Texas Living

Lucky Lunchbox: Hot School Meals

By M. Elise Giller 1.19.16

When the weather outside is frightful, make your child’s lunch delightful with these five hot lunch combinations you can send with your child to school!

Tomato Soup
Make this classic comfort food for lunch, but instead of pairing it with grilled cheese, upgrade to hearty bread with Brie or Gouda. Keep it healthy with an apple for dessert.

Burrito Bowl
Chipotle doesn’t have anything on this lunch: In your child’s thermos, layer rice, black or pinto beans, diced grilled chicken, salad greens, and cheese. Pair this with a few graham crackers, marshmallows, and a piece of chocolate for a makeshift s’more dessert.

Mac and Cheese
Make the sauce with cheese, milk and butter, and steam broccoli to add to the mix. (After all, broccoli and cheese is a classic combo!) Reward the kids for eating their vegetables by packing a brownie for dessert.

Pizza Soup
Transform everyone’s favorite food into a soup by sautéing mushrooms, green bell peppers, and onions, then add chicken stock, stewed tomatoes, dried basil, and sliced pepperoni. Sprinkle grated cheese on top. Pack it up with a piece of crusty bread, a green salad, and a chocolate-chip cookie.

Chicken Parmesan Bites 
Who needs chicken nuggets when you have these bites? Spoon tomato sauce over chicken strips and top with grated Parmesan. Pack a side of spaghetti in pasta sauce with wilted spinach tucked in for good measure.

Keep Food Warm By….

  • Filling a thermos with boiling water, then dumping the water and adding the food!
  • Wrapping food in several layers of foil and then packing it in an insulated bag.

For even more hot lunch ideas, check out our blog National Soup Month Roundup for savory soups with a Texas twist!