- Hey guys, welcome back to a video where I share with you
some easy preschool lunch ideas
that can be packed super fast.
If you're new to this channel,
you should know that I have three kids
and that packing simple and quick lunches
is something I've been doing here at Momables for years.
Whether this is your first time packing lunches
or just need some easy and healthy ideas,
this video covers it all,
because I have three picky eaters at home
and each of them wants me to pack something different.
So what exactly do you pack for a child
that only wants chicken nuggets,
PB&J, or macaroni and cheese, at all meals?
Well, let's start
with one incredibly yummy and simple recipe
my kids and I love, pizza pasta salad.
My kids like it for all the pizza ingredients and flavors.
I like it, well because it's made from leftover pasta
and can be prepared ahead of time,
which means less time in the kitchen.
Of course the idea
is that you'll customize the toppings with the pasta
to your child's liking.
Asparagus is the one veggie
your child will eat on anything, even pizza?
Then that's the veggie you throw in there
instead of the broccoli.
Then there are the mini quiches.
These protein-rich bites are a lunchbox winner
and such a great source of protein
that most picky eaters are excited to eat.
They're also incredibly easy to make
and one batch yields 24 mini quiches,
which can easily be enough for several lunches
or a breakfast and a lunch.
These can also be prepared ahead of time
and will last in your refrigerator for up to three days
if they can make it that long.
They can be packed hot in a thermos
or simply inside a lunchbox and eaten at room temperature.
I have quite a few recipes in this channel
so I'll make sure to link those below for you.
They include spinach and bacon mini quiches,
pizza mini quiches, and taco mini quiches,
just to name a few.
Another kid favorite, quesadillas!
Seriously though, who doesn't like the crispy on the outside
with cheesy goodness in the middle?
These black bean quesadillas are protein and fiber rich
from the black beans and the perfect way to use up
leftover tortillas and cheese from Taco Night.
All you have to do
is give them a quick grill in the morning,
let them cool down to room temperature,
and then pack them in a lunchbox.
Are beans not a favorite?
Try apples and cheese quesadillas,
or ham and cheese quesadillas, or just plain quesadillas.
One of my kids favorites is the original Momables.
It's a little bit of everything,
and it's a great way to offer your child
a variety of ingredients.
This is a version that I made for my picky eater
when she wanted the store bought version
with crackers, mystery ham, and plastic cheese.
I wanted to increase the nutrition and ingredient quality,
so I made my own.
It's been quite successful.
I like to keep the staple ingredients the same,
a protein with cheese, crackers, fruit, and veggies.
From there you can choose
which of each category will fit into your child's lunch.
For example, turkey or ham with cheese,
crackers, sliced apples or oranges,
with baby carrots or celery sticks.
You can easily swap ingredients and add ingredients
like hard boiled eggs, hummus or nuts for extra nutrition,
and it's super easy to customize.
The next one will require a thermos container
to pack a delicious bowl
of veggie tomato soup or chicken noodle soup.
If you don't have a thermos, I have a great video
with my top five thermos containers
and I share which ones are age appropriate
and you can select the one that fits your needs best.
But soup isn't the only thing
that gets packed inside a thermos,
you can put pasta, teriyaki chicken,
even homemade fried rice.
Essentially, if it was a winner for dinner
you can pack it for lunch a day or two later.
Last but not least, burrito bowls.
And I must say that they are quite the star.
It's my favorite way to use up taco leftovers
and it can easily be customized to your kid's lunch.
This lunch is so popular,
it's the one I shared in Good Morning America.
Check the links below for this video,
with all the other videos and resources
to help you pack a fresh and nutritious lunch
for your preschooler.
With picky eaters,
being consistent with the introduction of foods is key,
and make sure you keep trying.
It can be a challenge to pack lunches
where all they want is peanut butter and jelly
and you want to offer a bit more variety day in and day out.
I'm also going to add a bunch of school lunch idea videos
at the end of this video, and in the description box below,
easy and simple ideas that you can make in a hurry.
And while you're down there,
click on that red subscribe button.
A fresh new video
to help you feed your family more nutritious foods
comes out every single week.
See you next time.
(bouncy, festive music)