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100 School Lunches for Kids

SCHOOL LUNCH BOX IDEAS FOR KIDS

 

Are you burned out from packing the same pb&j and apple in your kids’ lunch day after day?

Then you’ve come to the right place! Here are over 30 real-life lunches that will help you find some school lunch inspiration. Plus, you will find over 25 easy lunch recipes, FAQs, our favorite lunch boxes and accessories as well as our top tips for making packing lunches even easier!

I refuse to spend a ton of time making school lunches so all of these lunches were packed in roughly 5-10 minutes, all while I was making dinner. I usually pack school lunches at night while I’m making dinner because I just can’t get my sh*t together enough in the mornings.

TIP: To make simple, easy and fast school lunches I utilized leftovers and simple ingredients I can pull out of my fridge – no fancy labor-intensive recipes involved.

So if you see nachos in one of the lunches, we probably had taco night for dinner and I used the leftovers for a fun nacho lunch. Muffins – I had those leftovers from the weekend when I did have some time to make some fresh muffins, but you could also use store-bought. Same with pasta and pizza – all leftovers.

All the extra cute Pinterest-worthy items – animal or eyeball picks, sandwiches, fruit and veggies cut into shapes are ALL OPTIONAL. Please 🙏 do not feel like you have to go the extra mile here; they are just kids’ lunches, after all. I have a slight bento box accessory shopping problem 🙈, so I add in a few extras. But you will still be a fantastic parent and lunch-maker if you skip them altogether.

Looking to send your kid to school with a healthy homemade lunch, but you are all out of ideas?

Then you are in the right spot! This guide to lunches for kids is everything!

It’s a one-stop shop for easy, healthy and delicious school lunch box inspiration.

Over 100 of our favorite school lunch ideas that are both kid and mom-approved! 🙌

And because I know you will have a ton of other amazing school lunch ideas of your own 😎, I made a blank cheat sheet for you (or your kids) to fill out with your own favorite go-to things to pack for school lunches.

 

FAVORITE LUNCH BOXES

I tested out the top 6 lunch boxes to help you find the perfect lunch box for your toddler, preschooler, or big kid that can go anywhere they go – school, preschool, a school pod, lunch at home, a playdate, or a fun outing. Here are my top 3 lunch boxes for kids:

BEST OVERALL LUNCH BOX: OMIEBOX

We love the OmieBox because it has a built-in thermos that can be inserted into the lunch box for warm or cold foods that can be removed if needed. How brilliant is that? Plus, you can insert dividers in the 2 smaller sections to separate the food, and each section is leakproof.

BEST ECO-FRIENDLY BENTO BOX: PLANETBOX ROVER

We have been using the Planetbox Rover for years, and we all absolutely love it! The Rover holds a good amount of food for both my 5 and 7-year-olds, and I know I can pack it with even more food as they grow. My girls love the fun magnets, the carrying case, and the small colorful pods you can add into the bento for small amounts of food. This lunchbox is made completely without plastic – it is made with only stainless steel and food-grade silicone.

BEST FOR YOUNGER KIDS: BENTGO

This is a great little lunch box for younger kids or kids who don’t eat very much. I loved that it is a compact, lightweight, and completely leakproof lunchbox. My kids loved the fun designs on the front. Plus, this lunchbox is super easy to open and shut for younger kids.

BEST VALUE LUNCH BOX: EASY LUNCH BOXES

A very basic bento that comes in a 4-pack with different colored lids. This set of Bentos comes with the smallest price tag, and you can get all 4 boxes for under $20. This bento is a great size for both kids and grown-ups which means you can use them for the entire family. They aren’t made with the highest quality of materials (BPA-Free Plastic), but we have had our bento boxes for over 6 years, and they are still going strong. I think every family should have a set of these. They are also a great option if your kid tends to misplace everything in their life;).

 

LUNCH BOX PACKING TOOLS

Besides having a lunch box, it’s great to have some of these tools on hand to make it easier to pack fun lunches.

