Healthy Kids Lunch Ideas for Summer Camp

August 27, 2019
Try these healthy lunch ideas for campers that will keep little bellies happy and busy kids energized for the day.
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Taco Salad Bento Lunch for Kids

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No more half-eaten lunches--this taco-inspired bento box lunch is a healthy and portable meal your kid will love.

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Egg Salad Bento Lunch

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This egg salad bento box is a hearty lunch and snack all in one. Spoon the egg salad into a lettuce “bowl” to keep it looking pretty and enjoy with cocktail bread and veggies. Toss banana and blueberries with yogurt to keep the bananas from turning brown. Save the chocolate chips and pistachios for an afternoon pick-me-up.

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Strawberry & Cream Cheese Sandwich

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Sliced strawberries and reduced-fat cream cheese come together in a sandwich for this quick and healthy lunchbox treat.

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Edamame Nibbles

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This healthy edamame recipe is a classic Japanese preparation. Enjoy these nibbles as an appetizer or healthy snack.

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Tijuana Torta

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A Mexican-style torta is just like a burrito, except the “wrapper” is a hollowed-out roll instead of a tortilla. Here it's filled with mashed spiced black beans and a quick guacamole. Take this vegetarian version to another level (and add calcium) by melting Monterey Jack cheese onto the bean side of the sandwich. Serve with: Grilled corn on the cob or Spanish rice.

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Crunchy Granola Wedges

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This recipe was inspired by chef Lars Kronmark's granola wedges from the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. Substitute your favorite fruit, nuts and/or seeds for the sunflower seeds and/or dried cranberries in these granola bars.

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Buffalo Chicken Wrap

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Moms and Dads like wraps because they're neat and compact--so beware: ours is messy and spicy. This fiery combination of buffalo chicken in a modern wrap is guaranteed to drip. Get out the big napkins and have a ball!

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Strawberry-Ricotta Waffle Sandwich

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Here's a sweet spin on a healthy breakfast-sandwich recipe. Other seasonal fruit, such as blueberries or sliced peaches, would be tasty toppers too.

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Soy-Lime Roasted Tofu

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Here we marinate tofu cubes in soy sauce and lime juice with a touch of toasted sesame oil, then roast them--perfect tofu every time.

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Chocolate-Dipped Graham Crackers

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Chocolate-dipped graham crackers make a satisfying after-dinner treat. Customize this chocolate-dipped graham cracker recipe by topping with your favorite dehydrated fruit.

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Turkey, Corn & Sun-Dried Tomato Wraps

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Fresh corn kernels, tomatoes and lettuce fill these hearty turkey wraps. This wrap is great for picnics or when you need to have dinner on the run. Add some crumbled feta or shredded Cheddar for another layer of flavor. Serve with carrot sticks, sliced bell pepper or other crunchy vegetables plus your favorite creamy dressing.

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Tomato-Basil Skewers

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Skewering mozzarella balls and cherry tomatoes makes them easy to nosh at a party.

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Ham Pinwheels

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Ready in just 5 minutes, this cute ham-and-cheese appetizer or snack is as much fun to make as it is to eat. Top with your favorite fresh herb, such as dill or basil, for a pretty presentation.

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Clean-Eating Bento Box Lunch

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Who says bento boxes are just for kids? This healthy bento-style lunch--loaded with clean, satisfying foods--is perfect to pack for work.

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Quick Kebabs

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Kids and adults alike will appreciate this skewered snack.

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Italian Pesto Chicken Salad

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Prepared pesto is the secret ingredient in this lightened-up, healthy creamy chicken salad recipe. For the prettiest dressing, go for a bright-green colored pesto. Serve the salad open-face on toasted bread or scoop it on top of fresh salad greens.

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Rainbow Fruit Kebabs

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Eating clean doesn't have to be boring! This fruit-salad-on-a-stick is the natural way to get in on the rainbow trend for a fun healthy snack or no-added-sugar dessert.

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Edamame Hummus Wrap

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Made with protein-rich edamame instead of chickpeas, this easy hummus recipe is the perfect vegetarian filling for a grab-and-go wrap. Or double the recipe and use the hummus for a healthy snack with cut-up vegetables.

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Quick Dilly Carrots

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In this quick pickle recipe, salting the carrots first extracts their natural moisture. Once the salt's rinsed off, the carrots absorb the pickling liquid like a sponge. You may want to double this recipe--they're addictive!

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Cucumber Sandwich

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The English cucumber sandwich gets a healthy fiber bump with sprouted whole-grain bread. This easy open-face sandwich recipe is a great healthy snack or packable lunch idea.

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Raspberry Yogurt with Dark Chocolate

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Make your own flavored yogurt with fresh fruit and a touch of honey to cut down on added sugars. This healthy snack recipe is flavored with raspberries, but you can use any berries you have on hand.

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Nut-Free Chocolate-Cherry Snack Bars

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These chewy, crunchy and delicious nut-free snack bars boast good-for-you dried fruit, oats and little explosions of chocolate. We like the flavor of dried cherries or cranberries, but any coarsely chopped dried fruit will work.

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Turkey, Cheese & Veggie Plate

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This colorful picnic dinner idea features tasty munchies you don't need utensils for and mild flavors that kids prefer, like deli meat, cheese and crunchy raw veggies. It's easy to assemble this complete menu, and adults will enjoy it as much as the kids. The menu calls for store-bought hummus and cookies, but you can easily make them yourself (see Tips, below).

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Egg & Waffle Bento Box

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Who doesn't love breakfast for lunch? Make it to-go with this easy bento box idea that combines waffles, eggs and fruit for a satisfying and fun meal that kids and adults alike will love.

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PB&J Bistro Lunch Box

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Inspired by Starbucks' bistro boxes, this peanut butter and jelly lunch will be loved by kids and adults alike. Accompanied by sandwich sides including a yogurt parfait, fruit, veggies and popcorn, this healthy packable lunch will keep you full until dinner.

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Cream Cheese & Veggie Roll-Up

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With sliced vegetables, a whole-wheat tortilla and baby spinach, these roll-ups make the perfect healthy lunch for your kids to take to school.

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Rainbow Bento Lunch for Kids

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This bento box idea makes lunch fun. With its colorful carrots and swirled yogurt, this packable lunch is a healthy meal kids will actually want to eat--no more half-eaten lunches.

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Turkey BLT Wraps

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This delicious kid-friendly twist on a classic BLT includes turkey. The extra protein makes a filling, healthy lunch to pack up for school or work.

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Deconstructed Cobb Salad Bento Lunch for Kids

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This kid-friendly twist on classic Cobb salad gives children the choice to eat all the healthy ingredients--veggies, turkey, eggs, bacon and avocado--together or separately. Packing it all in a bento box makes it easy to tote to school and keeps all the ingredients from touching, a plus for picky eaters.

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Kid-Friendly Salad

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Make salad something your kids will actually want to eat with this kid-friendly crudité. Put it out before dinner and watch them eat all their veggies without a fuss!

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Orange Fruit Salad

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Serve this refreshing fruit salad featuring juicy melon, clementines and mango on its own or with other colorblock fruit salads (like red, purple and green) for a fun, crowd-pleasing rainbow side dish.

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