Spring Break is all about FUN, and that includes the food you’re serving up at the lunch hour! With the kids at home on school break, they’ll delight in meals that are delicious, colorful, and maybe not-too-healthy!
Here are some menu ideas for every day of your Spring Break. Make mealtime extra special by having a picnic in the backyard or at your favorite Woodlands-area park.
1. Hoagie Sandwiches – Forget the boring, rectangular pieces of bread this week, and amp things up with French Bread! Whether you call them hoagies, po-boys, or submarine sandwiches, filling options are limitless and fun! Meatballs & cheese, club style, shrimp with remoulade sauce… These sandwiches make a hearty meal and a fun presentation. Serve with colorful fruit salad and veggie chips.
2. Create-Your-Own-Pizzas – I recommend using the naan bread that you can find in most grocery bakery aisles, or you can snag the ready-to-shape & bake dough from the refrigerated section of Trader Joe's. Top with pizza sauce and fresh mozzarella, and create a buffet of toppings for everyone to customize to their heart’s content. Encourage the kids to "decorate" their pizza to make fun faces and other pizza art.
3. Breakfast for Lunch – Pancakes and bacon are always a crowd-pleaser, but they go over especially well when they’re served for meals other than breakfast. Give lunchtime a twist with a breakfast-for-lunch option. I suggest thick-cut toast with jam, bacon, breakfast sausage, eggs, and grits. Add in berries with whipped cream!
4. Orange Chicken with Rice – It’s like Chinese takeout, except it’s take-IN. Pick up the famous mandarin orange chicken from Trader Joe’s (freezer section) and pair it with your favorite style of rice. To elevate your culinary experience, try serving the dish in unique Asian-inspired bowls that your kids have never seen before.
5. Colorful Cold Pasta Salad – The satisfying thing about pasta salad is that you can go totally rogue with it! One of my favorite recipes is a Tunisian Pasta Salad whose recipe can be found here, but in a nutshell, all you need for a delicious pasta ensemble is your favorite pasta (boiled), some type of dressing, and veggies! Feel free to add in pepperoni or shrimp if you require meat. Veggie suggestions: red peppers, mushrooms, olives, cucumbers, tomatoes, squash, artichokes, etc.
6. Hearty Grain Bowls – Even though Spring Break is usually about FUN eating, kids still need something nutritious. Roast your favorite veggies in the oven, and create an all-in-one bowl that will please their tummies. I recommend sweet potatoes, zucchini, portobella mushrooms, and red onions. Slice them, roast them, and put them in a bowl with brown rice, quinoa, avocado slices, and top with your favorite vinaigrette. It’s a hearty healthy bowl that you will feel great about feeding your kids!
7. Trashy Nachos – If your kids are having friends over for the break, this is a quick and inexpensive option that is easy to customize per each individual’s preferences. Start with the basics – chips topped with shredded cheese, and maybe add in seasoned ground beef, whole kernel corn, and black beans – in the oven on a sheet pan. Once out of the oven, your littles can make the nachos as trashy as they’d like, topping with lettuce, tomatoes, olives, pickled jalapenos, cilantro, sour cream, and avocados.
8. Shepherd’s Pie – Beef, potatoes, and veggies... oh yes! St. Patrick’s Day is March 17 and falls on the Sunday before the kids are back in school, so celebrate this fun Irish holiday with a Shepherd’s pie. Find a quick and simple recipe online, or ask a trusted friend for a suggestion!
9. Shrimp Boil – This one is hit or miss. If you have a kiddo who loves boiled, spicy shrimp, a low country boil for lunch will be a winner! Substitute with crawfish if you’d like. You’ll need to make a seasoned boil of potatoes, corn, sausage, and shrimp/crawfish, and serve everything up with garlic butter and crusty bread.
10. Burgers & Dogs – Spring Break isn’t complete without a cookout! Fire up the grill for an easy burgers-and-dogs combo, and pull out all the fixins! You can also stay indoors and do your meat in the oven.
