School is back in (for most of us…thinking about you all in BC!) and I’m not sure about you, but I’m still nowhere near what I’d call a “routine” at this point. I’m hopeful that I’ll that figured out before the end of the month!
Still, I’m finding small victories. Like having all the forms signed and back in the backpacks the night before, and figuring out some variety in lunches without the aid of a microwave at my kid’s school. Our old school utilized several microwaves, and that gave me a total cheat when I didn’t have sandwich meat on hand. Leftovers were always a win with my son! New school? No microwaves, sighting potential burns as one reason…(yeah..I know)…and the time issue with several kids needing to heat things up at once (that part I can understand).
I’m trying to find meals that work as leftovers for the kids, so that I can ensure they get more protein and nutrients than a basic bologna sandwich (their favorite!) can offer. One definite win is leftover grilled steak in steak wraps!
Just a few simple ingredients are needed to make these, depending on your kid’s preferences. We like Dempster’s Original or Whole Wheat Tortillas the best – don’t go with a store-brand or one you’re unfamiliar with as I find they tend to be dryer and “crack” when rolling it up. Dempster’s are always super fresh and tasty, and make it easy to wrap everything up (follow Dempsters on Facebook and Twitter for great lunch ideas too!)
Next, aside from your steak protein, add other items like lettuce, red peppers, and cheese which are the standard ingredients my kids like. You can also add cucumber slices, red onions, mushrooms or whatever veggie you have on hand (broccoli and spinach have been snuck into my wraps as well!)
Dressing is a must (Ranch, Caesar or Greek are always great choices) but here’s a tip – lay the lettuce on the wrap first and then put the dressing on top of that. It helps keep the wrap from absorbing the dressing and getting soggy. Then, just wrap everything up! Bigger kids can have the wrap cut in half, and smaller hands can manage pinwheel mini wraps quite well. Steak wraps are always a hit in our house, and now I make an extra steak with our dinner so we know we’ll have leftovers for lunch the next day. One steak shared between two kids in wraps for lunch is a great source of protein (kids 4-6 years old need 24g per day, while 9-10 year old kids need 28g, for example) and I know their bellies will be full.
Hope my lunch idea is helpful while you’re planning your school lunches. If you have some great non-microwave lunch ideas aside from the usual bologna sandwich I’d love to hear them too!
Great tip. I still need lunch ideas. Bologna is also a favourite of my youngest but refuse to give it to her everyday.
What is it about bologna?! My kids love it but I agree, we need some variety!
My kids unexplicably really like “cabbage roll” sandwiches. I slice up leftover cabbage rolls and put them on buttered bread (so it doesn’t sog through). Gobbled up every time. And they ask for them ALL the time. And yes, the cabbage is part of the sandwich and not just the meat part.
Now THAT sounds interesting! I love cabbage rolls too, I may have to try this (as odd as it sounds!) Thanks!
we enjoy eating wraps here
I like mayo hand hot sauce with turkey, lettuce tomatoes, olives, onion , green peppers and onions, my tip is I heat up my tortilla a bit so its softer and easier to roll.
Oh that’s a great tip, I’ll have to try that!
I love a wrap with hummus (PC Wasabi and Ginger currently a favourite), some chopped red peppers, red onion, some salad leaves, a sprig or two of coriander/cilantro, and some sweet Thai chilli sauce. Yummo.
That sounds delicious! I love cilantro!
I love hummus, garlic, and chicken breast in a wrap.
I think salads are a great, easy to make lunch.
Salads make a great lunch
Bentos boxes seem to be a hit with little ones.
My kids will eat anything if it is a wrap!
I make home made sushi rolls filled with tuna salad or just veggies and avocado.
I love wraps. One I go to all the time is spread the wrap with cream cheese. Followed by salsa. Then green peppers, onions, tomatoes, shredded lettuce and shredded cheese. Wrap and enjoy. I quite often will refrigerate these and let them firm up, then slice and serve.
Nice, a non meat wrap in this case but sounds like a delicious taco dip to me, all rolled up!
mmmmm love wraps. i need to start making more around here! dont make them to often but they are so yummy
wraps are a hit here in the house with the kids. At home, they’ll even have a peanut butter or nutella wrap for a snack.
I have never tried a peanut butter wrap with my kids…lightbulb moment here, lol!
I love different ideas on wraps etc for school lunches. I try to be creative with wraps because my kids loves them. My kids love a crunchy pnb wrap with diced fresh strawberries and I warm nuttella and drizzle it over the berries. My kids love them. My daughter also loves a spinach wrap with lettuce, spinach leaves, grilled portabella mushrooms and avacado. Wraps are a main food in this house!
that looks tasty, my son likes to take bagels to school
My daughter is not a big meat eater, so we spread cream cheese on a wrap, then some sliced cucumber and sprouts, roll and cut and voila!
Yummy ideas! I love making wrapping instead of regular bred sandwiches!
My daughter loves what I call a J-Woww sammer! Basically wowbutter, jam and a banana on a wrap all wrapt up!
i give my daughter skewered/ on a stick lunches..that is i use a wooden skewer and cube up cheeses,cherry tomatoes,cubed or sliced lunch meats or left over chicken ect..i use any veggie we have on hand also… i also make her skewer/on a stick..fruits.
Chicken caesar salad for my oldest. Just put the ingredients in different containers and she mixes it together at school.
My mom used to send us “make your own pizza” kits
we eat wraps alot as my kids love them . One of their favorites is put cooked chicken fingers or left over chicken, pork chops,steak , lettuce, cheese, shredded carrots, diced celery,diced tomatoes,diced peppers, olives and ceasar salad dressing or chives cream cheese to give a little zing
I also made my kids english muffins toasted with spag sauce, peperoni, cheese and olives and that is what they loved ALSO try doing the tuna on toasted english muffins and dice up some mortzerella cheese and pop it in the oven til the cheese melts
Salads make a great lunch.
My daughter imp is so picky, all she wants to take is a jelly sandwich, chips, fruit and a snack cake plus a Capri sun to drink. I can’t get her to eat anything else for lunch 🙁
Sounds delicious! I like bringing hot soup to work for lunch. I have a great thermos that keeps it warm until lunch!
cubed lunch meats and cheese. Veggies and dip.
spinach and strawberry salad, fruit, cheese etc.
What a great idea for lunch. My son loves ham and cheese sandwiches.
Wraps are such a yummy and healthy easy lunch!!
Grandkids love wraps and they will eat anything I wrap