LUNCH PACKING TIPS

  • Find a good time for you to pack school lunches – this may be the night before or the morning of. Find a time and stick to it.
  • Get your kids involved – have them pick a few fruits or veggies they want to eat in their lunches for the week, help chop the veggies, make the sandwich, or even have them pick out the fun dip containers or food picks used.
  • Utilize leftovers – make sure you take advantage of using any leftovers that will work as a cold lunch – cooked chicken, pizza, pasta, sauces, etc.
  • Plan it out – using this handy printable, you can plan your kids’ lunches for the week.
  • Have your child pick out food – sit down with your child and highlight all of the foods on the list below that they would love to have in their lunches, and then highlight (in a different color) 2-3 items that they want to try over the next couple of weeks. Go slow and let them be in charge of it.
  • Have your child help make their lunch – kids that help prep and make food in the kitchen are more likely to eat a variety of foods. Have your kid help chop veggies, wash and slice fruit, make a sandwich or simply place the items in their lunchbox.
  • Always serve something you know they’ll eat- when serving unfamiliar foods, or foods that are not your child’s favorite, always serve it alongside something that you know they will eat. And just because they may not like something, it doesn’t mean you have to stop serving it. The more exposure they have to a food and become familiar, the more likely they are to eat it. Plus, their friend at school might happen to have the same food in their lunchbox, which could entice your kid to eat it. Peer pressure isn’t always a bad thing 😉
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HOW TO BUILD A LUNCH FOR KIDS

  • Try to include at least 3 food groups
  • Make one food group protein to help keep them full
  • Avoid sugary drinks like soda, juice, lemonade, etc.
  • Serve foods in an age appropriate way (cut up v. whole) and in age appropriate serving sizes
  • Include different colors to make the meal more appealing
  • Limit high sugar and sodium foods
  • Serve a variety of foods instead of the same ones to encourage them to try new foods

KID SERVING SIZES

Serving sizes will vary from child to child but generally, kids need a quarter of the portion an adult does. Parents tend to overestimate servings for their children. I recommend starting small not to overwhelm your kid and give seconds if your kid wants more. Keep in mind it’s totally ok if your child eats more or less of these serving sizes. Here are some examples of typical serving sizes for kids ages 2-12:

  • 1/4 cup dry cereal
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 banana
  • 1/4 -1/2 slice of bread
  • 1/2 egg
  • 1 oz. meat
  • 1/2 piece of fresh fruit
  • 1/3 cup of yogurt
  • 1-2 tablespoons of cooked veggies

