast and Black Forest Ham.

    Hillshire Farm Naturals Lunchmeat

    I love that the products are packaged in double-sealed, re-sealable tubs that lock in great taste. The Honey Roasted Ham stays sweet and smoky, and the Slow Roasted Turkey holds onto that delicious, just-carved freshness.

    Hillshire Farm Naturals Ham

    In order to keep my big boys on their toes (and to keep mealtime interesting), I like to serve these favorites in a variety of ways. Here are just a few of my Healthy and Easy Lunch Ideas for Kids, which we have enjoyed over the past couple of days:

    The Classic Meat-and-Cheese Sandwich Cut-Outs:

    Classic Meat and Cheese Sandwich Cut Outs

    I use cookie cutters in a variety of shapes and seasonal designs to make the boys’ sandwiches just a little bit special. No, I don’t do this every single day. But when I do, they really appreciate it! If you have a child who prefers the crust cut off of a sandwich, or if you have a 10-month-old who finds it easier to eat a sandwich without the crust, then the cookie cutters make the trimming much more efficient!

    Here’s how I served the sandwiches on one afternoon: Casey’s dinosaur included the Honey Roasted Ham, American cheese, mayonnaise, and whole wheat bread.

    Classic Meat and Cheese Sandwich Cut Outs 3

    Gibbs ate a Slow Roasted Turkey Sandwich with provolone cheese and mayo on whole wheat bread…in the shape of a car!

    Classic Meat and Cheese Sandwich Cut Outs 2

    Another fun option, which happens to be Casey’s favorite: Ham, Cheddar, and Apple Kabobs:

    Ham Cheddar and Apple Kabobs

    Doesn’t everyone love food on a stick (no matter how old we are)? The sweet, salty, creamy combo just works so well here. Again, I use cookie cutters to make the cheese into shapes. They’re easier for baby Spence to hold that way, too!

    Ham Cheddar and Apple Kabobs 2

    Ham Cheddar and Apple Kabobs 3

    And finally, since my family loves Mexican food, I pulled together these Turkey and Guacamole Roll-Ups:

    Turkey and Guacamole Roll Ups 2

    Here are a few more examples of food items that you will always find in my refrigerator: the turkey (obviously), individual snack-size cups of prepared guacamole (which are perfect for dipping or spreading), shredded cheddar cheese, and tortillas. Served with a bit of salsa and a few tortilla chips, everyone is happy!

    Turkey and Guacamole Roll Ups

    I hope that these ideas make your lunchtime prep a bit easier, a bit tastier, and a bit more fun! And be sure to check out the new line of Hillshire Farm Naturals lunchmeat – I know that you will love it as much as we do! You can scoop up a few packs of the tasty meat at Walmart, and be sure to visit Hillshire Farm on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Stephanie

      September 26, 2014 at 12:24 pm

      Love all these ideas!! Thank you so much for linking up at Tasty Tuesday! Your recipe has been pinned to the Tasty Tuesday Pinterest board! Please join us again this week!

      Reply
    2. Laura@Baking in Pyjamas

      September 28, 2014 at 2:08 pm

      Great idea's! Thanks for linking up to Sweet and Savoury Sunday, stop by and link up again. Have a great day!!

      Reply
    3. Barb @ A Life in Balance

      October 02, 2014 at 5:57 am

      I love how easy it is to make these ideas, plus I didn't know Hillshire Farm had natural lunch meat. Woot!

      Reply
      • Blair

        October 02, 2014 at 7:43 am

        Hi, Barb! Thanks so much for stopping by! 🙂

        Reply

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