With back-to-school just around the corner, it’s time to start getting back into the swing of planning and packing school lunches. This year, we want to help you swap pre-packaged lunches with something healthier (and more exciting) for your child.

But we know getting your child excited about healthy eating can be tough.

To help get you started, we’ve partnered with Noelle Martin from @motherhoodandmeals. for some healthy lunchbox tips. Noelle is a registered dietitian and mom of three boys with a passion for educating, inspiring, and supporting others to make the healthiest choices possible—including back-to-school lunches that everyone in the family can get excited about!

Keep reading to find out her best tips on how to pack healthy lunches that your child will actually want to eat (plus some delicious back to school lunchbox ideas).

Tips For Packing A Healthy Lunch Your Child Will Actually Want To Eat

Q: What are your healthy lunch staples in your kid’s lunchbox?

“I always include representation from each food group to provide vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants with a nice balance of energy from carbohydrates, protein for their growing muscles and bones, and healthy fats for brain growth and satiety.

My boys usually have a whole grain option such as whole grain bread/wrap/pita/bagel, crackers, or homemade muffin; meat or alternative option such as sunflower seeds, roasted chickpeas or soy nuts, nitrate free lunch meat, or eggs; milk product (or dairy-free alternative) such as cheese, yogurt, or milk; a fruit and a vegetable.”

“I always include representation from each food group.”

– Noelle, @motherhoodandmeals

Try this healthy lunch idea:

Lentil pasta tossed in olive oil and topped with sliced tomatoes and feta cheese served with cucumbers and berries.

Lunchbox: @planetbox

Q: How do you keep school lunches interesting (but still healthy)?

“I aim for variety in food as well as texture and color in each lunch that I pack.

I have a two-week lunch plan that I try to stick to with variations as needed based on what we have in the house or if a certain food is plentiful or scarce due to the season.”

“Aim for variety in food as well as texture and color.”

– Noelle, @motherhoodandmeals

Try this healthy lunch idea:

Cheese Egg bake topped with diced peppers served with fig bars, grapes, and a KidsWater.

LunchBox: @OmieBox, Note: @LunchBox_Love

Q: What are some tips you have for parents of particularly picky eaters?

“Get your children involved in making their lunches.

Ask them if they would like carrots or cucumbers, pita with hummus or SunButter on a wrap. Ask them to help put the grapes or sliced cucumbers into their lunchbox. The more involved they are, the more invested they feel, the more likely they are to eat their lunch. Also, if you know your child’s lunch appetite is small, then be careful to not send too much food. A child that feels overwhelmed with a large volume is more likely to eat less overall.

Choose a lunch box that allows your child to see the whole lunch at once rather than needing to open several small containers. My favourites are PlanetBox, OmieBox, and Goodbyn. I have also heard wonderful things about YumBox, LunchBuddy, Innobaby, and Dalcini Stainless.”

“Get your children involved in making their lunches.”

– Noelle, @motherhoodandmeals

Try this healthy lunch idea:

Mac and cheese served with cauliflower, peppers, golden berries, strawberries, and a KidsWater.

LunchBox: @OmieBox, Dairy-Free Label: @mabelslabels

Q: What is the biggest challenge you face with packing healthy lunches for your kids? How do you overcome it?

“My biggest challenge is variety of protein choices while staying dairy-free (for allergen reasons) and nut-free (for school policy).

I overcome this by offering the same protein choice in a variety of ways. For example, I’ll pack SunButter on a wrap with hemp hearts one time in the two-week cycle and as a dip for apple slices and crackers on a different day.”

“The more involved your child is, the more invested they feel, the more likely they are to eat their lunch.”

– Noelle, @motherhoodandmeals

Try this healthy lunch idea:

Yogurt (this one is coconut milk-based but Greek yogurt is a great choice for those who can have dairy), homemade banana flax muffin, sunflower seeds, blueberries, green beans, hummus, roasted chickpeas, and raisins.

LunchBox: @planetbox, DiaryFree Label: @mabelslabels

Q: How do you make sure you’re still packing healthy lunches on a busy schedule?

“One strategy I use is cutting up any fruits or vegetables ahead of time that I can. I find they last 3-4 days in the fridge so I aim to do this prep Sunday and Wednesday evenings.

Another strategy is to prep what I can the night before. Some lunch items are best prepared morning of, but I find there are usually things I can prepare ahead of time to help the morning routine.

And last, but not least, I remember that the goal is to offer nourishment to my children and not a gourmet meal. So on really busy days they may get a “snack lunch” of whole grain crackers, shredded cheese, baby carrots, hummus, sunflowers seeds, yogurt, and grapes with a fruit purée pouch on the side. And sometimes these “easier” are the lunches that are loved most!

Some of my “quick grabs” include:

• Whole grain or vegetable-based crackers
• Cheese chunks
• Fig bars
• SunButter sandwich
• Roasted chickpeas
• Raisins/dried fruit
• Sunflower seeds
• Pre-cut veggies or fruits and veggies that don’t need prep (ie. baby carrots, grapes, blueberries, baby tomatoes, and snap peas)
• Rolled up nitrate-free turkey and cheese
• Yogurt
• Whole grain granola snacks (such as @MadeGood)
• Fruit and veggie purées from @lovechildorganics
• Homemade muffins out of the fridge or freezer

“Prep what you can the night before. Veggies will last 3-4 days in the fridge, so I do this prep Sunday and Wednesday evenings.”

– Noelle, @motherhoodandmeals

Try this healthy lunch idea:

Whole grain wrap with nitrate-free turkey, Swiss cheese, and peppers served with carrots and grapes.

Served in a @stasherbag

Do you have more healthy lunchbox tips to share? Let us know your favorite healthy school lunch ideas in the comments!