Easy Slider Recipes: Simple Lunch Ideas for Kids

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Boar’s Head for IZEA Worldwide. All opinions are 100% mine.

I’m always looking for simple lunch ideas that are not only healthy but that my kids will enjoy eating too. Today I’m sharing my daughter’s favorite easy slider recipes that she loves to pack for lunch.

Now that my children are a little more grown up, they are responsible for packing their own lunches. This means that I have to provide them with nutritious options that are EASY. One way I do this is by stocking lots of healthy choices. I also make sure we have all the tools necessary to make packing those foods as easy as possible.

Healthy Lunch Choices

Over the years, I’ve learned a few tricks to encourage my kids to make healthy lunch choices. Here are the strategies that have worked for me:

Easy to Pack Produce

My kids would probably never pack vegetables if I didn’t make it as easy as possible for them to do so. In some cases, like baby carrots, I don’t need to do anything but buy them.

In other cases, like celery and bell peppers, I slice them ahead of time so the kids can grab a serving to pack easily. My kids also prefer to dip their veggies, so I make sure we always have hummus. My kids love Boar’s Head Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. It’s a delicious, better-for-you option for my children.

Fruit is easier since my kids love the natural sweetness of most fruits. The trick here is to stick with ones that hold up well to being tousled around in a lunchbox.

In general, clementines and apples do well. Bananas tend to bruise easily. Grapes and strawberries hold up well, but raspberries and blueberries need protective packaging.

Served with Boar’s Head Dark Chocolate Hummus, fruit becomes dessert!

The Right Packing Equipment

Another thing that makes lunch packing easier for the kids is having the right equipment. The more bags/containers they have to handle, the less likely they’ll bother packing a variety of foods.

This is why I’m a huge fan of the bento system, where the compartments are built-in and the kids feel compelled to fill them.

Quality & Convenience

Because I’m a blogger and a mom, not a farmer, I can’t personally grow and make every item my family consumes.

In my effort to avoid harmful additives, I’ve turned to brands with a commitment to quality. That’s the main reason I love Boar’s Head products.

Boar’s Head products are made with high-quality ingredients that never include artificial colors or flavors, MSG, fillers, by-products, or trans-fat. In addition, all Boar’s Head Meats, Cheeses, Condiments, and Spreads are gluten-free.

Easy Slider Recipes

For fear of sounding like an old lady for talking about “when I was a kid” I have to say that I was surprised at how much of my kids’ lunches they eat OUTSIDE of lunchtime.

Depending on which lunch block they are in, lunch may fall so early they simply aren’t hungry yet, or so late that they are starving an hour or two earlier. That’s one reason I really like snack-sized portions of the different items they pack.

It’s also why I (and they) like packing sliders instead of traditional sandwiches. With sliders, they can easily adapt their entree portion to their appetites (growth spurts wreak havoc on portion consistency). They can also pack two (or more) different sandwiches which is, for some reason, super cool to kids.

My youngest daughter really loves packing sliders so today I’m sharing her two favorite slider recipes. They’re super quick and simple — perfect for kids!

Brown Sugar Glazed Ham and Cheese Slider

Ingredients:

• 1 small dinner roll or slider roll
• 2 slices Boar’s Head Smoked Virginia Ham
• 1 slice Boar’s Head American Cheese
• 1 teaspoon Boar’s Head Brown Sugar & Spice Ham Glaze

Directions:

1. Slice roll in half. Spread glaze on each half.
2. Fold cheese in half and then in half again. Break apart into 4 pieces.
3. Fold one slice of ham to fit on bottom half of roll. Top with 2 of the cheese pieces. Repeat layers.
4. Place top half of bun on top of the last layer of cheese.

Honey Mustard Turkey and Swiss Slider

Ingredients:

• 1 small dinner roll or slider roll
• 2 slices Boar’s Head Honey Smoked Turkey Breast
• 1 slice Boar’s Head Swiss Cheese
• 1 teaspoon Boar’s Head Honey Mustard

Directions:

1. Slice roll in half. Spread honey mustard on each half.
2. Fold cheese in half and then in half again. Break apart into 4 pieces.
3. Fold one slice of turkey to fit on bottom half of roll. Top with 2 of the cheese pieces. Repeat layers.
4. Place top half of bun on top of the last layer of cheese.

Looking for more lunch ideas? Check out more tips and recipes for going Back to School with Boar’s Head.