We’ve got five complete easy school-lunch ideas and menus, including a main, snack, and dessert to keep your kiddos happy. And because these are versatile ingredients that are budget-friendly (some even value-sized), they’re bound to keep parents’ and caregivers’ wallets happy, too!
Your five school lunches shopping list
Shop once and mix and match the ingredients in our shopping list to create tasty, wholesome lunches your kids will enjoy eating for the week. Here’s our 12-item list, along with our Monday to Friday school-lunch menu ideas to get you started.
- Romaine lettuce
- Danone Oikos 0% Plain Yogurt
- Dempster Plain Tortillas
- Compliments Marble Cheddar Cheese Slices 440 g
- Compliments Extra Lean Honey Ham 400 g
- Compliments Jumbleberry Blend Value Size 1.5 kg (frozen fruit)
- Compliments Fully Cooked Breaded Chicken Nuggets 1.5 kg
- Christie Ritz Original Crackers
- Compliments Sea Salt Veggie Snax (or your kid’s preferred flavour)
- Compliments Naturally Simple Hummus 454 g (or your kid’s preferred flavour)
- Compliments Naan Dippers 200 g
- Mini cucumbers, baby carrots, or cherry tomatoes (whatever your family prefers)
Lunch 1
Crispy chicken salad
Bake up 3 to 6 (depending on your child’s appetite) Compliments Fully Cooked Breaded Chicken Nuggets according to package instructions, slice in half and pack them with a side of chopped romaine and a little ranch dressing or your kid’s favourite creamy dressing. Your child can assemble these at school as mini “nugget sandwiches” or eat deconstructed as a salad—however they like.
Cheese and crackers
Cut Compliments Marble Cheddar Cheese Slices into quarters and pack with Ritz Crackers. Add in some cut-up veggies, either from the list above or whatever you have on hand in the fridge as a crunchy snack.
Berry yogurt
Simply mix together some Greek yogurt with the sweetener of your choice (honey, maple syrup, sugar) and some Compliments Jumbleberry Blend until combined and pack into a portable container along with a spoon.
Lunch 2
Caesar ham and cheese wraps
Wrap up sliced ham, shredded romaine lettuce, marble cheddar slices, and a drizzle of Caesar dressing or your kid’s dressing of choice. Cut into rounds or in half crosswise and pack in a portable container.
Veggies and dip
Cut up some veggie sticks—either from the list above or whatever you have on hand and serve with a small container of Greek yogurt mixed with a little garlic powder, dried dill, salt, and pepper. Or pack some creamy dressing that your child enjoys.
Berry compote
Combine 2 cups (500 mL) Compliments Jumbleberry Blend, 2 tbsp (30 mL) water and 2 tbsp (30 mL) liquid honey (or your sweetener of choice) and a pinch of cinnamon; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until fruit is broken down and juicy, about 5 min. Mix 1 tbsp (15 mL) cornstarch with 1 tbsp (15 mL) cold water and stir into simmering fruit. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute; let cool. Store in small airtight containers, including one to give to your child today (and save some for lunches #4 and #5!).
Lunch 3
Day 3 features a vegetarian lunch menu that’s sure to please just about everyone.
Cheesy frittata cups
Whisk together eggs (you’ll need about 1 egg per cup), a little salt and pepper, chopped sliced marble cheese and a handful or two of diced fresh or frozen veggies (whatever you have in the fridge or freezer). Spoon into a well-greased or silicone-lined muffin tin; bake at 175°C (350°F) until set and golden, about 20 minutes. Either pack warm in a thermal container or let cool and enjoy them cold.
Hummus and dippers
Pack some hummus, a few naan dippers and veggie sticks—either from the list above or whatever you have on hand for a filling, tasty snack.
Berry bottom yogurt
Layer a small jar or container with frozen Compliments Jumbleberry Blend and top with Greek yogurt mixed or drizzled with the sweetener of your choice. Don’t forget to pack a spoon!
Lunch 4
Chicken nuggets and dip
Bake some chicken nuggets according to the package instructions and serve with your own homemade dip made with equal parts mayonnaise and either mild chunky salsa, ketchup, or honey mustard.
Veggies two ways
Cut up some veggie sticks—either from the list above or whatever you have on hand—and serve with hummus. Pack up some Compliments Veggie Snax for a double-veggie snack.
Dessert nachos
Cut flour tortillas into wedges; brush lightly with melted unsalted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Arrange in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, sugar side up. Bake at 175°C (350°F) until light golden and crisp (they will continue to crisp up as they cool), 7 to 9 min. Serve with applesauce or the berry compote from Lunch #3 as a dipper.
Lunch 5
Ham and hummus stackers
Layer 1 naan dipper with a piece of sliced ham and a square of marble cheddar cheese; top with a second naan dipper, then spread with hummus and top with cucumber or cherry tomato slices; top with a third naan dipper and skewer them with a toothpick to hold together. Make a few of these depending on your child’s appetite.
Mixed snacks
A fun mix and match snack that includes a hard-cooked egg, Ritz Crackers, and veggie sticks. Pack a side of Caesar dressing, ranch dressing, or the chicken nugget dip from Lunch #4 for dippable deliciousness for any of these snacks.
Layered berry parfait
Spoon alternate layers of the berry compote from Lunch #3 with Greek yogurt in a small container for a parfait that tastes as good as it looks!
