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For busy parents, it is difficult to take time every morning to prepare lunch boxes especially when their kids are picky eaters.
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There is limited morning time, and all the other chores must be taken care of. As a result, sometimes, lunch boxes are repetitive and boring. But with a little creativity and preparation, you can create fun, delicious sandwich combinations that will get your kids excited about lunchtime.
Why sandwiches, you ask? Well, nutritionally speaking, sandwiches are the perfect package. They contain slices of basic carbs in the form of bread, and can be loaded up with a variety of nutrient-dense fruits, vegetables and protein sources like meat, dairy, poultry and more. You may want to add some cheese or spread from time to time in your kids’ sandwiches, but the fact remains that this food has a lot of scope for being wholesome and balanced, especially if you go about it the right way.
Start with the basics: soft bread, crunchy vegetables, creamy (but not loaded with saturated fats) spreads, and protein-packed deli meats, boiled eggs or plant-based alternatives like chickpea salad or roasted veggie slices. Prepare a variety of these components on your day off so they’re ready to grab and go in the mornings.
The options are endless! With these fun sandwiches, you can make sandwiches an exciting part of your kids’ school day. Homemade lunches filled with delicious flavors and variety will give them the fuel they need to power through the day.
Creative Sandwich Ideas for Children's Lunch Boxes in Summers
Packing lunches for children during the summer can be a fun, creative way to get them excited about eating healthy foods. Wholesome sandwiches can become an exciting part of any child’s summer lunch routine.
When preparing sandwiches for children, it is important to consider using different types of breads. The bread serves as the foundation for the sandwich, so choosing a type kids enjoy can make a big difference. White bread, wheat breads, oatmeal, multigrain, or sprouted grain bread can be used for sandwiches. Offering a variety of bread choices allows kids to explore flavors and textures too.
1. Multi-Decker Club Sandwich
When it comes to appealing to kids’ taste buds and imagination, this sandwich idea is a true winner. It is a sure-shot way of loading up a sandwich with multiple layers of nutrient-dense foods, while ensuring the result is creative, colorful and yummy. Prepare slices of bread and stack them up, adding ingredients like sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumber, grated carrots, cheese, lettuce, boiled eggs and more in the various layers. Not only will your kid not go hungry during lunchtime, but they will also get their daily recommended dose of veggies and proteins.
2. Magic Dice Sandwiches
oll the dice and win big smiles with these sandwiches that will delight little magicians. First, transform plain bread into magical dice bread by cutting off the crusts and trimming the slices into perfect squares. Then, with your round cookie cutter cut small holes like dice numbers. Mix creamy, smooth, and sweet, earthy-grated carrot for a cheesy cream cheese carrot filling. Mix cream cheese with grated carrot for a cheesy filling. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper for a savory bite. Spread half the orange mixture over the whole bread slices. Top with more grated carrot for crunch. Next, spread the remaining cream cheese carrot blend over the diced bread. Join the sides together for dice that always roll sevens!
3. Clown Fish Sandwiches
Take four slices of bread. With a round cookie cutter, cut a circle from one of the sandwiches. This would be the fish's body. From the other sandwich, she carefully cut two oval shapes with a knife to make fins. Put some cream cheese on the fins and add thin strips of carrot and chives for stripes. Then, stick the fins onto the fish's body. Next, use a small round cutter to cut a little circle from the second sandwich to make an eye. Put the eye onto the fish's body and use some Vegemite and mayonnaise to make a pupil. Lastly, add a few blueberries around the fish to look like bubbles under the sea.
4. Hungry Caterpillar Sandwiches
Make two sandwiches with cheese, avocado, and sprouts between bread. Cut each sandwich into four circles to form the caterpillar's body. Arrange the circles in a curved line like a caterpillar's shape. Add a cherry tomato for the head, decorating it with cream cheese and chives for the face. Cut out round slices from a melon and place them along the caterpillar as decoration.
5. Monkey Business Sandwiches
Start with a round slice of bread for the head. Spread cream cheese on a smaller slice and place it cheese-side down on the head to make the face. Use a cookie cutter to cut two small circles from another slice of bread; these will be the ears. Halve the ear circles and attach them to the sides of the head. Next, peel strips of cucumber into thin ribbons. Arrange two cucumber ribbons vertically for the eyes and one horizontally for the nose. Carefully cut out the eyes and nose from the cucumber ribbons. Finally, decorate with some chives for whiskers.
6. Rocket Ship Sandwiches
To begin, take two slices of bread and layer one with cheese. Cut out a triangle on each side to form the wings. Next, spread creamed corn on the second slice and cut two circles near the top for the windows. Press the slices together into a rocket shape. For added whimsy, use a spinach wrap as the base. Cut it into a cone. Top with sliced carrot triangles to resemble rocket flames.
7. Jigsaw Sandwiches
Start with slices of soft white bread and hearty whole wheat bread. Using cookie cutters, cut the bread into fun shapes like circles, stars, or puzzle pieces. Layer the shaped bread with sliced salami and cheese to make a tasty filling.
Packing creative and tasty sandwiches in children's lunch boxes can make mealtimes more enjoyable. Using cookie cutters to cut sandwiches into shapes, making faces with veggies and meats promotes healthy eating through food play. With planning and imagination, sandwiches can be an easy, nutritious, and engaging highlight of kids' summer lunches.
The views expressed are that of the expert alone.
