This post is the second installment in my series of lunchbox roundups that features different types of lunchboxes I pack for my daughters and post almost daily on my Pinterest and Facebook pages. Because there are so many different varieties of rice and grains readily available today, there are a multitude of ways to incorporate these hearty foods into your child’s lunchbox.
When packing lunchboxes, I always try to include three types of foods:
- Grow food (protein+starch)
- Vegetables
- Fruit and/or dairy
I also usually include a small serving of a sweet treat, to round out the meal. I am also a big proponent of packing a small serving of a less liked or new food into your child’s lunchbox from time to time. This way, they get one more opportunity to learn to like something new!
Here are some of the earlier lunchbox-themed posts that you may find useful:
The Art and Science of Packing a Lunchbox
Involving kids in lunchbox preparation
Pasta and Noodle Lunchbox Roundup
When I include rice in my daughters’ lunchboxes, I typically choose brown over white rice. Brown rice is a great way for my daughters to get whole grains into their diet–a 1/2 cup of cooked brown rice equals one whole-grain serving. It also contains more protein, magnesium, selenium, and fiber than enriched white rice.
Having a tough time getting your child to switch from white to brown rice? Start introducing brown rice into your child’s diet gradually by mixing white with brown rice. Another option is to mix brown rice with wild rice. Wild rice has a nuttier flavor and contains more protein than both white and brown rice. In my daughters’ lunchboxes, I often serve wild/brown rice with fresh salmon or beans and vegetables.
I use quinoa in a variety of dishes at home, but I like to pair it with canned tuna fish or salmon and vegetables for my daughters’ lunchboxes. Most notably, quinoa has the highest protein content of any grain and contains all nine essential amino acids, which makes it a complete protein. Quinoa is also gluten-free and is a good source of magnesium, manganese, iron, copper, phosphorous.
Here are several rice and grain lunchboxes (including pictures and ingredients) I have made for my daughters in the past.
Lunchbox #1
- Lunchbox #1 Ingredients
- Rice and beans
- Cucumbers, celery, and tomato
- Oranges
- Corn bread
Lunchbox #2
- Lunchbox #2 Ingredients
- Brown rice
- Smoked salmon
- Mango and strawberries
- Edamame and carrots
- A few chocolate chips
Lunchbox #3
- Lunchbox #3 Ingredients
- Turkey-mushroom meatballs with quinoa
- Edamame
- Cherries
- A granola bar
Lunchbox #4
- Lunchbox #4 Ingredients
- Leftovers for lunch – fried rice with egg, green peas and yellow squash
- Olives
- Grapes
- Cookies
Lunchbox #5
- Lunchbox #5 Ingredients
- Wild+brown rice with roasted salmon
- Roasted asparagus
- Grapes and dried mango
Lunchbox #6
- Lunchbox #6 Ingredients
- Mushroom risotto leftovers
- Kale chips
- Strawberries
- Farmers’ Market apple cider doughnut
Lunchbox #7
- Lunchbox #7 Ingredients
- Black bean, wild rice and green beans salad
- Chia seeds pudding with almond milk
- Strawberries
- Tomatoes and carrots
Lunchbox #8
- Lunchbox #8 Ingredients
- Quinoa/canned tuna/edamame/tomato salad
- Quail eggs and celery
- Frozen cherries with fresh mango
- Dark chocolate
Lunchbox #9
- Lunchbox #9 Ingredients
- Lentil salad (French lentils, tomatoes and steamed green beans with some olive oil + salt)
- Celery and oranges
- Almond chocolate pudding (from Whole Foods)
Lunchbox #10
- Lunchbox #10 Ingredients
- Quinoa, grilled salmon, carrots and edamame salad
- Celery
- Wholegrain crackers
- Grapes and clementines
Lunchbox #11
- Lunchbox #11 Ingredients
- Wheat berry, sausage and carrot salad
- Spinach with miso dressing
- Cantaloupe and clementines
- Homemade crepes with chocolate filling (Sunday brunch leftovers)
Lunchbox #12
- Lunchbox #12 Ingredients
- Quinoa, tuna and green bean salad
- Tomatoes
- Grapes and strawberries
- Mini marshmallows with dark chocolate chips
Lunchbox #13
- Lunchbox #13 Ingredients
- Roasted chicken, quinoa and broccoli tossed with vinaigrette
- Half a crepe with strawberry puree
- Hummus with carrots
- Clementines and pomegranate seeds
- Dark chocolate chips
Lunchbox #14
- Lunchbox #14 Ingredients
- Wild salmon/cous cous/green bean salad
- Carrot/red pepper flowers
- Blue tortilla chips with hummus
- Blueberries and a gummy heart
Lunchbox #15
- Lunchbox #15 Ingredients
- Grilled salmon+broccoli+rice salad
- Tomatoes and carrots
- Hummus and purple corn tortilla chips
- Clementines and dried apricots
Lunchbox #16
- Lunchbox #16 Ingredients
- Leftover salmon and brown rice (my kids eat them cold)
- Homemade pumpkin muffin
- Grapes and yogurt
Lunchbox #17
- Lunchbox #17 Ingredients
- Left over grilled salmon with quinoa
- Edamame with a little soy sauce
- Clementine pieces
- A granola bar
Lunchbox #18
- Lunchbox #18 Ingredients
- Mushroom risotto balls (dinner leftovers, shaped with wet hands)
- Edamame
- Blueberry pancakes leftovers from breakfast
- A clementine
Lunchbox #19
- Lunchbox #19 Ingredients
- Chicken with rice and carrots in a thermos
- Clementines with a funny face I made with a sharpie
- Carrot “coins” and a special treat – sweet kefir drink
Lunchbox #20
- Lunchbox #20 Ingredients:
- Black bean puree with quinoa
- Ham and bread flower
- Carrots, hummus and kiwi
Lunchbox #21
- Lunchbox #21 Ingredients:
- My friend Hyunsuk sent me this wonderful picture of her daughter’s lunchbox:
- Korean rice balls with Korean toasted seaweed and sesame
- Watermelon & strawberries
- A piece of brownie and boiled egg
- Three little gummy bears
Lunchbox #22
- Lunchbox #22 Ingredients:
- Brown rice/salmon/broccoli salad
- Grapes, tomatoes and carrots
- 1/2 choc muffin and dark chocolate
Lunchbox #23
- Lunchbox #23 Ingredients:
- Slow-cooker black beans, with chopped garlic, onion, cumin, and rice
- Grapes and carrots
- Granola bar
Lunchbox #24
- Lunchbox #24
- Brown rice with canned tuna
- Grapes, guacamole, corn chips
- Leftover halloween candy.
Lunchbox #25
- Lunchbox #25
- Mushroom risotto
- Carrots with hummus
- Grapes, pomegranate, and an oreo cookie.
Lunchbox #26
- Lunchbox #26
- Brown rice and canned beans (heated) in thermos
- Grapes, steamed broccoli leftovers and graham cookies
Stay tuned for more lunchbox round-ups!
Tell me what is your child’s favorite lunchbox item?
References:
www.eatright.org
http://www.drweil.com