As September creeps closer and closer, the first day of school has come for many students, and that means mom has lunch on the brain!

I remember when I was young and I was the kid with the healthy lunch. Sometimes I felt uncool because no one would trade with me, except for my cousin Katie. The only item she would ever trade for, though, was my mom’s tuna fish sandwich! Weird right? But actually, it makes perfect sense! It was a sandwich packed with good fats, protein, veggies, minerals, vitamins, and omega-3’s! Everything a little growing body needs!

There are also lots of other easy to make snacks to go along with sandwiches. Celery is a great base for snacks. You can fill the stalks with cream cheese or raw almond butter with raisins.  Dips and hummus with baby carrots and other raw veggies are great! Letting kids have interactive lunch items may even inspire them to create more of their own recipes at home! (And who doesn’t love a helping hand in the kitchen?) Hard boiled or deviled eggs are also a great source of healthy fats and omega-3’s. You can also use raw cultured butter and  lacto-fermented apple butter on sprouted bread for a sweet sandwich filled with probiotics! Fresh fruit is great for a little something sweet your little one to finish off their meal (If you slice up apples, make sure to squeeze lemon juice over them to prevent oxidization!)

Whatever you do, though, don’t forget to put your own mommy spin on your kids’ lunches and let your creative side show! You may as well make making lunch fun, right? My mom used to cut my sandwiches into hearts and stars once in a while for holidays or special occasions, and I always felt extra loved when I got a “I love you!” note in there, too.

My mom (somewhat embarrassingly) made my lunch for me almost every day through my senior year of high school, (I was not a morning person, and therefore did not make my own lunch.) but kids are never too old to need good nutrition throughout the day. I know I owe my mom a great debt for keeping me fueled through school and all my extra curricular activities. I’m sure I performed much better in life having a healthy lunch in my tummy. You are what you eat, so make sure your kids are healthy, pure, and nutritionally satisfied!

Good Luck, Moms!

Mom’s Tuna Fish Sandwich:

Sprouted Whole Grain Bread

1 Can White Albacore Tuna Fish (low mercury)

2 Tbsp  Mayonnaise

(Go for the real deal, or buy safflower based Mayo. Stay away from canola and soy oil based! They are most likely GMO!)

2 Tbsp Chopped Organic Celery

1 Tbsp Diced Organic Red Onion

1 Tbsp Fresh Chopped Organic Parsley

Sea Salt, Pepper, and Herbamare to taste!

Note: Now that I’m a big girl, I also like to add a bit of Dijon Mustard to the mix with some lettuce or cucumbers on top, and if you’re making it at home, it’s awesome to do an open face tuna melt with raw milk cheese in the toaster oven! Yum!