School Sandwich Ideas Kids Will Love

School sandwich ideas kids will love

Sandwiches are simple and fast lunchtime staples with limitless possibilities. While we all love a good PB&J and grilled cheese, eating the same sandwiches day after day can become mundane. Here are some tips to creating the most delicious sandwiches that kids will be excited to eat!

Choose the right bread

Get creative when choosing ingredients for sandwiches. Sometimes changing something as simple as the type of bread can make a huge difference! These days there are plenty of whole grain options out there from multigrain sandwich breads, bagels and croissants to mouth-watering flatbreads such as chapattis, pitas, naan and tortillas. Always keep three different kinds of breads in your freezer. This way, your kids won't food jag on a particular type of bread and experience food burn out! Choose breads that have at least 2g of fiber per serving. Fiber is crucial for gut health and breads containing fiber provide long lasting energy compared to simple white breads.

Present the sandwiches in a fun way; presentation of food is as important for kids as it is for adults. Use cookie cutters to make fun shaped sandwiches. It's much more fun to eat a star shaped sandwich than a regular square one!

Healthy and delicious ingredients to put inside

I always like to stuff leftover dinner meat in my sandwiches. Some of the meats that I find great are grilled chicken, ham, fish, meatloaf and meatballs. Left over meats and vegetables from a BBQ can also make great sandwiches! Fresh meats are a better alternative for sandwich filling than processed meats such as “cold cuts". Some other great options for fillings are eggs, canned light tuna and tofu.

What to spread?

Spreads are great because they add moisture and flavor to sandwiches. Mayonnaise is quite popular but there are other more nutritious spreadable alternatives. Hummus, guacamole, ricotta cheese, tofu spread and tzatziki can easily replace mayonnaise in most sandwiches.

Stuff with fruit, veggies or both!

A great way to increase vegetable and fruit intake is to add them in sandwiches! Take a look at a few of my favorite combos:

• Naan with peanut butter, banana and a drizzle of honey
• Chicken, mangoes and avocadoes in a whole grain pita
• Turkey, apples and cheddar between whole grain bread Open face brie and pears on a croissant
• Egg and celery in a spinach tortilla wrap
• Tuna and red peppers on pumpernickel
• Grilled veggies and brie on a walnut bread
• Cheddar and apples between multigrain bread

Just like anything else in life, the key to a perfect sandwich is balance! Make sure to have a range of textures: crunchy, creamy, silky and dense. Also, add a variety of flavors: sweet, salty, fresh, spicy, or tart.