Creative Back to School Lunch and Snack Ideas

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of ACME Markets for Albertsons. All opinions are 100% mine.

This year we all know the school routine is going to be different for each one of us. We have all made choices regarding our children's instruction. Whatever the choice made as caretakers or by our school boards, one thing is the same. There will always be a lunchtime! This is one area that can require creativity and consistency. I am ready to ace this subject routinely with the help from my local ACME Markets

Acme has a great selection of high quality freshly sliced meats and cheeses for Siena's sandwiches. They also have an extensive bakery section with different types of freshly baked breads. This also helps keep things interesting when I need to go beyond the peanut butter and jelly. Also the Signature SELECT™ chocolate chip cookies are both a fun treat for her and I after a morning of circle time and the ABC's. Here are some of top sandwich ideas that keep Siena excited to see what is for lunch:

- Avocado and "sunshine" cheese, which is cheddar cheese cut out into the shape of the sun. Siena gets a kick out of seeing the different shapes on her sandwiches. It encourages her to try new things at times. For the longest time she was uninteresting in peanut butter and jelly, which was frustrating. Once I used a flower cookie cutter it became part of her normal routine. Presentation can go a long way, even with picky eaters. They may extra curious about something that comes in a star shape rather than a square piece of bread.

-Olive bread grilled cheese. Siena loves olives, and my local Acme Market has Kalamata Olive bread, so I was excited when I found this combination. It gave her regular grilled cheese an upgrade!

-Banana Peanut Butter Pancake Sandwich. Ever have leftover pancakes in the morning? You can re-purpose them for snack or lunch! Use them as sandwich bread to create peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Or try nutella and strawberries for an afternoon snack!

- Cream Cheese, Pesto Bagel. A great way to maybe get more greens in there day is by making a batch of spinach and basil pesto. Using that a long with the cream cheese to top their mini bagels.

Another thing I like to do is make tray at the beginning of each day. It serves as my lunch/snack tray. That way I have an immediate answer to the 300 times she asks me for a snack. It also helps make sure she is making healthier choices. She has become used to the idea that what is on the snack tray is what she can chose from. She likes that she has a choice and I like that there is less of a tantrum over what she saw when I opened the cabinet. It also makes me feel like I am in the kitchen less constantly cutting up grapes or trying to figure out what to give her. Having ready-made healthy choices on hand are also a time saver for me. My local Acme has Fresh-Cut snack packs in the produce department that have both fruit and cheese options, or a fun fruit dip included. They also have individually-sized snack packs in the deli department, Siena loves the pretzels and hummus. They are also good for days when I have to grab and go.

With all the food aside, I try to mix in fun containers. Try colorful cupcake liners as a vehicle to present snacks in small portions. I have found colorful trays with fun sayings or pictures on them to use as the snack tray. Also, bento boxes are stand-by. They are compartmentalized and you can fill them the night before, which is also a time saver. Having fun straws on hand for smoothies may encourage a child to try a new drink concoction. I like to make sure I always have sure-bet on Siena's plate but also something she may not be into yet. Just on the off-chance she will try it with no pressure. I would say 80% of the time she at least chooses to try it!

The more fun we can have with the things "we have" to do the less they will feel like a chore. It may get mundane at times but being prepared never gets old. If you are planning lessons because you are homeschooling or dealing with alternate schedules. The last thing you want to be guessing at is meal times. Also, excitement is contagious. If you are excited about the choices you have made for the healthy snacks and lunches, it will rub off on your kids.

You can find all of these snack solutions and ingredients to make lunchtime a success at your local Albertsons Companies family of stores, including Albertsons, Safeway, ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Vons, Randalls, Shaw’s Supermarket, Star Market, and Tom Thumb. ACME Markets also offers Grocery Delivery and Pick Up for convenient ways to shop!