The Quad City Mom's Bloggers have some creative ideas for school lunches. The key, they say, is sneaking in healthy food.
Traci Hassel, mom of two daughters, says to get them to eat wheat bread, she will make a sandwich with one piece of white bread on one side and a slice of wheat on the other.
She pairs the sandwich with a handful of petite carrots. She says it appeals to kids because they like things that are tiny, and things they can dip. She includes a little container of ranch dipping sauce.
There are some treats in the lunch as well, including a mix of baked chips, pretzels and a few chocolate candies thrown in.
Another idea to break away from the sandwich, is to have breakfast for lunch. Traci will sometimes pack a bowl of cereal and a container of yogurt. Her daughter buys a carton of milk at school to have with her cereal.
After school snacks are something kids look forward to when they come home. Traci recommends having something pre-made that kids can grab themselves. Her ideas include, cut up apples and peanut butter, graham crackers dipped in applesauce, and microwave popcorn.