Cornchips and dip, (find what ur kids like and sneak a few finely chopped or grated veggies to it) (don't make it too many veg or it gets "too healthy" and they may not like it. My philosophy was: every tiny bit helps, and a tiny bit of nutrition was better than none) - my kids loved tuna and mayonaise, or salsa.
Yoghurt.
Cheese sticks or slices.
Dried apple slices. .....We used to be able to get 'fruit leather' here. (fruit puree spread out and dried - really yummy. You can make it at home but it takes time)....it keeps really well and can be cut into fun shapes or rolled up.
Celery sticks cut into short fingers with cream cheese, (super nice with finely chopped bacon mixed in , or sprinkled with some sort of bbq seasoning .... or peanut butter in them. )
Food on toothpicks ...like sliced sausage, cheese cubes , grapes, rolled bacon, pineapple ....like mini kebabs, Basically custom design around what your kids like....kids can even make their own...
Left over popcorn chicken.
Home made Popcorn.
Sometimes even just making standard food fun....like cutting shapes into sammiches they can pop out
Sometimes I'd add a marshmallow to them as a special treat. (Again with the idea of something healthy along with something 'not so much')
Another nice thing i wish id thought of sooner was: put a nice note in your kids lunchbox. Just a short simple note. It can be anything from 'have a great day', ' i love you so much' to a funny joke or even a sticker they like .
They dont forget these things. And its also a good psychology thing ....something positive .
Dont do these everyday, switch it up. It means they'll never know what to expect when they open their lunch, which makes it fun.
When Mum was sober, she used to cook too much for dinner so that the leftovers could be packed for lunch the next day. Things like brown rice cooked in chicken and vegetable stock, with lots of bits of chicken and greens and other veggies in it. Yummy as a cold rice salad.
