School is just around the corner and thinking about preparing breakfast and lunches may feel overwhelming. Sunshine RD would like to share some quick and easy breakfast and lunch ideas that don’t require refrigeration or heating, but will need a cold pack, suitable for kids and teens:
Breakfast Ideas
1. Overnight Oats:
- Prep the night before with oats, regular or dairy-free milk, chia seeds, and a touch of honey or maple syrup. Add fresh fruit like berries or banana slices in the morning.
2. Nut-Free Granola Bars:
- Look for store-bought options that are both gluten-free and nut-free or make your own with oats, sunflower seeds, dried fruit, and a bit of honey.
3. Fruit and Yogurt Parfait:
- Use dairy or non-dairy yogurt and layer with fresh fruit and granola. Store in a well-insulated container to keep it cool until breakfast.
4. Smoothie Packs:
- Pre-blend smoothies with fruits, spinach, and a splash of regular or dairy-free milk, then freeze them. They should be thawed and ready to drink by breakfast time if taken out in the morning.
5. Muffins:
- Bake a batch of muffins (banana, blueberry, etc.) on the weekend for an easy grab-and-go breakfast throughout the week.
Lunch Ideas
1. Turkey and Cheese Roll-Ups:
- Use tortillas or large lettuce leaves to wrap turkey slices and cheese. Include some sliced veggies like bell peppers or cucumbers on the side.
2. Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps:
- Make a chicken salad with shredded chicken, mayo, and diced veggies. Pack in lettuce leaves for wrapping.
3. Pasta Salad:
- Cook pasta and mix with diced veggies, olives, and a vinaigrette dressing. Add some cubed cheese for extra protein.
4. Hummus and Veggie Sticks:
- Pack a container of hummus (ensure it is nut-free) with carrot sticks, celery, and bell pepper slices.
5. Rice Cakes with Toppings:
- Pack plain rice cakes and small containers of toppings like avocado slices, turkey, and hummus for assembling at lunchtime.
6. Quinoa Salad:
- Prepare a quinoa salad with diced veggies, black beans, corn, and a lime vinaigrette. Quinoa holds up to 2 hours without refrigeration. Keep a cold pack for safer storage.
Snack Ideas
1. Fresh Fruit:
- Apples, bananas, grapes, and oranges are all easy to pack and don’t require refrigeration.
2. Veggie Chips:
- Make or buy veggie chips like kale, sweet potato, or beet chips.
3. Trail Mix:
- Make a nut-free trail mix with whole grain cereal, sunflower seeds, dried fruit, and pumpkin seeds.
4. Crackers with Cheese:
- Pair crackers with individually wrapped cheese slices or cheese sticks.
5. Applesauce Pouches:
- Easy to pack and kid-friendly, these don’t need to be kept cold.
These ideas should help keep meals varied and enjoyable while accommodating dietary restrictions and the lack of refrigeration and heating.
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