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Here are 5 MORE great ideas for easy, healthy camp lunches this summer! These are based on the feedback and additional questions I got from last week’s 5 Fun and Healthy Camp Lunch Ideas post.
The big follow up question: What about protein?
1-I was surprised but some people still haven’t heard about sunflower seed butter. This is a great alternative to peanut butter, particularly when school or camp is completely nut (not just peanut) free. Dr Praeger’s Sunwiches are a healthy, whole wheat, no peanut version of the super processed white bread pb and js found in the freezer section. I’ve also found sunflower seed butter mixed with maple syrup. Delish!
Bonus fun idea – Don’t forget to add the little touches to your child’s lunch. Especially before they can read well, who needs a love note when you send a love pepper?! Just cut down from the top and pare where needed to shape the pepper into a heart. You can also cut the bottom off for a flower affect.
If your child”s lunch needs to be completely SEED free…well, you have my sympathies. That is tough. That also eliminates my suggested option below: 2 – hummus (Chickpeas okay. Tahini made from sesame seeds not ok.) Kids love to dip. Actually, I put half a pita in this lunch too. There’s a choice then to dip or stuff. The salad works very well to stuff into the pita with hummus. Some kids might enjoy adding diced veggies or cucumber rounds to their sandwich. If it’s too hard to stuff, they can just use each half of the pita like pieces of bread and make a sandwich. Just try for whole wheat and watch out for dough conditioners and preservatives.
In all seriousness, if your child’s lunch also needs to be seed free, I do have more than sympathy for you. I have three ideas to provide plant-based protein in a seed-free and nut-free lunch.
3 – Simply make your own hummus and skip the tahini. Play with seasonings to find what works for you. Add pita, veggies and salad.
4 – White bean dip can be made with a number of herbs and spices, depending on your child’s likes and dislikes. Think lemon, basil, cilantro or smoked paprika.
5 – Mix 1 small jar salsa with 1 can drained and rinsed black beans. Blend with an immersion blender, regular blender or small food processor. Add tortilla chips (organic of course!) and veggies to dip.
Looking forward to hearing your ideas and seeing pictures of your results over on my Facebook page!