Back to school: Make ahead lunchbox recipes

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - Schools are starting across the Brazos Valley in less than two weeks, and one thing you can take off your plate while getting your child out the door this upcoming school year is figuring out what to make for lunch.

Little’s Lunches in Bryan makes lunches for over 500 kids across B/CS while school is in session, and Little’s Lunches owner and executive chef Glen Huggins says there are all kinds of lunch options that can be made in advance.

“Mornings are really hectic as it is, even with one child or three children like we have, but just planning ahead,” said Huggins. “You want to plan out your natural sugars and make sure [your kids] are getting a well-balanced lunch.”

When it comes to sugars, Huggins advises parents to stay awake from adding the cupcake as a sweet treat to avoid an afternoon sugar crash. He suggests instead fruit or honey.

“If you are going to make it sweeter add some honey or a fresh cup of fruit is never a bad thing,” said Huggins. “Bananas are always a good thing because they are easy to peel, easy for the kid to eat and they really enjoy it.”

Below are few recipes suggested by Little’s Lunches for parents to try out during the school year. According to Huggins the recipes are nutritious, affordable, and allow variety.

Chicken Salad Croissant

Ingredients

- Chopped chicken breast

- Mango

- Mayonnaise

- Sriracha sauce

- Salt and pepper

- Croissant

Directions:

1. Mix 1 cup of chopped chicken breast with ¼ C of mayonnaise, 1 tsp. of sriracha sauce, ¼ C chopped mango and salt to taste.
2. Scoop chicken salad onto croissant and wrap.
3. Can be made a day ahead of time or the beginning of the week. Serve with a cup of fresh fruit.

Servings:

* Preschool: fruit 1/3cup half, Half Croissant, 2 oz filling ( half of the Elementary Croissant )

*Elementary Age : 1/2 Cup fruit, Whole Croissant, 4 oz filling

*Secondary School 1 cup fruit, whole croissant, 6 oz filling

Turkey Bacon Sub

Ingredients

- Mayonnaise

- Honey Mustard

- Sliced Turkey

- Romaine Lettuce

- Bacon sliced

- Sub Bread

- Pepper jack cheese

Directions:

1. Mix 1 tbsp of mayonnaise with 1 tbsp of Littles Lunches jalapeno honey mustard. Spread on top of the sub bread.
2. Assemble the sub with the turkey, cheese, bacon and romaine lettuce. Place in the fridge for lunch the next day.
3. Serve with fresh fruit.

Servings:

* Preschool: fruit 1/3cup half, Half sub 1 slice meat 1 slice bacon, 1 slice cheese

*Elementary Age : 1/2 Cup fruit, full sub bread, 2 slices of meat, 1 slice bacon, 1 slice cheese

*Secondary School 1 cup fruit, whole croissant, 4 slices of meat 1 slice of bacon, 2 slices of cheese

Turkey Cheese Croissant

Ingredients

- Sliced turkey

- Cheddar cheese

- Croissant

- Little’s Lunches Strawberry Preserve for Jelly

Directions:

1. Assemble the sub with the turkey, cheese, and desired jam spread on croissant
2. Place in the fridge for lunch the next day.
3. Serve with fresh fruit.

Servings:

* Preschool: fruit 1/3cup half, Half sub 2 slices of meat, 1 slice cheese

*Elementary Age : 1/2 Cup fruit, full sub bread, 3 slices of meat, 1 slice cheese

*Secondary School 1 cup fruit, whole croissant, 5 slices of meat , 2 slices of cheese

Chicken Taquitos

Ingredients

- Chopped chicken breast

- Cream Cheese

- Shredded Cheese

- Salt and pepper

- Taco Seasoning

- Tortillas

Directions:

1. Mix 1 cup of chopped chicken breast with ¼ C of cream cheese, 1 tsp. of taco seasoning, ¼ C shredded cheese and salt to taste. Combine all ingredients while chicken is hot
2. Scoop chicken filling onto tortilla
3. Roll tortilla and bake just enough to toast the tortilla for texture
4. Let cool and cut in half to be served
5. Can be made a day ahead of time or the beginning of the week. Serve with a cup of fresh fruit.

Servings:

* Preschool: fruit 1/3cup half, 1 full tortilla cut in half, 2 oz filling ( half of the Elementary Croissant )

*Elementary Age : 1/2 Cup fruit, 1 and 1/2 tortillas, 4 oz filling

*Secondary School 1 cup fruit, 2 full tortillas cut in half, 6 oz filling

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