Back to School: Healthy Breakfast and Lunch Recipes for Your Kids

School may have started for your kids, or it may be just around the corner. That means it’s time to start thinking about giving your kids a nutritional edge with the food you feed them! If your kids are like most, they are probably really busy once the school year rolls around with activities, homework, friends, and other obligations. With such a busy schedule, it’s easy to let nutrition give way to convenience, so it’s understandable why so many give into the temptations of school breakfasts and lunches. Still, with a little planning and minimal preparation, you can provide healthy, homemade breakfasts and lunches for your kids that fit well within their busy lives and yours.

WHY IT MATTERS

Nutritional status is linked to multiple performance aspects of a child’s life. Some of those aspects are obvious, such as energy levels. Others have become clear through studies.

• A 2010 case study evaluated the Healthy Kids, Smart Kids program at Browns Mill Elementary School in Georgia. The program promoted nutrition and physical activity, and researchers tracked kids’ performance between the years of 1995 and 2006. During the studied period, counseling and disciplinary referrals declined while standardized test scores improved after the program’s implementation.
• Multiple studies have linked skipping breakfast to poor learning outcomes.
• A 2010 study showed a correlation between a high fat, high sugar, high processed food diet and lower IQ scores in children at 8 years of age.

These are but a few of the many nutrition and learning outcome studies that point to the conclusion that kids who eat healthy meals are likely to experience better academic performance.

BEYOND CEREAL – BETTER BREAKFASTS FOR KIDS

There’s no doubt school mornings can be chaos, but there’s plenty you can do to ensure your children have something healthy on board before they head out the door. The ideal breakfast is quick, healthy, and plant-based. Of course, you can always give your kids a Glowing Green Smoothie for breakfast, at least as part of breakfast. It is amazing for children.  Here are some other options to try.

Nutty Carob Power Shake

Carob doesn’t have caffeine like cacao does.

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• ½ banana
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened carob powder
• 1 ounce raw almonds
• Stevia to taste

Blend all ingredients together in a blender until creamy.

Chia Acai Smoothie

• 1 tablespoons of chia
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/2 banana
• 1/2 packet frozen acai smoothie package
• 1 cup almond milk

1. Soak chia in water overnight in refrigerator.
2. Add chia gel, banana, acai and almond milk to a blender and mix well.

Banana Breakfast Wrap

• 1 sprouted whole grain tortilla
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond butter
• 1 banana, diced

1. Spread almond butter on tortilla.
2. Top with bananas and roll.

Hearty Breakfast Quinoa

• 1 cup quinoa, soaked and cooked
• 2 tablespoons of your favorite dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, blueberries, etc.)
• Dash sea salt
• Cinnamon or grated nutmeg to taste
• Stevia to taste
• 1 cup almond milk

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan.
2. Heat over medium heat until liquid is absorbed.

QUICK, HEALTHY LUNCHES

These lunches are easy to prepare the night before and send to school with your kids.

Zucchini Hummus and Veggies 

• 1 medium zucchini, sliced
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
• ½ teaspoon cumin seed
• Dash sea salt
• Your favorite vegetables.

Combine all ingredients (except vegetables) in a food processor or blender and mix until smooth. Serve with cut vegetables or spread on a pita wrap or gluten-free bread along with veggies.

Quinoa Pasta Salad

• 1 cup quinoa rotini pasta, cooked, drained, and cooled
• ½ sweet red pepper, chopped
• 1 green onion, chopped
• ½ tomato, seeded and chopped
• ½ zucchini, chopped
• ½ cucumber chopped
• 3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon organic lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Dash sea salt
• Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

1. Mix pasta, pepper, onion, tomato, zucchini, cucumber and parsley.
2. Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour over salad. Toss to mix.

California Veggie Wrap

• 1 sprouted grain, gluten-free tortilla
• ½ avocado
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Dash sea salt
• ¼ cup baby spinach
• ½ cup carrots, peeled and shredded
• ½ tomato, chopped
• ¼ cup spicy sprouts
• ½ red bell pepper, sliced

1. Combine avocado, lemon juice and sea salt in a small bowl. Lightly mash with a fork.
2. Spread mashed avocado on tortilla.
3. Top with spinach, carrots, tomato, sprouts, and pepper.
4. Roll and cut in half.

OTHER LUNCH BOX ADDITIONS

Along with the recipes above, you can add the following to your kids’ lunches:

• Bugs on a log (celery sticks with almond butter and raisins)
• Coconut yogurt
• Seasonal fruit kabobs
• Leftovers
• Veggie soups in a thermos
• Kale chips
• Veggies and salsa
• Fruit salad
• Brown rice and beans
• Raw almonds or seeds
• Homemade trail mix

WHAT NOT TO PUT IN YOUR KIDS’ LUNCHBOX

In order to give your kids the healthiest possible foods, avoid the following common lunch items:

• Cheese
• Breads containing wheat
• Candy
• Commercial granola bars
• Commercial fruit snacks
• Juice boxes
• Dairy yogurt
• Milk
• Potato chips
• Processed meats like bologna or hot dogs
• Soft drinks and energy drinks
• Fast processed snacks like Lunchables or packaged cheese and crackers