Gluten Free, Grain Free, Kid Friendly, Lifestyle, Lunch, Paleo, Recipes, Snacks, Sweets

Autumn Lunchbox Roundup

7 October

Here’s a Roundup of some of my son’s fave lunchbox options lately- he’s 3.5 years old. I try to prioritize protein, fiber, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates along with all foods made from real foods.

As a family, we avoid food dyes, refined sugar and High fructose corn syrup and we choose real, Whole Foods or packaged foods made with real food ingredients. My son has been a bit more selective since turning 3, so I’ve been needing to get a bit more creative.

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main protein sources:

this part of lunchbox building was much easier when he was two. I think we ate so many turkey sandwiches and turkey wraps that he started getting a little burnt out. he also has more of a sweet tooth, so some of my main protein sources can be sweet instead of savory. I would rather him actually eat his lunch than skip the protein source. dinners at home are usually easy- he will try most anything I make. I make sure to keep lunch full of his favorites because dinner is more exploratory. here are some of the lunch mains I’ve been sending lately:

quesadilla on grain-free tortillas with ham & sliced apples or turkey and cheddar.
almond butter & honey sandwiches on unrefined bakery’s paleo bread.
homemade then frozen pumpkin waffle “sandwiches” with peanut butter
almond butter & fruit roll-ups on almond flour tortillas
ham or turkey roll-ups with avocado oil mayo on almond flour tortillas
pepperoni, string cheese & crackers (lunchable style)
chicken meat sticks and organic string cheese

salty snacks:

although salty snacks don’t provide much nutritional value, I know he enjoys them. I try to find options that are made with nourishing ingredients to support his blood sugar. these are our faves:

simple mills pop mms (a goldfish dupe)
simple mills cheddar crackers
plantain chips
raw cashews
paleo puffs
seed crackers
cracker & jam dippers (snack)

fresh produce:

I always try to add at least 2-3 real foods packed with fiber and nutrients. his favorites include:

fresh berries (any)
carrot sticks
cucumber sticks
mango, pineapple or kiwi
apples & pears

sweets & treats:

we have a weekly sunday tradition of baking paleo treats, and i’ll often add those to his lunch throughout the week. here are some more faves:

bars- we like the simple mills soft breakfast bars for morning snack and the bearded brothers smaller bars for the lunchbox.
fruit-only fruit snacks/gummies
healthy oatmeal bites
fruit only leathers/roll-ups
simple mills cookies

lunchbox gear:

Can we please have a moment for these adorable bento boxes by Austin baby co?! they are silicone and made with non-toxic materials. it’s also a local mom-owned business that I love. we also use owala stainless steel water bottles and silicone stasher bags for our snacks. I try to avoid plastic bags completely for our family- but I know that’s not an easy option for everyone. I hope this post has been helpful! if you liked this post, I think you will also like my ultimate blood sugar-balancing lunchbox post. xoxo, -Callie