We have tons of healthy School Lunch Ideas for kids (and a free printable you could hang in the kitchen) to help with burn-out from the grind of making kids lunches each day.
And, if you need some kid-friendly meal ideas, try our popular Hawaiian Meatballs, Spaghetti Pie, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Turkey Club Wrap, or Pizza Sliders.
Mastering the art of school lunch ideas monotony!
Mastering the art of school lunch ideas monotony!As a mom of 4 school-age kids, I get how packing a healthy lunch for them each day is a grind! I created this free school lunch ideas pdf years ago for our family to use and things have gone more smoothly ever since. I laminated mine so it has lasted for years.
I've also included my best 4 best tips to winning the school lunch game; just read on.
Tip #1: Have pre-made or freezer-friendly options:
Have items in your fridge or freezer you can just throw in a lunchbox and your done! This works well for breakfast items, too, for an easy grab-n-go morning.
- Freezer Muffins will thaw by the time it's lunchtime. Try our Snickerdoodle Muffins, Healthy Banana Muffins, Chocolate Chip Muffins, Skinny Chocolate Muffins, and Healthy Pumpkin Muffins.
- Hard boiled eggs -make a dozen and label them in the fridge for an easy protein to add to any lunch.
- Snacks: Chewy Granola Bars, Protein Bars, Trail Mix, Chex Mix, Granola Bites, Beef Sticks, and Instant Pot Applesauce. Check out all of my healthy snacks for kids!
- Homemade yogurt with healthy granola.
- Breakfast items: Freezer Breakfast Sandwiches, Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets, Breakfast Burritos, Sheet Pan Pancakes, and Chocolate Overnight Oats (stored in the fridge).
Tip #2: Use your leftovers
When making dinner, make extra so you have enough to heat in a food thermos for school lunch the next day. This works well for pastas, soups, and casseroles, like:
- Pasta: Boursin Pasta, Swedish Meatballs, or American Goulash.
- Soup: Taco Soup, White Chicken Chili, Chicken and Dumplings, or Corn Chowder.
- Casseroles: Chicken Casserole, Chicken Noodle Casserole, or Pizza Casserole.
Tip #3: Pack Lunch the Night Before (Have Kids Help!)
- Fresh Sandwich Trick: To keep sandwiches from getting soggy, place cheese slices directly on the bread, and then the mayo and mustard on top of the cheese. This establishes a barrier to the bread and will keep it fresh, especially if you're making it the night before.
Tip #4: Have the Right Equipment
Lunch Box Containers: I've tried them all, and I always come back to these simple bento-style containers that don't have a million parts to clean, are easy to open, dishwasher-friendly, and leak proof. But these Bentgo boxes are a really popular choice as well.
Thermos Containers our our favorite for enjoying leftover hot food for lunch.
Lunch Bag: I am obsessed with these lunch bags that come with the ice packs! They are durable and have held up so well for us.
Don't Miss These Sales!
- My favorite divided lunch containers are 30% off right now!
- Lunch Bags with built in ice packs less than $20! Just keep the whole bag in the freezer. We have the snack size of these and use them constantly!
- Reusable utensils with fun case are only $15!
- Cute lunch box joke cards are on sale for only $5 and are sure to create a smile!
- I love to use Silicone Muffin Liners in my kid's lunch boxes when they need one more little compartment. They are so handy and you can get 12 for $6.
- All prices accurate at time of publishing
Free Printable
Recipe
School Lunch Ideas
Equipment
- Kid's Thermos , for hot food
Ingredients
Main Course:
- Meat, Cheese and Crackers
- Pita bread and hummus
- Chicken salad on roll or croissant
- Ham and cheese sliders
- Wrap: like Turkey Bacon Avocado wrap, or Chicken Caesar
- Pasta salad
- Pizza Quesadillas
- Tuna with crackers, or on sandwich
- Healthy Muffins
- Sushi Rolls
- Bagel and cream cheese
- 7-layer Bean dip with chips
Hot Lunch (Thermos Ideas):
- Leftovers: casseroles, pasta, Mexican food
- Oatmeal
- Soup or Chili
- Egg Casserole
- Chicken nuggets
- Ravioli
- Waffles, French Toast, Pancakes
- Taquitos
- Mac and Cheese , or heat up a container of easy mac
- Grilled Cheese
Veggies:
- Cucumber
- Cherry Tomato
- Avocado
- Edamame
- Snap peas
- Celery
- Carrots
- Bell peppers
- Pickles
- Broccoli florets
- Olives
Fruit :
- Peaches
- Cutie orange
- Apples
- Berries
- Banana
- Applesauce
- Grapes
- Dried fruit
- Melon, cut into cubes
Sides and Treats:
- Trail mix
- Nuts
- Granola bars , or Granola Bites
- Fruit leather
- String cheese
- Cottage cheese
- Popcorn
- Chex mix
- Yogurt and Granola
- Rice crackers
- Fig bar
- Rice Cakes
- Fruit snacks
- Hard boiled egg
- Celery with peanut butter
Complete Meal Ideas:
- Summer sausage slices, Cheese cubes, crackers, sliced cucumber, apples
- Hummus and pita bread, hard boiled egg, grapes, yogurt Tube
- Healthy muffin, veggies and dip, string cheese, berries
- Pasta Salad, carrots, granola ball
- California sushi roll, almonds, applesauce
- Sandwich, edamame, cutie orange
- Tuna with crackers, pickle, string cheese, strawberries
- Quesadilla, chip with salsa and guac, apple slices
- Bagel with cream cheese, trail mix, veggies
- Turkey wrap, celery with peanut butter, fruit
What additional tips and ideas do YOU have?! Share with us below!
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I originally shared this post August 2016. Updated August 2022 and 2024.
This post contains affiliate links.
Thanks for suggesting that we make the lunches at night and not in the morning. I’ve been letting my nieces and nephews stay with me while their parents are on vacation, and it’s been difficult for me to make their lunches in time in the morning. I’ll definitely follow your advice and start making their lunches the night before. I know it’ll make the mornings a lot less stressful!
Thanks for sharing! I actually think my kids would eat this too!
This was so helpful! They are healthy and filling meals!
What an assortment of colorful lunchbox ideas! Check out these healthy lunchbox illustrations that can help busy parents plan kids lunch meals ahead of time.
http://etsy.me/2w1zvCm
Juju Sprinkles
http://jujusprinkles.com
Thank you so much for all your fantastic ideas! I have already printed your meal suggestions, and I’ve placed them on the fridge. Every day my kids take their time looking at them while deciding what meal they want for the day to come. Now they are both happier because they get to choose what they are going to eat and I am so pleased as well with this time-saving process that allows my children to eat healthily every day!
Yay!! I’m so happy yo hear that! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Its really hard to think on what to bring for your lunch everyday, like I seriously run out of ideas and just end up bringing the same food. Kudos to this article for helping me in my everyday burden.
https://www.change.org/p/johnson-johnson-bring-back-ziploc-3-compartment-lunch-containers?recruiter=371244128&utm_source=petitions_show_components_action_panel_wrapper&utm_medium=copylink
Please Bring back the ziploc containers!!!
Love all these ideas so much!
These look so dang good! Thanks so much for sharing!
These are perfect ideas. I pack lunch for my son every day and trying to come up with something new is hard. Thanks so much for the list of ideas.