3 Easy changes you can make TODAY to feel better, gain energy and increase productivity
First, I'm going to show you pictures of 62 gluten-free lunch ideas.
Then, just when you might be thinking that this is too much work, too complicated, or not something you can do, I'm going to break it down so you realize that it's actually pretty easy, uncomplicated, and totally doable.
Use one idea, several ideas, or all of the ideas, but remember...packing a gluten-free lunch for school should be healthy, fast, and realistic. Lunchbox packing should be a stress-free activity!
Gluten-free lunch ideas for days...
Breakfast for lunch
yogurt with berry syrup (homemade)
bacon and leftover pancakes
waffles and bacon with syrup, boiled egg with sea salt
bacon and hard boiled egg
yogurt with Love Grown cereal
yogurt with Love Grown cereal
Using leftovers
leftover DIY Burrito bowls
leftover chicken and potatoes
leftover sausage
leftover rice and salmon, with tamari sauce
How to pack these gluten-free lunch ideas in less than 5 minutes
1) Prepare!
Some foods are easy to throw in a lunch box straight from the fridge as is, while other foods need a little prep ahead of time so that they too can be thrown straight into the lunch box.
"I'm going to wake up an hour earlier just to make the perfect school lunch for my child." - said no mom EVER.
Take away message: You can still make the most delicious, healthiest, and diverse lunches for your child without waking up at the butt-crack of dawn. You simply need 1-2 hours of prep on a weekend or weeknight.
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Foods to prep ahead for lunchboxes:
bacon (made extra for Sunday brunch and save half for lunches throughout the week) #cookonceeattwice
hard or soft-boiled eggs
cut veggies and fruit
Kale Chips (check out this easy recipe that is so delicious!)
Smoothies travel really well in these containers and offer another way to "sneak" veggies like kale and spinach into your child's tummy :) Make the smoothie the night or day before, and double it for a couple days' worth. *you may want to get 2 of these smoothie containers!
gluten-free waffles and pancakes (these are SO easy to make!)
When you prep these gluten-free foods ahead of time, 100% of these lunchboxes can be prepared in 5 minutes or less.
What to stock your fridge & pantry with...
*some of these options would be a no-no for schools that require lunches to be nut-free
Having healthy, easy grab items to throw in lunch boxes can make all the difference in the world. Here are some great gluten-free foods to stock your pantry and fridge with:
Refrigerator
string cheese
Fruit! (berries, apples, mandarins, cantaloupe, watermelon, pear, grapes, kiwis, etc)
Veggies! (baby carrots, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, jicama, celery, snap peas, bell peppers - mini bell peppers are fun, etc)
olives
avocado
organic, pastured, uncured meats (salami, smoked salmon, ham, turkey, chicken, hot dogs - my kids love these mini grass-fed beef hot dogs, I microwave them in the morning and pop them in a thermos!)
Spreads and dips (cream cheese, hummus, guacamole, olive tapenade, ketchup, etc)
Nut and seed butter spreads, like Nuttzo (Chocolate Power Fuel is my kids' favorite)
gluten-free tortillas (we happen to love Siete and Mikey's brands - which are also grain-free, and the rice flour tortillas at Trader Joe's)
whole milk, organic yogurt (regular or Greek)
organic cottage cheese
Pantry
Roasted chickpeas (we like these)
Gluten-free crackers - Simple Mills almond flour crackers (our favorite flavors are Fine Ground Sea Salt and Farmhouse Cheddar!), Mary's Gone Crackers (we especially love the "Real Thin Crackers"), Back to Nature multi-seed rice thins
Late July gluten-free and organic tortilla chips (definitely try Jalapeño Lime, Bacon Habañero, and Dude Ranch!)
vegetable chips (we especially like these because they're free of highly processed vegetable oils)
chocolate coconut chips (we like these)
unroasted and unsalted nuts and seeds (cashews, almonds, walnuts, sesame seeds, etc) - you could also keep these in the fridge for a longer shelf life
dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, bananas, apples, blueberries, etc)
Love Grown cereal (serve it dry with some yogurt to add it to, or simply dry as a snack)
chocolate covered raisins
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2) Get the right gear
These are the 4 main lunchboxes I use:
There are pros and cons to each lunchbox, so I recommend checking out this blog post to help you decide which one is best for your needs.
Accessories
Accessorize and level up the fun factor!
You can make any lunchbox 10 times more fun and amazing (and therefore likely to be eaten and enjoyed) by using simple accessories. Sometimes I grab a small toy (like the cheap kind you get in birthday party favor bags) and other times I use one from my lunchbox accessory stash.
You can see all the accessories I use and get your own in my shop.
Now you can pack like 3 months of lunches!
Happy lunchbox packing,
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