Seven Days of Toast for Back-to-School  

It's that time of year, again. The kids are back in school. Yay! Their days are once again filled, and you don't have to worry about keeping them entertained. That said, one of the things I first learned when I became a parent, our job is never done. Sure, our days might once again be our own, but now we're using that free time to scour the internet, searching for 101 recipes ideas to fill their lunchboxes. That’s why you’re here. Isn’t it?

On average, there are 180 school days in a year. That’s a total of 360 breakfast and lunch recipes you’ll be needing to feed your kids throughout the school year. They need to be quick, and cool (nobody wants to be the kid with a lame lunch), and don’t forget healthy (because we parents also don’t want to be judged). The days of shoveling sugar laden cereal into bowls, or stuffing potato chips into our kid’s lunch box are gone. They’ve been replaced with seaweed snacks and “brain pack” yogurts. It’s enough to intimidate any mom (or dad).

But fear not, with a few key ingredients and tips, you'll quickly become the Top Chef at your kid's school. I've also got a full week of toast recipes to add to your culinary arsenal. So, keep reading!

First, here are a few of my go-to ingredients. 

Apples - They can be cut into stars and hearts as a fun addition for younger kids. Older kids can get apple wedges dipped in almond butter, or, served with a stick of cheddar cheese. They also make great "cookies," when cut into rings and topped with Nutella.

Popcorn - This quintessential movie snack happens to be high in fiber, easy to pack, and popular with pretty much all kids. You can leave the popcorn plain, add cheddar flavor, or, liven it up with a mix of raisins, chocolate chips and freeze-dried berries. 

Smoothies - Ok, this is more than one ingredient, but with an insulated thermos, smoothies are a quick and easy meal solution. The best part about smoothies, they can easily hide all sorts of veggies, from spinach to beets. Check out these smoothie recipes for inspiration.  

Toast - Open-faced sandwiches simply look cooler. So, whether your packing a slice of whole grain avocado toast or almond butter and yogurt toast. There are dozens of variations that can add variety to your kid's lunch and I've got a few of them listed in my recipe below.

Yogurt - For a nutritious version of ranch dip, try mixing the dip with Greek yogurt. Serve with carrot sticks and cucumbers. For a kid-friendly, ready to go option, check out Brainiac yogurt tubes and smoothies. They're great on their own, with fruit, or a topping on toast. One tube has as much choline as a cup of broccoli, is loaded with the same omega fatty acids you get in salmon, and has about 40% less sugar than most kids yogurts. My daughter will happily eat salmon and broccoli, but they aren't exactly lunchbox friendly foods.

So, here are seven simple and delicious recipes for toast. This should cover some of your kid's  breakfast and/or lunch needs.  

Recipe 1

1 slice whole grain toast

-top with-

Several spoonfuls of strawberry yogurt, I suggest Brainiac Kids

sliced cucumber

Sliced strawberry

one spoonful shredded coconut

Recipe 2

1 slice toasted walnut levain

-top with-

1 large spoonful Nutella or any chocolate hazelnut butter

4 or 5 slices of banana 

several mall dots of strawberry-banana yogurt

Recipe 3

1 English muffin, toasted

-top with-

2 tablespoons peanut butter

6 or 7 thin slices of Granny Smith apple

half a strawberry

1 dollop cherry-vanilla yogurt

pinch of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon

Recipe 4

1 slice whole grain toast

-top with-

2 tablespoons almond butter

6 or 7 thin slices of Fuji apple

1 small handful raisins

a drizzle of cherry or mixed berry yogurt

Recipe 5 

1 slice whole grain toast

-top with-

2 or 3 tablespoons strawberry-chia seed jam

2 fresh strawberries, sliced

1 small handful peanut butter granola

Recipe 6

1 slice toasted sourdough or levain

-top with-

several spoonfuls strawberry or cherry-vanilla yogurt

4 or 5 raspberries

1 small handful mini chocolate chips

Recipe 7

1 English muffin, toasted

-top with-

several spoonful strawberry-banana yogurt

several slices of banana

5 or 6 blueberries

1 small spoonful chia seeds