It’s that time of year again when kids are going back to school and things aren’t just hectic for them, parents also have to make sure that their kids are prepped for success with all of the essentials they need: including essential nutrients. That’s where shrimp come in!

Did you know that wild-caught American shrimp are an excellent source of a variety of nutrients that encourage healthy development in children? They contain calcium, protein, and plenty of other vitamins to keep them going strong through anything their curriculum throws at them!

What better meal to send with your kids than wild-caught American shrimp? They’re adaptable for a multitude of meals, are easily kept fresh with a bag of ice or ice pack, and are packed with protein to help your kids get through their school days. Check out some of our favorite quick and easy shrimp recipes that are perfect for school lunches!

Terri’s Gulf-Caught Shrimp Salad

Terri’s Gulf-Caught Shrimp Salad is easy to make and sure to please: try making it for yourself and your family the next time you need something great for dinner and for a school lunch the next day!

INGREDIENTS

5 pounds M&M Brand shrimp boiled and chopped fine
2 boiled eggs – chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green onion
2 tablespoons chopped pickle relish
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/4 teaspoon bell pepper

DIRECTIONS

Boil shrimp as hot as you like them and salt to your taste.
Refrigerate for at least 12 hours for a better, tastier salad.

Grilled Chilled Shrimp Rolls

These Grilled Chilled Shrimp Rolls are a Wild American Shrimp spin on classic lobster rolls: perfect for parties and packing for lunches!

Recipe courtesy of Grill Nation: 200 Surefire Recipes, Tips, and Techniques to Grill Like a Pro (2015, Oxmoor House) by David Guas, Chef/Owner of Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery – Arlington, VA

“This is my take on the classic New England lobster roll. Serve this buttery, rich sandwich with a crisp, cold Sam Adams beer.”

Serves: 4 to 6

Hands-on: 10 minutes

Total: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1.5 pounds                              Raw shrimp, peeled, deveined

1 tablespoon                           Olive oil

To season                                Kosher salt

To season                                Black pepper, freshly ground

1/2 cup                                    Mayonnaise (such as Duke’s)

1tablespoon                            Creole mustard

1/2 teaspoon                          Celery seeds

1/4 teaspoon                          Ground red pepper

6 dashes                                  Hot sauce (such as Crystal)

1/4 cup                                    Green onions, cup

1/2 cup                                    Red onion, finely diced

4-6 each                                  Potato hot dog rolls

As desired                               Butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

Light charcoal grill or preheat gas grill to 350° to 400° (medium- high). Toss shrimp with oil in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Place shrimp on cooking grate, and grill 2 minutes; turn and grill an additional 2 minutes. Remove shrimp from grill; cover and chill 30 minutes.

Combine mayonnaise, mustard, celery seeds, red pepper, hot sauce, green onions, and red onion; mix well. Chop cooled shrimp, and add to mayonnaise mixture; cover and chill until ready to use.

Brush inside of each roll with melted butter, and place on cooking grate; grill until lightly toasted. Remove toasted rolls from grill, and fill with shrimp mixture.

Seafood Fried Rice

This recipe for Seafood Fried Rice isn’t just amazing for school lunches: it makes enough to fill a whole family any meal of the week!

INGREDIENTS

4 cups of cooked rice
4 tablespoons butter
½ cup chopped onion
1 stick chopped celery
½ chopped green onion
4 cloves chopped garlic
1/3 cup shredded carrot
A dozen large wild-caught American shrimp: shelled and chopped into 3 large pieces each
½ cup crab meat
½ tablespoon fish sauce
A pinch of red pepper flakes
An egg can be added as a binder, as can almost any vegetable that you like (eggplant, corn, peas, etc)

DIRECTIONS

Melt the butter in a sauté pan and add all of the vegetables, sauté for at least 10 minutes. Add the rice and mix thoroughly. Season with the fish sauce and red pepper flakes, add the shrimp and cook for 3-4 minutes, until just done. Add the crab meat, mixing carefully and serve immediately.

Hungry for more tasty shrimp recipes? Visit our Recipes page with plenty of meals perfect for more school lunches! Need to buy shrimp for yourself or a wholesale order for an event? Visit our Buy Our Shrimp page to order wild-caught American shrimp straight from our processors!