KID LUNCH BOX RECIPES

  1. Homemade Uncrustables
  2. Homemade Pita Pizza
  3. Pizza Muffins
  4. Veggie Muffins
  5. Fruit on the Bottom Yogurt
  6. Healthy Banana Muffins
  7.  
  8. Homemade Pizza Lunchables
  9. Easy Spinach Muffins
  10. Beet Hummus
  11. Easy Pizza Pinwheels
  12. Veggie-Loaded Hummus 
  13. Back-to-School Lunch Idea
  14. DIY Heart Pizza Lunchable
  15. Freezer-Friendly Spinach Waffles
  16. Rainbow Fruit Skewers
  17. Blueberry Avocado Mini Muffins
  18. On-The-Go Granola Bars
  19. Healthy Strawberry Yogurt Dip
  20. Valentine’s Day School Lunch
  21. Halloween School Lunch for Kids
  22. Avocado Tuna Salad in Mini Pita Pockets
  23. Cheesy Broccoli Quinoa Bites
  24. Easy Veggie “Fried” Rice
  25. Kale Pesto Chicken Quesadilla
  26. Easy Tomato Soup with Cheesy Bread Dippers
  27. Mini Chicken + Carrot Meatballs
  28. Pesto Summer Salad
  29. Mini Bagel Pizzas with Pepper “Sprinkles”
  30. Turkey + Carrot Roll-Ups
  31. Tortellini-on-a-Stick with Marinara Dipping Sauce
  32. Caprese Salad on a Stick with Basil Dipping Sauce
  33. Veggie-Loaded Rainbow Pizza
  34. Harvest Chicken Salad
  35. bagel with cream cheese and hemp seed “sprinkles”
  36. cheese tortellini with marinara dipping sauce
  37. nut butter & jelly rollups*
  38. nut butter, banana & honey sandwich*
  39. cheese, bean & corn quesadilla with mild guacamole on the side
  40. cold pasta salad
  41. Homemade Uncrustable
  42. cheese pizza with olives & peppers on bagel or flatbread
  43. udon noodles with veggies and nut butter sauce*
  44. grilled chicken nuggets with pesto dipping sauce
  45. pancakes, hard boiled egg and turkey bacon
  46. waffles & cream cheese sandwich
  47. tuna fish in mini pita bread
  48. turkey & cheese roll-ups with a pickle
  49. baked chicken nuggets with honey mustard dipping sauce
  50. hummus, chopped veggies and pita bread wedges
  51. bean & cheese nachos
  52. sliced apple & nut butter “sandwich”*
  53. veggie nuggets with ranch dipping sauce
  54. healthy Lunchables – rolled turkey, salami, sliced cheese and crackers
  55. yogurt, granola and berries
  56. chicken salad with crackers
  57. baked crispy tofu cubes
  58. cream cheese & carrot pinwheels
  59. veggie-loaded pizza rollups
  60. tomato soup with cheese bread dippers
  61. chicken noodle soup
  62. beans & rice with a sprinkle of cheese
  63. mini bean & cheese burrito
  64. macaroni & cheese with chicken chunks and peas
  65. meatballs with BBQ toppings on the side
  66. oatmeal with DIY toppings on the side
  67. chili with broccoli & cheese cornbread
  68.  
 *use sunflower butter for nut-free schools

FRUITS & VEGGIES SIDES

Chopped fruits and veggies are a healthy and easy thing to add to any lunch box. Pack whichever fruits and veggies are in season, your child prefers or you have in the fridge.

FRUIT

  • berries
  • apple slices
  • applesauce: homemade or store-bought, cinnamon, carrot, strawberry applesauce and 8 more easy flavors
  • mandarin oranges
  • banana
  • grapes
  • dried fruit: strawberries, mango, berries, banana, etc
  • cantaloupe chunks
  • watermelon
  • orange sections
  • honeydew balls
  • fruit cup
  • mango
  • kiwi
  • peaches
  • pineapple
  • pomegranate seeds
  • fruit kabob

 

VEGGIES

  • broccoli florets
  • celery sticks
  • carrots – sticks, baby, coins
  • snap peas
  • edamame
  • sliced peppers
  • olives
  • cherry tomatoes
  • jicama
  • avocado (squeeze of lemon keeps it from browning)
  • peas
  • green beans
  • cauliflower florets
  • pickles
  • sliced zucchini
  • corn
  • cucumber slices

SOMETHING FUN (OPTIONAL)

While a small treat, chips or store-bought foods are completely optional items to pack in your child’s lunch, a little bit of fun food does go a long way. If you prefer, you can also send a handwritten note or opt for foods that are on the healthier side (popcorn, mini chocolate chips, pirates booty, etc).

  • mini chocolate chips
  • trail mix
  • chocolate covered raisins
  • mini marshmallows
  • graham crackers
  • pretzels
  • popcorn
  • veggie sticks
  • pirates booty
  • mini muffin
  • 2-bite brownie or cookie
  • chocolate covered pretzels
  • yogurt covered raisins
  • yogurt covered pretzels
  • rice crispy treats
  • chocolate-covered nuts, seeds or dried fruit
  • baked chips
  • corn chips with mild salsa
  • gummy treats
  • homemade treat
  • kale chips
  • energy bites
  • seed crackers with guacamole
  • yogurt tubes (frozen or cold)
  • cheddar snacks
  • pudding
  • string cheese

Top 10 Lunch Combos

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FAQs

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