Lunch Box Hero

hero

lunch

box

The back-to-school season is in full swing. Take the stress out of meal planning for your little ones with ideas for healthy and creative lunches they won’t want to trade.

back to cool

A bus made out of cheese, bread & assorted veggies and fruit.

what to

Protein

GRAINS

These foods support healthy growth and provide important nutrients.

ALMONDS • BEEF • EGGS • FISH/SEAFOOD BLACK BEANS • CHEESE • CHICKEN CHICKPEAS • EDAMAME • GREEK YOGURT NUT BUTTERS • PORK • TOFU • TURKEY

Let's Eat!

Get lunch box ideas by answering these questions!

fresh?

Sand- wiches?

Greens & PIZZA?

OR

toasted & fresh?

Sub sandwich?

OR

Toasted?

PIzza?

Salad?

PICKY EATER PACK

+ DI LUSSO SUB SANDWICH + BABY CARROTS + CAULIFLOWER + BROCCOLI + MILK + M&M COOKIES + APPLE

personal pizza

+ NAAN DIPPERS + SHREDDED MOZZARELLA CHEESE + PIZZA SAUCE + MINI PEPPERONI SLICES

GREEK-STYLE SPREAD

+ PITA CHIPS + PEPPER STRIPS + HUMMUS + RANCH DRESSING + GREEK SALAD

grilled cheese & tomato soup

+ grilled cheese + tomato soup + goldfish crackers + apple slices

SANDWICH SKEWERS

+ TURKEY SANDWICH + FRESH FRUIT + GREEK YOGURT + GRANOLA

Check out What the Hack? for time-saving tips.

Back to School Lunch Hacks

1

Machine Wash

2

HAND Wash

3

DISH WASH

4

SPOT CLEANER

5

REMOVE ODoR

Ways to clean lunch carriers

Food can get messy. Keep lunch boxes and bags clean and odor-free.

Start Over

Grilled cheese, tomato, apple and crackers.

Make sure to remove any trash or food items first, then wash fabric lunch bags on a gentle, cold cycle with a mild detergent, and let air dry.

1. Machine Wash

Fill the kitchen sink with warm water and a bit of dish soap. Use a sponge or rag to clean the inside and the outside of the lunch box, rinse and let dry.

2. Hand Wash

Plastic and insulated lunch boxes can go in the top rack of your dishwasher. Use cold water and mild detergent on a gentle cycle, then let air dry.

3. Dish Wash

Do spot checks often to keep lunch carriers clean and sanitary for each day’s use. Simply wipe the inside down with an antibacterial cleaner.

4. Spot Wash

With different foods packed inside, lunch boxes and bags can develop an odor. Spray the inside with a weak bleach-and-water solution and wipe it dry.

5. Remove Odor

Find great lunch carriers at Hy-Vee to keep food chilled and fresh all morning.

Out of the box

Puma insulated lunch tote

Comes with two pockets and plenty of room for food.

zak! plastic lunch box

Easy to clean after any messes or spills during the day.

Bentgo kids bento box

These durable, leak-proof boxes keep foods in tidy portions.

puma lunch bag

Lunch will stay fresh all morning in this insulated lunch bag.

Pro Tip:

get kids involved

Try to get kids invested in choosing lunch options by making a game out of meal planning. For example, pick fruits and vegetables by color, and focus on a different one each week. Or challenge kids to find a fruit or vegetable in the store that they’ve never tried before.” — Amy Cordingley, MS, RD, LD Hy-Vee Registered Dietitian

Lunch Box Grab ’n’ Go

Sensible Portions Garden Veggie Straws

Hy-Vee Mountain Trail Mix

Hy-Vee Chewy Granola Bars

Go-Go Squeez Applesauce on the Go

Shop Now

Skinny Pop Family Pack

Shop Now

Crav’n Original Animal Cookies

Shop Now

Munchies Sandwich Crackers

Shop Now

Hy-Vee Cherry Mixed Fruit Cups

Shop Now

Snack Pack Chocolate Pudding

Shop Now

Crav’n Baked Snack Crackers

Shop Now

Snyder’s 100 Calorie Packs

Shop Now

Hy-Vee Fruit Snacks

Shop Now

Keep a basket in the pantry of healthy and tempting grab-and-go items that are easy to throw into lunch boxes.

GET CREATIVE

keeping the balance

A healthy diet means including a mix of important nutrients.

Macronutrients

Micronutrients

These are the nutrients that provide energy to power through the day. Get these nutrients from carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats.

This is the other major group of nutrients that bodies need. They are the vitamins and minerals you get from eating a variety of fruits and vegetables.

Puppy sandwich on a bed of lettuce with assorted fruits/veggies on the side.

Make two sandwiches for the head and body. Cut shapes using round cutters and attach the bread crust arms with mustard. Add a crust tail with provolone fur at the end. Cut provolone for paws, adding wild rice nails, and use Cheddar and provolone to make the face and ears. Then add chive whiskers, a tomato nose, green olive eyes, black olive eyebrows and a bell pepper mane.

lion sandwich

Pick your sandwiches of choice and cut with round cutters. Use wheat and pumpernickel bread to cut out eyes, ears and other features. Cut provolone and Cheddar cheese for the faces and Colby Jack for the spikes, use black olives for the noses and cherry tomatoes for the cheeks on the raccoon.

woodland creatures

Cut one sandwich made with pumpernickel for the ears, and another with wheat for the head. Cut ham or bologna into circles for the cheeks, use black olives for the nose and eyebrows and green olives for the eyes. Use a small slice of raspberry for the puppy’s mouth. Lay on a bed of lettuce with Scooby-Doo! Baked Honey Graham Cracker Sticks and pair with chopped fruits and veggies.

puppy sandwich

Tune in to Just Pin It! to see how to pack a great lunch.

School Lunch Bento Box

How to pack like a pro

Use these tips to make quick, delicious and healthy lunches.

Mix It Up

Grab ‘n’ Go

Keep midday meals interesting so kids stay excited about lunch. This may also help get them to branch out and try new foods.

To save time during busy mornings, prep and pack certain food items ahead of time. Pick a day to do all the chopping, portioning and planning.

Color Is Key

Pack bright and colorful lunches. Kids often shy away from eating things that “look gross,” so make foods look as flavorful and enticing as they are!

Kids need carbohydrates to stay alert and energized during the day.

For the easiest balanced lunch ever, let kids pick a food from each list.

Bagles • Popcorn • Crackers • pretzels Dry Cereals • Quinoa • Granola Bars Rice • Oatmeal • Tortillas Pasta • Wheat Bread

veggies

Strengthen immune systems to keep kids healthy with plenty of fruit.

Apples • Mandarins • Bananas • Mangos Blueberries • Oranges • Cantaloupe peaches • grapes • pineapple • honeydew strawberries • kiwi • watermelon

FRUITS

These high-fiber foods help with digestive health.

asparagus • eggplant • bell peppers green beans • broccoli • Mushrooms carrots • Peas • cauliflower • spinach celery • squash • corn • zucchini

Pack

Shop Now