I've seen several moms ask for help with lunch ideas lately, so I thought I would share what works at our house. This is not a comprehensive list, but we have been homeschooling for 12 years now, so we've kind of found our middle of the day food groove. Not that we don't ever try anything new or that we never, ever go out for lunch, but this is what you can usually find on our lunch table on any given day.
Leftovers (I do assign at least one night a week for dinner to involve leftovers - you can see my dinner menu plans HERE)
Pita pizzas (Some of the kids like turkey-pepperoni and cheese, others like cheese and onions, and I like peppers, onions, olives and cheese.)
Toasted sandwiches - mainly turkey and cheese
Hummus and pitas (It's super easy to make your own hummus!)
Macaroni and cheese (I make a homemade version that doesn't take more than 15 minutes. If you don't have cheddar, you can use pretty much any cheese you prefer or have on hand. I think one of my more popular versions involved the bits and pieces of four different cheeses I had left in the refrigerator.)
Tuna and crackers
Tuna melts
Nachos (Make mine with jalapeños, please!)
Bean and cheese burritos (Make your own refried beans or just open a can.)
Turkey wraps
Salmon and cream cheese wraps
Salad with chicken tenders
Chicken salad (I have two recipes that we love, one is smoked and the other is curried.)
Egg salad (I grew up eating egg salad on sandwiches, but my crew prefer it on crackers.)
Artichoke/spinach dip
Cheese quesadillas
Bruschetta (I love to make this in the summer when fresh tomatoes and basil are in abundance.)
I serve a fruit plate, a veggie tray and/or chips on the side.
I shop mainly at Aldi, so these are all fairly frugal meals, and the plus for me is that they are homemade, so no added chemicals and junk you find in so much of the processed foods. I enjoy teaching my children to cook and they all have a strong appreciation of good food.
What are your lunch preferences?
Blessings and love. xo
Those are some fun, and easy, lunch ideas! Thank you so much for sharing them! I will have to use this when planning my next shopping trip.
ReplyDeleteThanks for these ideas. They should help me mix things up a bit this week. As a homeshooling mom of 5, I sometimes get in a rut with lunch, just turning to what is easy and routine. No doubt, the kiddos get bored. Thank you! #BB100
ReplyDeleteIt all looks so good! It is so easy to get into a lunch rut.... Just picked up some English muffins and hoping to try some mini pizzas with them this week.
ReplyDeleteStopping in from BYB.
That's a great list! I may have to adopt a few to spruce up our BORING lunches :)
ReplyDeleteHi Scarlett - I joined the 100 Day Blog Challenge and found your blog there. These ideas are great! Healthy, easy, and inexpensive...these are great for lunch or a light dinner. I have a blog on simple living and this kind of cooking is right up my alley - thank for the tips :)
ReplyDeleteLunch is my worst meal of the day, I never know what to make. It's so great to see a whole list of ideas! I usually make some of these for dinner, but makes sense for the mid-day meal too.
ReplyDelete