Homemade Lunchables
My kids love Lunchables. I think all kids do. They’re just so appealing, with their kid sized foods in cute little packages. But they aren’t very good for you, and even if you catch them on sale, they can really put a dent in your grocery budget if you’re buying them regularly.
So, we started making our own homemade versions at home! I found the perfect containers on Amazon, they have four little compartments and fit perfectly in lunch boxes. But you could also use any sectioned container, or one large container using smaller containers or silicone baking cups to make different sections.
The kids and I pick out different meats, cheeses, fruits, veggies and crackers to fill them up. You can totally customize them to your kids’ preferences and dietary restrictions. And it’s a great way to get your kids to try a variety of foods!
If you need some inspiration for what to include in your Lunchables, let me help! We always choose a meat, usually a deli meat like ham, turkey or chicken breast, or pepperoni. You could also try precooked chicken breast or any leftover cooked meat you have in the fridge cut up into bite sized pieces.
Next, we pick a cheese. We like sliced or cubed cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, Laughing Cow cheese wedges, and Babybel cheese. But practically any cheese will work here.
Then we pick fruits and veggies. My kids love grapes, berries, sliced apples, and chopped melon. For veggies, we usually do baby carrots or sliced cucumbers. Broccoli or cauliflower florets would also be great! But use your imagination and your family’s preferences here.
Last is some sort of carb, usually crackers or pretzels for us. Think wheat thins, Goldfish, Ritz crackers, pretzel twists, etcetera. Whatever your crowd likes.
This is not a comprehensive list. Use your imagination and let your family’s preferences and dietary requirements guide you. Just make sure you have a little protein to keep your kids full and some variety to keep them excited!
Once you choose all of your ingredients, prep them for the containers. Make sure everything is in bite sized pieces small enough to fit in the sections of the container. Then spread them out on the counter in an assembly line fashion, get your containers, and get to work! Or, let your kids get to work. My kids love getting to make their own choices and filling up their own containers.
To be honest, I love these Lunchables as much as the kids do! They’re snacky and fun, and you can nibble on them while you’re working or running around the house. And you can make them so much healthier than the store-bought version by including all kinds of fruits and veggies.
Go ahead and buy the containers. Let the kids pick out their favorite things to put in them. Put them to work filling them up. And feel like a rock star mom when your kids have a homemade, healthy lunch they made themselves!
Homemade Lunchables
Equipment
- 4 4-Section Containers
Ingredients
- 8 ounces deli meat *Ham, turkey or chicken breast, pepperoni, or even grilled chicken strips are good options.
- 4 ounces sliced, cubed, or single serve packaged cheese *We like cheddar or Monterey Jack cubes or slices, Laughing Cow wedges, or Babybel
- 2 cups bite sized fruit of choice *Grapes, berries, sliced apples and cubed melon are our favorites
- 2 cups bite sized vegetables of choice *Think baby carrots, sliced cucumbers or bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower or celery
- 2 cups crackers of choice *We like Goldfish or Wheat Thins. Bite sized pretzels are also a good choice.
Instructions
- Wash and cut fruits and veggies into bite sized pieces if needed.
- Spread out all ingredients in an assembly line fashion.
- Fill containers, putting like ingredients together and keeping drier items like crackers separate from wet ingredients like fruit.
- Store in refrigerator for up to three days.