Here comes the school year! And with it, the creative challenge of what to put in your kids' lunchboxes. Day after day. For the next ten months, give or take. It's no wonder many caregivers struggle to come up with fresh combos of healthy, tasty meals that travel well.

We've got fresh ideas and hot tools to help you avoid GMOs in your kids' lunchboxes.

#1 — Choose ingredients that are low risk for containing GMOs

A simple way of keeping GMOs out of your child's lunchbox is to center meal planning around ingredients that are not considered high-risk. (Risk status is based on the likelihood a crop or ingredient comes from a GMO source — you can find out more here). 

For example, chickpeas are a low-risk crop that's both delicious and versatile. Make them a lunch centerpiece with falafels, or add a side of hummus and veggies. You can also roast them  for a satisfying standalone snack. 

Or, trade potatoes, which are on the High-Risk List, for sweet potatoes which are low-risk. Fries or fritters made from sweet potatoes are nutritious, great tasting and pair well with a variety of dipping sauces. Here's another pro tip: Popcorn is naturally resistant to GMO contamination and not on the high-risk list. So, instead of chips made from high-risk corn, go for popcorn.

#2 — Explore plant-based options

A lot of GMO soy, corn and cottonseed ends up in animal feed, making meat, eggs and dairy important places to choose non-GMO. Substitute plant-based protein alternatives whenever possible or look for the Butterfly on animal-derived products (we'll explore that further below) to vote with your dollars for a non-GMO food supply.

If you're curious about plant-based, or just plain hungry, the folks behind Veganuary offer a wealth of ideas and recipes through this Vegan School Lunch Challenge website. Plus, Veg News published a bunch of kid-approved vegan lunch options that can be adapted for a non-GMO lifestyle by replacing high-risk corn products and wheat (which is currently on the monitored risk list) with low-risk alternatives or Non-GMO Project Verified and USDA organic options (think: Verified or organic tortillas, breads and pasta, or products made from alternative flours like rice, lentil or quinoa).

#3 — Use our produce guide

Adding a piece of fruit or some cut veggies to your kid's lunch is one of the best ways to jump-start healthy habits. However, the biotechnology industry has a growing interest in GMO fruits and veggies that could sneak into a lunch box (for example, pre-cut GMO apple slices that are engineered to resist browning). 

Under current regulations, many new GMOs made from emerging techniques such as gene editing won't be labeled. That's where we come in. Check out our produce guide for help identifying GMO fruits and vegetables currently on the market, as well as a rundown of those in development. 

Remember: If the apple won't brown, put it down. If the pineapple is pink, stop and think.

#4 — Look for the Butterfly

Of course, the most important thing you can do is look for the Butterfly. Choosing Non-GMO Project Verified products gives you access to more lunchtime options and helps support the farmers and ranchers growing food without GMOs. That's a win-win.

For example, how is a quesadilla made with low-risk ingredients different from one made with Non-GMO Project Verified ingredients? The low-risk version might feature tortillas made with lentils, stuffed with a vegan cheese made from nut milks. If you look for the Butterfly, you could use corn or flour tortillas and be confident they were made with non-GMO corn or wheat. If you're still interested in plant-based, Verified soy-based cheese will be made from non-GMO soybeans. Or, cheese made from traditional dairy will come from livestock that were not fed GMOs. 

Looking for the Butterfly opens up a whole world of possibilities while helping to preserve the non-GMO food supply. Bring on the school year!

This blog was originally published on August 28, 2022 and has since been updated.