You can get protein into Paleo lunches in lots of ways. Protein is just too important to leave off the menu. It builds, maintains, and replaces just about every tissue in the body. Kids need protein to thrive; without it, they can even be moody and less-focused — and that’s not good for school!
Here are some great protein lunch solutions courtesy of Audrey Olson, Paleo blogger and author of Primal Kitchen: A Family Grokumentary:
Meat leftovers, such as chicken drumsticks, roast beef, or meatballs
Preservative-free and nitrate-free organic lunchmeats
Liverwurst from pastured animals (try a braunschweiger, which is liverwurst with bacon added)
Hard-boiled or deviled eggs
Egg salad or chicken salad made with homemade Paleo mayo
A stainless steel thermos of beef stew, Paleo chili, or spaghetti squash topped with a ground meat Bolognese sauce
Egg muffins or mini quiches without the crust
Smoked or canned wild salmon
Canned tuna in water (watch out for sneaky added ingredients like vegetable oils)
You can add healthy fats to your lunchbox to further aid satiation. When you eat good-for-you fats, your blood sugar stabilizes, and you stay full longer. Probably one of the best ways to keep your kiddos satisfied in the hunger department at school is to be sure they have a healthy dose of fat in their diets.
You have lots of options to get a dose of fats into Paleo packed lunches. Here are some ideas to get started. Each one of these fast picks will provide the nutrition kids need to keep their bodies moving and their brains active. Even if your child is a picky eater, these fats prove to be kid-approved as well as Paleo-approved!
Raw, unsweetened nut butters
Homemade salad dressings and dips using Paleo oils
Coconut milk in some tea (for the older kids)
Avocadoes or guacamole
Crumbled bacon to top salads or hearty leftovers such as soup
Olives
Coconut meat or chips
