By Maggie Rahn


Finding recipes for kids lunch boxes can be tricky. Most parents just reheat last night's dinner left overs and send their kids on their way. Lunch is a pretty important meal during a child's day, though, so if you have more time to think about and make what your kids will be taking to lunch at school, put in the extra effort. Making sure your kids are eating right in the middle of the day will definitely pay off in the future! Here are four recipes for kids lunch boxes:

· Tortilla Wrap

This is easy to do, and you can still use the leftovers! Wrap some meat and vegetables in a tortilla. You can add salsa, cheese, and/or sour cream if you like. Brown rice and beans are good additions too! Roll it up and put it in a sandwich bag or you can wrap it up in foil so it's easy to hold. It's a no fuss recipe that most kids will love, and it covers four of the five major food groups. Plus, you're sure it'll be healthier than anything your child can but at the school cafeteria!

· Chicken Salad Sandwich

Put some chopped chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber between slices of whole wheat bread. You can add cheese or salad dressing to this sandwich to make it yummier and more appealing. Remember that you don't have to use chicken. You can substitute chicken for tuna, sliced beef, or sliced turkey. Almost any member of the protein group will go well with this sandwich, and so you can actually mix it up and have a different one everyday!

· Meatball Sub

Grab a mini baguette and line it with mustard (if your kid likes mustard), mayonnaise, cheese, tomatoes, and pickles. Put in some meatballs cooked in tomato sauce (you can use the leftovers from the spaghetti and meatballs you served the other night), and top it off with some sour cream. Wrap this well in a sandwich wrapper or foil, and your kid is ready to go!

· Croquettes

This recipe takes a bit more time to prepare. You can do the prep for it the night before, and just do the frying on the morning you're going to pack it. While frying isn't the healthiest form of cooking because of the excessive oil, croquettes are easy finger foods for kids. You can shape them into ping pong balls to make them easier to eat. Stuff them with mashed potatoes, tuna, turkey, or other healthy proteins. You can also just stuff them with bechamel and cheese, and your kids are in for a tasty treat!

Always try to put in a juice box and fruit cup into the lunch box apart from the above suggestions. Yogurt and granola bars can also work as a sweet snack. Ask your children what "extras" they'd like in their lunch boxes and keep them healthy!

Wish you could find more healthy recipe ideas for your kids? Need an easy way to feed your kids healthy foods? There is a place with your answers! Check out healthy recipes for kids and begin trying these quick and easy kid friendly, healthy recipes now!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Maggie_Rahn

Many families have multiple activities for each family member. This can lead to some very busy nights and no time to eat dinner at home. Unfortunately many families opt for the Drive-Thru window on these nights to feed their family. Not only are they eating unhealthy foods, they are also wasting a lot of money on their food budget.
 
So here are just five options you can make to bring along on those busy nights.
 
1. Salad - You can make a salad for each family member and place it in a plastic container. Top the salad with plenty of veggies, some chicken or tuna, and maybe even a sliced hardboiled egg. Sunflower seeds are also a nice, healthy salad topper. Bring along some forks, napkins, and some rolls and you have a great on-the-go meal.
 
2. Hamburgers - Yes, hamburgers! But ones you make yourself from lean hamburger you bought on sale from the store. You can top the burgers with cheese, sautéed onions and mushrooms, and ranch dressing. Put on toasted French bread and wrap in tin foil to keep warm.
 
3. Soup or Chili - On a cool night you can bring along a homemade soup or chili in some thermoses. Remember to bring spoons, napkins, and maybe bread or rolls to complete this meal.
 
4. Wraps - Use tortillas to make a wrap instead of the traditional sandwich. You can add chicken, tuna, or leftover steak, grated carrots and cheese, sunflower seeds, fresh spinach, and ranch dressing.
 
5. Homemade Subs - Make your own sub sandwich just the way you like it instead of going to the sub shop. Just buy sub rolls at the grocery store and add all your favorite fillings. Remember you can add grated carrots, tomatoes, cucumber, and spinach to get some great healthy nutrients in your sub. Bring along some cut up veggies and ranch dressing to complete this on-the-go meal.
 
So, as you can see, if you plan ahead you can save a lot of money on your food budget and also feed your family a much healthier dinner. Let's face it even a plain tuna sandwich would be healthier than the heart -attack in a box from the drive-thru and cost a lot less money.

And if you would like more money saving tips and healthy living tips please visit http://www.healthymomsforahealthyfamily.blogspot.com

By: Rhonda Percell - Wife, Mother of 3, Healthy Mom and Owner of Healthy Moms for A Healthy Family

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rhonda_J._Percell