Let the Kids Make their Own Healthy School Lunches!

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I’ve already seen the back to school pictures all over facebook, so I know healthy school lunches are on the minds of parents everywhere. Let your kids make their own lunches this year with this list of affordable and healthy organic and/or non-gmo items from Aldi USA! Many thanks to Aldi USA for sponsoring this post. All opinions are mine. Healthy Back to School Lunches your kids can make themselves!

Let the Kids Make their Own Healthy School Lunches 

Back to school Healthy Lunch cart DIY

DIY Lunch Station

I shared a couple weeks ago that my four kids (who have previously been homeschooled) are heading off to school this year. This is a first for me and I would be lying if I said I’m not nervous about the transition already. I’m totally anxious and worried about a lot of things, one being how to prepare healthy lunches for four kids every day!

To make the process easier, we created a DIY lunch station using my lovely IKEA cart and a dedicated lunch bin in the fridge as well! This station will let my kids help pack their own lunches. Some things will still require a little help from me, but it will be pretty easy for the kids to grab and go from the lunch cart and fridge bin. I picked up all the goodies for this lunch cart recently at Aldi. If you guys follow me on this blog, you know I love Aldi and their ever growing selection of organic and non-gmo food items.

Let the Kids Make their Own Healthy School Lunches!

Healthy School Lunches with Items from Aldi

I prefer organic and non-gmo options so they make up most of this list, but Aldi also has an impressive selection of conventional grocery items as well. I also listed the prices I paid, but do keep in mind that they can fluctuate based on location and availability. Also, because we do like occasional sweets (keeping it real!), I also included a few of my favorite sweet items to pack in school lunches too. They aren’t necessarily healthy, but they sure are good and the kids love them!

Fruit / Veggies

  1. Organic strawberries – $2.99 / lb
  2. Organic baby carrots – $1.59 / lb
  3. Organic grapes – $4.89 / 2 lbs
  4. Organic apples – $5.99 / 3 lbs
  5. Mandarins – $2.49 / 3 lbs
  6. Bananas – $0.29 / lb
  7. Organic, unsweetened apple sauce – $1.99 / 24 ounces
  8. Simply Nature Organic frozen berry blend – $2.99 / 12 ounces
  9. Organic spring salad mix – $2.49 / 1 lb clamshell
  10. Simply Nature Organic frozen berry blend – $2.99 / 12 ounces

Dairy / Meat Products

  1. Simply Nature Organic classic hummus – $2.29 / 8 ounces
  2. Simply Nature Organic peppercorn ranch dressing – $1.99 / 12 fluid ounces
  3. Simply Nature Organic salsa – $1.89 / 16 ounces
  4. Never Any! Turkey lunch meat – $3.29 / 7 ounces
  5. Simply Nature Organic white mild cheddar cheese slices – $2.99 / 6 ounces
  6. Mini Babybel cheeses – $2.79 / 4.5 ounces
  7. Simply Nature Organic yogurt – $2.99 / 32 ounces

Breads / Grains / Beans

  1. Organic refried beans – $0.99 / 16 ounce can
  2. Simply Nature Organic corn tortilla chips – $1.99 /11 ounces
  3. Simply Nature Non-gmo verified multigrain crackers – $2.49 /10 ounces
  4. Simply Nature Organic seeded bread – $3.99 / 27 ounces
  5. Simply Nature Organic granola – $2.69 / 11.5 ounces

Pantry Items

  1. Simply Nature Organic peanut butter – $3.89 / 16 ounces
  2. Simply Nature Organic mayonnaise – $2.99 / 15 ounces
  3. Simply Nature Organic peppercorn ranch dressing – $1.99 / 12 fluid ounces
  4. Simply Nature Organic salsa – $1.89 / 16 ounces

Snacky Items

  1. Simply Nature Organic animal fruit snacks – $2.69 / 6 pouches
  2. Simply Nature Organic fruit strips – $4.99 / 21 strips
  3. Simply Nature Organic coconut bars – $3.99 / 4 bars
  4. Simply Nature Organic white cheddar puffs – $1.99 / 4 ounces
  5. Simply Nature Organic squeezable fruit & vegetable blends – $2.29 / 4 pouches
  6. Simply Nature Non-gmo verified fruit &  nut bars – $2.99 / 4 bars
  7. Simply Nature Non-gmo verified no sugar added flavored applesauce – $1.49 / 6 cups
  8. Southern Grove Trail Mix bags – $3.99 / 8 bags
  9. Utz Certified Yogurt filled chocolate bars – $1.99 /
  10. Mamba Candies – $0.69

This is not an exhaustive list of all the organic and non-gmo options Aldi sells, but it should give a you really good idea of what all they have. If you like to eat a healthy diet but haven’t been to Aldi in a while, I hope you check them out! You can connect with Aldi on facebook, twitter, and instagram.

back to school healthy lunch ideas

Ideas for Lunches Using the List Above!

Using the items in the list above, here is a list of “main dish entrees” my kids love in their lunches. In fact, when I put together the lunch for this post, two of my kids said that’s exactly the lunch they want. Every day. LOL!

  • Chips & refried beans & cheese
  • Peanut butter & crackers
  • DIY lunchables with cheese, deli meat & crackers
  • Peanut butter & jelly sandwiches
  • Meat & cheese sandwiches
  • Hummus & cracker & carrots
  • Yogurt parfaits using frozen berries & granola
  • Peanut butter & apples & raisins
  • Green salad with trail mix & ranch dressing

Do you pack your kids’ lunches? I’d love to hear your tips and tricks to simplify the process.

About Michelle Marine

Michelle Marine is the author of How to Raise Chickens for Meat, a long-time green-living enthusiast, and rural Iowa mom of four. She empowers families to grow and eat seasonal, local foods; to reduce their ecological footprint; and to come together through impactful travel.

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5 Comments

  1. It’s unbelievable to see all the organic and non-GMO options ALDI carries. They are helping our family eat better and on a budget.