Vegetarian Lunch Ideas for Kids

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I became a vegetarian this past year (well, actually plant-based, meaning I eat no meat or dairy, only whole plant foods).  I LOVE it so much, but it has been a bit of an adjustment for my family.  I rarely have meat or cheese in the house anymore, so I have been coming up with creative new ways to make meals interesting for my kids. I know there are others trying to come up with vegetarian lunch ideas for your kids, so I want to tell you about a few that have been working well for us.

One of our favorites is an apple sandwich.  You take an apple and slice to chunks off the side of the apple. Smother both sides with peanut butter (or almond butter) and sprinkle on some raisins or craisins and shredded coconut. Put it together just like a sandwich. Add some favorite sides.  My kids love Peperidge Farm® Goldfish Crackers, carrot sticks, sugar snap peas, edamame, pretzels, or any other favorites!

(I love to throw in a Wet One to make clean up super easy before or after eating.  They kill 99.9% of germs!  Definitely a great & easy way to keep their hands fresh while eating.)

Another easy favorite is hummus with veggie sticks and pita chips.  My kids always love having this lunch!  Add in a piece of fruit and you have a great well-balanced meal. You can find those little mini packaged hummus containers that make it so easy to pack in a lunch.

You can make a simple yet tasty black bean, corn, tomato and avocado salsa.  Add in a little alt, lime juice and cilantro if you have it on hand.  Pair this with some corn tortilla chips and a piece of fruit. This is one of my favorite meals & my kids adore it as well!

When you have leftover pasta, make a quick pasta salad.   It is really good with a few mixed frozen veggies.  I like the mixed veggies with corn, peas and carrots for the kids. If you are packing the lunch, you don’t even need to bother thawing them, they will be perfect by lunch time! If you want fresh veggies, it’s also great with tomatoes, shredded carrots and sugar snap peas.  Toss it with some pre-made Italian dressing and if your kids like parmesan cheese, mix in a little of that, too!

Make a quinoa salad for a power-packed lunch!  I often make this for dinner and have leftovers for lunches the next day.  Our favorite is to make it Mexican style with lime juice, cumin, salt and cilantro.  Mix in beans, corn and tomatoes and it is just heavenly!

Have you ever tried broccoli slaw?  It is a shredded broccoli, carrot & cabbage mix. My kids love it (even though it is broccoli!).  I like to mix it with sunflower seeds, chow mien noodles and a little sesame ginger dressing.  It’s definitely a favorite at our house!

Make some yummy protein balls or homemade granola bars full of good protein & fats. Toss in some fruit and a veggie and they have a very filling meal.

Edamame is such a delicious high-protein food that my kids really enjoy.  They have fun popping them open.  You can pair this with any other of their other favorites and make a very filling meal.

What are your favorite vegetarian lunch ideas?  What are your kids’ favorites?

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Wet Ones® + Pepperidge Farm® . The opinions and text are all mine.