Packing a healthy and well-balanced meal for your little one’s lunch box helps them stay alert and keeps them focused throughout the day. Providing a child with delicious and nutritious meal options will supply them with sustained energy and set them up for a happy and healthy childhood. These easy and interesting lunch box recipes are sure to be a hit!

1. Mixed-Berry Chia Pudding (Makes 2)

• 1/4 cup chia
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 1/3 cup mixed berries
• 1 ½ tbsp shredded coconut
• 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey

Pulse berries in the blender quickly to purée. In a bowl combine puréed berries with chia seeds, almond milk, coconut, and maple syrup. Stir thoroughly until all of the clumps dissolve. Cover and let sit for 20 minutes, or overnight. Optional toppings: additional berries, coconut & bee pollen.

2. Veggie Rice Paper Rolls

Fill a large bowl with hot water. Submerge rice paper sheets one at a time into the hot water for about 5-10 seconds, until they start to soften. Soaking for too long will cause them to fall apart. Once soaked, place toppings of choice in the middle of the softened rice paper. Over-filling the rolls will make them hard to roll up. To close, fold the bottom up, sides in, and roll. Serve with wheat-free tamari dipping sauce.

Optional fillings (sliced thinly):

• Avocado
• Bell peppers
• Pea sprouts
• Cucumber
• Carrot
• Beet
• Mixed lettuce
• Purple cabbage
• Mango
• Cilantro or basil 

3. Egg muffins (Makes 8)

• 8 eggs
• 3/4 cup chopped spinach, packed
• 3/4 cup shredded zucchini, packed
• 1/3 cup diced onion
• 2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk, or milk of choice
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper

Beat eggs in a large bowl. Add chopped spinach, shredded zucchini, diced onion, milk, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture into a greased muffin tin, or use paper liners. Bake at 350° 22-25 minutes, until the center of the muffins are set.

4. Popcorn 

• 2/3 cup organic popcorn kernels
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (or ghee)

Optional toppings:

• Grass-fed butter, melted
• Honey
• Unrefined sea salt

Put the oil into a large pot, place the lid on and turn the heat to high. With oven mitts on, swirl the pot around until the oil covers the bottom evenly. Once the oil is hot, add the kernels in and replace the lid. Swirl the pot again to coat the kernels in the hot oil, then keep the pot still on the burner and wait for the kernels to begin popping. Once they begin to pop, shake the pot occasionally to continue redistributing the oil while allowing the extra kernels to fall to the bottom of the pot. When popping slows to a few seconds between each pop, turn the heat off, but keep the pot on the burner. Carefully remove the lid to release the steam so the popcorn stays crisp. Wait a few more seconds for the final kernels to pop, then season as desired. 

5. Nut-Free Trail mix

• Thompson raisins
• Golden raisins
• Goji berries
• Pumpkin seeds
• Sunflower seeds
• Unsweetened coconut flakes
• Sprinkle of unrefined sea salt

Combine equal parts of all ingredients with a sprinkle of unrefined sea salt. Optionally: roast seeds on a large baking sheet at 350° for 15 minutes, then let seeds cool before mixing.