7 Essential Foods for Your Back-to-School Grocery List
Something went wrong. Please try again later...
Are you strolling the lunchbox aisle of your local grocer or retail store, helping your kids pick between the most popular new superhero or animated movie star? While school may look a little different this year, lunch is still one of the most important parts of the day 鈥 whether it鈥檚 being served in a cafeteria or at your kitchen table. No matter what school looks like for you, when it comes to school lunches, it鈥檚 what鈥檚 on the inside that really counts.
While school lunch is an important source of fuel for your kids, the daily task of making school lunches can often be just another item on the long parenting 鈥渢o-do鈥 list. This is especially true for those of you with children who will be learning at home more often this year. While making lunch might seem like an additional, stressful responsibility, it doesn鈥檛 have to be that way! Consider including the below items on your back-to-school grocery shopping list to simplify school lunch making.
1. Eggs
Boasting about 6 grams of protein per egg, they鈥檙e nutrient-dense and kid-approved. Serve eggs hard boiled or as part of a kid-friendly .
2. Whole Wheat Bread
This one can be tricky. Many food manufacturers label bread as whole wheat when, really, it鈥檚 made of mostly refined flour. To make sure you鈥檙e choosing a true whole grain bread that鈥檚 higher in fiber and considered more nutritious than refined grains, look for breads that have 100% whole-wheat or whole-grain flour listed as their first ingredient.
3. Peanut Butter
Whether you prefer crunchy or creamy, if your kids aren鈥檛 allergic and it鈥檚 not prohibited at their schools, peanut butter is a fantastic source of protein. It鈥檚 versatile, too, and is as good on top of celery slices as it is sandwiched between bread or served alongside an apple or banana. Certain brands of peanut butter can be artificially high in sugar, so look for a brand that has no added sugar 鈥 it鈥檚 tasty without!
4. Cheese
Strings, curds, slices, diced or wheels 鈥 exploring the many varieties of cheese is half the fun. Cheese is also a rich source of calcium, fat and protein so don鈥檛 forget to throw a couple of varieties in your cart when you鈥檙e at the grocery store. Cheese can also be stored easily in your freezer and saved for other lunch ideas.
5. Yogurt
Kids and adults alike know that yogurt is delicious. Fortunately, it鈥檚 also high in protein. Put a serving in a to-go dish or snag a prepackaged portion for an easy meal supplement. Looking to ? When it comes to prepackaged brands, the item with the most fun and colorful packaging isn鈥檛 always best. Plain yogurt is often the best choice because it doesn鈥檛 have added sugar. You can always add nuts and fruit to add flavor.
6. Apples, Oranges and Bananas
Although all fruits are tasty and great for school lunch, you can鈥檛 beat the portability of oranges, apples and bananas. No packaging required? Sign us up. They also have a longer shelf life than other, more fragile fruits and are available throughout the year in most areas.
7. Cucumber, Carrots and Celery
Although getting kids to eat their veggies can seem like a fool鈥檚 errand, don鈥檛 stop trying! Sliced cucumbers, carrots and celery sit higher on the list of kid-approved veggies. Try serving with fun dipping sauces like tzatziki, hummus or a homemade ranch dressing made with Greek yogurt.
These are just a sampling of the many delicious and nutritious foods you might consider for school lunch. In our humble opinion, if your kids are eating it and you鈥檙e doing what you can to add some variety to their daily lunch, you鈥檙e rocking the parent game!