11 Easy Kebab-Inspired Lunch Ideas for Kids
Thread almost anything onto a stick for an adaptable meal that's super fun to eat.
Let’s be real: these days, it’s hard enough feeding ourselves, not to mention a gaggle of high-energy kiddos. Enter the lunch kebab, a kid-friendly meal on a stick that’s fun to assemble (get the kids involved, even!) and entertaining to eat. Make them ahead of time and stash them in the fridge so your little ones can help themselves whenever the nibbles strike. Here, eleven easy recipes to get you started.
This recipe contains nothing but the good stuff: thick-cut salami, roasted red peppers, cheese tortellini, mini mozzarella balls and cherry tomatoes. Plus, the ingredients hold up well for several days in the fridge (hellooo, meal prep!). Pair the skewers with homemade creamy Italian dip, which you should stash in a storage container nearby, so your kid remembers to dunk away.
Scott Gries
Thin banana slices and blackberries are sandwiched between miniature peanut butter and jelly stacks like hidden jewels. Your kids might not even latch onto the fact that they’re there, although they’ll certainly appreciate the jammy flavor.
These sturdy raw veggie skewers are lunchbox-approved. Pro tip: using a rainbow of vegetable colors on the skewer will increase the chances that your child will gobble them up. Pro tip number two: if your kids don’t gobble them up, smother them in the tangy veggie dip for almost-guaranteed results.
Salad, schmalad, right? But wait. Put it on a stick and it’ll transform into an entirely new food group in your kid’s eyes. Mild iceberg lettuce and mild cheddar cheese help the other veggies go down easy. Thanks for inspo, Ree.
Looking to make a hot but speedy lunch? These sweet and tangy kebabs cook in seven minutes under the broiler, so you can totally make them in a free mid-day window of time — now matter how small. They’re also delicious cold, served straight out of the fridge.
EA Stewart, 2015, Television Food Network, G. P. All Rights Reserved.
All you need is just a few ingredients to make this simple, sweet lunch, which can really pull triple duty as breakfast, lunch or dessert. A flurry of shredded unsweetened coconut makes the dish feel special without any extra work.
Matt Armendariz, Copyright 2015
Save this adorable mini cheeseburger and grilled cheese stack for the weekend, when you have time to fire up the grill. Although they’ll probably disappear from your kid’s plate in two minutes flat, any leftovers keep well in the fridge for lunch the next day.
Pawel Kaminski
For the mom who’s crunched for time (which, let’s be real, might be most moms), this kebab mainly involves assembling lovely store-bought nibbles, including canned artichoke hearts, packaged pasta, salami and prepared Italian dressing.
EA Stewart, 2015, Television Food Network, G. P. All Rights Reserved.
Simple chicken breast, black olives, tomatoes and — get this — mozzarella string cheese sticks cut into bite-sized pieces make a kebab your kid won’t be able to reject. A pesto-y Greek yogurt dipping sauce ups the protein factor so everyone will stay fuller, longer.
Scott Gries
As the name suggests, you could totally serve these for dinner … but, since we’re on the topic of lunch, they’re totally midday-appropriate too. How could you go wrong with hot dog pieces, broccoli florets and (frozen, cooked) soft pretzel nuggets?
Scott Gries
Let’s not forget about dessert! Here, a recipe that the kids can make all by themselves from start to finish. The best part? There’s no supervision or cleanup required on your end.
Related Links:
Lunch Skewers, 10 Ways
