School Lunch/Picnic Lunch Ideas

I have had a few inquiries for ideas for school lunches - where a microwave or oven are not options. So, this my friends is for you:

Carbs Ideas:
-whole wheat/whole grain tortilla wraps
-whole wheat/whole grain bread or toast
-brown rice
-risotto
-whole wheat/whole grain pasta
-pita bread
-English muffin
-whole grain bagel

Sandwich Fillers:
-Tuna salad
-bacon, lettuce, and tomato
-sliced turkey, lettuce, mayonnaise, and cranberry sauce
-sliced turkey, swiss cheese, tomatoes, cucumber slices, and alfafa sprouts mixed with mayonnaise
-tomato, cucumber, avocado, alfafa sprouts, ranch dressing, and swiss cheese
- chopped pineapple, ham or turkey, and honey mustard
-roast beef, lettuce, pickled cucumbers, tomatoes, and mustard
-shredded chicken, chopped tomatoes, chopped hard boiled egg, snipped chives, lettuce, and mayo
-chicken salad
-tuna, lettuce, finely chopped green onion, and mayonnaise
-shrimp with lettuce and mayo mixed with a little ketchup
-cream cheese and smoked salmon
-chopped hard-boiled egg mashed with a little mayo, snipped chives or parsley, salt, and freshly ground pepper
-sliced swiss cheese, cherry tomatoes, and shredded lettuce
-cream cheese and cucumber
-grated cheese and carrots with a little mayo
-tomatoes, mozzarella, avocado, and french dressing
-hummus, grated carrots, and cucumber slices
-peanut butter and sliced banana with a little honey
-pb&j
-peanut butter and bacon
-peanut butter and raisins
-peanut butter and craisins

Non-Sandwich Ideas:
-Bake faux (veggie) chicken nuggets before school or the night before. (We love the Morningstar brand). Seal them in a ziploc bag and put in the fridge and then put them in the lunchbox with a little freeze box for their lunch. These don't have to be reheated and are YUMMY!
-Toast some bread or a bagel, smear on some spaghetti sauce and melt some mozz cheese and melt the cheese. Wrap in tinfoil.
-Mix up some tuna or chicken salad and send with crackers and cheese
-pasta salad
-soup in a thermos
-pasta in a thermos (spaghetti, alfredo, etc)


Other great ideas:
-Instead of using a freezer box, consider freezing their juice box or a bottled water and using that. By lunch time, the drink should be ready!
-Cut sandwiches out in cute shapes with cookie cutters
-Keep bread from getting soggy either by making sure all ingredients on the sandwich are dry, or separating the wet ingredients from the bread with dry lettuce. Another option is to put the wet ingredients in a separate container.
-Use sandwich wraps, tin foil, plastic wrap, or plastic containers to keep sandwiches fresh. Use plastic containers (rigid) to keep sandwiches from getting smooshed.
-Use wide-mouthed thermoses to keep food warm.
-Be sure to pack snacks and fruits for your child's lunch as well!
-The night before, set out your meats, carbs, veggies, fruits, healthy snacks, etc. and let your children help make their lunches. They are more likely to eat it if they get to pick it out!