Back to School Lunch Ideas for Kids

I remember as a kid, how excited I was to head back to school. While summer vacations were full of fun, I always anticipated the reunion with my friends and books with more excitement than most. Yet even I, the kid who actually LIKED school, would succumb to a case of antsy anticipation the night before the big day.

First day back to school jitters are unavoidable. While cases vary quite drastically, there's no child out there who won't appreciate some extra love, support and thought on their first day.

While it's obvious you can't physically appear at lunchtime when the morning hurdle has been jumped and the downhill battle of the afternoon begins, you can let your child know you're there, in spirit, and thinking of them from wherever you actually are. How so? Treat them to a very special back to school lunch.

My mom would always include a note of encouragement and sweet treat in my lunchbox, and those two super simple efforts on her part, made a world of difference to me on my first day.

We took it a step further in our video above, where we show you how to jazz up your child's lunch to really deliver a big smile when they open it. These ideas are perfect for encouraging your child to make it through the first day, as well as help them make some new friends.

Sushi Roll Sandwiches

Skip the bread and go for a wrap - fill it with ingredients from whatever your child's favorite sandwich is, roll it up and slice it to resemble sushi. We went with the classic PB&J combo for our wrap!

Rainbow Lettuce Leaf Wraps

Getting kids to eat their veggies while under your supervision at dinner is hard enough. Trying them to do that when you're not glaring their way is even tougher. Turn the veggie serving of your child's lunch into a colorful, fun-to-eat snack that's too fun to resist. Layer carrots, grapes, peppers and all sorts of colorful veggies in a large ice berg lettuce leaf, then roll up for them to snack on.

Black Bean Star Brownies

Any mom will declare loud and proud that their child is a star. Take that encouraging symbol to a whole new level - lunch style - by serving up a tasty, yet healthy dessert in a star shape. Our black bean brownie recipe is so yummy, the kids won't know it's actually got a healthy kick to it!