Harvest time is here, and we can practically smell the aroma of apples, pumpkins, and autumn spices in the air! October is a great time to talk to kids about where our food comes from and why certain flavors are associated with different seasons. Of course, eating with the seasons isn’t just good for the planet — it can also be a fun way to incorporate some fall flair at mealtime. Here are some of the fall lunch ideas for kids we are loving this season:
- Nothing says “fall” like piles of pumpkins! Mother’s Nutritional Center has great ideas for bringing an autumn air to the table, including clementine “pumpkins,” carrot “pumpkins,” and pumpkin spice granola. We also love their adorable Hootin’ Owl Crackers and suggestions for candy corn-inspired healthy nibbles.
- Autumn is the start of soup season, and that’s great news for parents since soups make an easy weeknight dinner and leftovers are perfect for lunches! Try kid-friendly fall flavors like butternut squash soup, pumpkin soup, or this unique broccoli-apple soup.
- We’re obsessed with @amberfillerup’s artistic kid snacks on Instagram. Her fall tree snack board is made of kid-friendly pretzel sticks and fruit, and while it looks extravagant, you can easily pull off your own version at home using cookie cutters to create the leaves. Browse her Kid Snacks highlight for more inspiration!
- For many families, a trip to the apple orchard is a favorite fall tradition… but what to do with all those apples once you get home? How about tasty, healthy apple treats for kids, like homemade apple chips, apple pie yogurt dip, fiber-rich apple pie muffins, or apple pie nachos? Here’s a tip: When serving raw apple slices, soak them in salt water for about 10 minutes, then drain and rinse well. It’s a much more effective (and less tart) way to keep apples from browning.
- With life starting to get busy again, sometimes we just need a quick-and-dirty way to bring a little fun to the lunchbox. These fruit-filled Halloween mason jar snacks are so easy it’s bananas (literally!).
Need more feeding inspiration? Check out our tips for stress-free snacktime, kid-friendly pantry meals, and school lunch ideas!
