1) Cookie Cutter Sandwiches
Use cookie cutters to cut shapes out of slices of bread, then assemble sandwiches as usual. Your kids will get a kick out of peanut butter and jelly gingerbread people, fried-egg flowers and grilled cheese ghosts.
2) Sushi Bowls
Fill bowls with (leftover) rice and allow your young sushi chefs to top their rice with chopped cucumbers and avocados, sliced scallions, canned tuna, sesame seeds, cream cheese, crumbled seaweed snacks, soy sauce and so on. Serve with chopsticks as well as forks to keep them occupied for five extra minutes.
3) Waffle Sandwich
Toast up two frozen waffles per kid and spread with peanut butter and grape jelly, almond butter and apple slices, Nutella and banana slices or whatever you’ve got.
4) Yogurt Bowls
Speaking of breakfast for lunch, Greek yogurt topped with granola and (fresh or dried) fruit is simple and nutritious. Jazz things up by layering the yogurt, granola and fruit in glasses to create oh-so-fancy parfaits. As always, if your kids are big enough to assemble these themselves, let them—it teaches them independence while keeping them busy!
5) Tartines for Tots
A tartine is an open-faced sandwich—perfect if you’re trying to go through loaves of bread less quickly. Spread a slice with pesto and top with leftover grilled chicken and halved cherry tomatoes, or smear a piece of bread with cream cheese and top with sliced strawberries or cucumbers.
6) Personal Pan Pizzas
Divide up pizza dough into kid-size portions, stretch and top. If your kids can handle it, let them dress their pies with various cheeses, veggies, meats and leftovers. Bake in the oven or toaster oven at 425°F for 8 to 10 minutes. No dough on hand? English muffins, bagels and tortillas work great and cook a little faster.
7) Breakfast in Bed for Lunch
Spread a picnic blanket (or old, washable sheet) over a bed, let the kids pile in and serve them a decadent brunch of toaster waffles, waffle sandwiches, yogurt tubes, cereal bars, bagels with peanut butter, and/or any other not-too-messy breakfast-y foods. They’ll be both entertained and out of the kitchen.
