Every morning, I pack my daughter's lunch for her to take to school.  I am unwilling to rely on the school system to provide nutritious meals for her, so I have made it a part of my morning routine to pack her lunch for the day.  It doesn't have to be complicated, but you may not know where to start.  Here are some ideas to get you started.

First of all, I include a main entree, a side item, and a snack.  They can be any combination of the items below.  Just vary the items regularly to provide variety.

Main entree:

Sandwich with gluten free bread and any of these fillings:

• Sunbutter (or almond butter) and raw honey or all fruit jelly
• Sunbutter (or almond butter) and banana
• Nitrate free deli meat and lettuce
• Grilled cheese or a Quesadilla
• Chicken salad
• Egg salad

A Wrap with any of these fillings:

• Cheese and natural pepperoni
• refried beans and cheese
• hummus and lettuce
• any sandwich fillings from above
• Cheese Quesadillas

Other Ideas:

• Leftovers
• Soups or stew in a thermos
• Homemade Lunchables- stack crackers, meat and cheese for child to assemble.

Side Items:

• Applesauce
• Fresh fruit, such as bananas, grapes, apple slices, etc…
• Gluten free cookies or bars
• Trail mix or granola
• Dates stuffed with cream cheese or coconut butter
• Larabars
• Raw vegetables cut up into sticks with a dip or hummus
• Tortilla chips and salsa
• Vegetable or bean salad
• Gluten free crackers

Snacks:

• Any of the Side Items above
• Fruit leather
• Celery with Sunbutter and raisins
• Yogurt (dairy or dairy free)
• Gluten free muffins
• Gluten free banana bread
• Gluten free brownies or bars
• Beef jerky
• Gluten free crackers and cheese

Get your child involved in the menu planning, or let them pick between several healthy options so they feel like they have more control in the process.