It’s back-to-school week at Culinary Thymes and I’ve been brainstorming on lunchbox ideas.

Top of mind are these hard boiled egg molds I recently discovered. Full of protein and satisfying, eggs can be part of a healthy lunch. And these molds are just too cute.

Rolls and wraps are fun for kids, too. Spread a tortilla with a thin layer of cream cheese or mayo. Top with ham or turkey, then a thin slice of cheese. Add some baby spinach leaves, roll and slice crosswise. Or try this pizza roll: spread a thin layer of pizza sauce on a tortilla, sprinkle with grated mozzarella, add some spinach, roll, and slice crosswise. I love the addition of spinach here.

Instead of a  tuna sandwich, my daughter prefers salmon spread on a whole wheat bagel. I purchase the best quality canned salmon I can find, then mix it with cream cheese, dill and garlic salt. This brain food is also great on crackers.

Fruit skewers are not only tasty, but the presentation is interesting, especially when paired with a lightly sweetened yogurt dip made with high-protein Greek yogurt. Here’s a yogurt dip that kids will love.

Instead of chips, I keep Snyder’s pretzels or baked chips around. Recently, I discovered popchips in barbecue flavor. They are neither fried nor baked, and claim to be all-natural. But the biggest selling point is their satisfying texture.

You can get more lunch box ideas here.  And if you have any great lunch or snack ideas for kids, feel free to leave them in the comments below.

Happy back-to-school! -alyce eyster