40+ Kids Lunch Ideas That Make Going Back to School a Breeze 

Along with gathering school supplies and soothing first-day jitters, the start of the school year brings one of the most daunting jobs for parents: packing lunches. Not only do we have to find food that kids will actually eat, we need to make sure it provides the fuel they need to get through the day and complies with school policies too. 

To help meet this challenge, I’ve rounded up more than 40 quick and easy school-friendly lunch ideas. They are organized into five categories so you can cut down on planning and prep, and focus on what really counts – making sure your little scholar is well-fed and ready to learn. 

• Freeze-ahead lunches includes tips to freeze sandwiches (yes you really can!) and fruit, plus products for freezing smoothies, so you can pop items straight from the freezer into the lunch box. 
• Bento box bounty includes a handy list for building a balanced box, products to get you started, plus ideas for fun “deconstructed” meals that kids will love. 
• Delicious dips includes a variety of nutrient-packed dips that add protein and interest to kids’ lunches. 
• Not sandwiches offers creative ideas that think outside the bread for kids and parents who are tired of packing the usual suspects. 
• Allergy-friendly swaps includes a detailed list of substitutions for dairy, gluten or nut-based products for kids that have allergies or go to schools with allergy-friendly guidelines.

Freeze-ahead lunches

What’s easier than grabbing lunch items from the freezer on busy mornings? Of course, you will have to do the prep work, but it will be worth it when you are running late. Even better, many of these can be put in the lunch box frozen to thaw throughout the day, eliminating the need for ice packs. 

• Freeze dinner leftovers. Whenever you have a hearty soup, chili or other hot meal, freeze one or two portions for later. Transfer from the freezer to fridge to defrost the night before, or defrost in the morning, heat and pack in a thermos. 

• Freeze-ahead sandwiches. Whether you make your own crustless-style sandwich or just prepare the traditional variety, grabbing a sandwich from the freezer to pop into a lunch box makes mornings easier.
  • Nut butters. PB&J, almond butter and honey, Nutella — the possibilities are endless. For freshness, spread a thin layer of the nut butter on each bread slice, then add jelly or more nut butter. The first layer serves as a moisture barrier, keeping the bread from becoming soggy. 
  • Lunch meats. You don’t want the juices from the meat to make the bread soggy, so try spreading a thin layer of butter or cream cheese or add cheese slices to both pieces of bread. Then, add the lunch meat. Leave off condiments, lettuce and tomatoes and pack them separately to be added once the sandwich thaws. Freeze prepped sandwiches in a single layer, then store them in individual bags. 
• Yogurt and smoothies. There are a variety of reusable products on the market, from tubes to pouches, that can be filled with yogurt or smoothies and frozen. Simply prepare a smoothie or grab a yogurt, fill your favorite reusable container and freeze. Pack these frozen in your child’s lunch box where it will thaw throughout the day.
• Muffins. A hit with both kids and parents, muffins can serve as a dessert or a way to add veggies, fruits and other nutrients to a lunch. Muffins freeze well and defrost right in the lunch box. Check out My Lovely Little Lunchbox for muffin recipes from sweet to savory.
• Breakfast for lunch. Pancakes, waffles and even French toast freeze well and defrost quickly. Make a kid-friendly batch by slicing French toast or waffles into strips or making small silver dollar-sized pancakes. Let them cool completely, then freeze on a cookie sheet. Store in resealable bags, and put into the lunch box frozen. Provide syrup for dipping or jam for spreading, and add a protein such as hard-boiled eggs or precooked sausage links to top it off.
• Fruits. Grapes and berries are great for lunches, but they spoil quickly in the fridge. Freezing these not only avoids food waste but also makes a great addition for school lunches. Wash and dry grapes or berries (blueberries work especially well) and freeze in a single layer. Store in single portions and pop them into the lunch box straight from the freezer.

Freezing tips:

Be sure to cool food completely before placing it into plastic bags or containers for freezing. When using resealable bags, squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing to avoid freezer burn. If freezing in glass containers, leave ½–1 inch of headspace at the top to accommodate expansion. 

Bento box bounty

Bento boxes aren’t only fun, they can lighten the decision-making load for parents. Inspired by kids’ lunch boxes in Japan, these segmented containers keep foods separated. Many even offer a small compartment for dips. When packing your bento box, choose a protein (usually placed in the main or largest compartment), a carb or grain, a vegetable, a fruit and a treat. This formula is a great way to help kids pack their own balanced meals. 

Keep smaller finger food like nuts, grapes or pretzels contained in your bento box by using silicone muffin cups. These are easy to wash and reuse, plus they add color to your lunch palate. 

Ideas for building a kid-friendly bento box lunch

• Main dish/protein. Try sandwiches (cut out with large cookie cutters for extra fun), cheese and crackers, hard-boiled eggs, or cheese and lunch meat (sliced, diced or rolled together for easy eating). 
• Fruit and veggie sides. Fill out the meal with fruits and vegetables by adding cut-up veggies such as bell pepper, celery, carrots, pickles or cherry tomatoes. For fruit, think easy-to-eat fruits such as sliced apples, orange segments, berries, grapes or dried fruit.
• Grains. Add fuel for school with carbohydrates such as chips, crackers, rice or pasta.
• Sweet treats. Finish off the meal with trail mix, cookies, mini muffins or fruit snacks. 
• Sauces and dips. Don’t forget to fill the dip compartment. Try ranch dips for veggies, peanut butter for apples and celery, flavored yogurt for fruits, hummus for carrots or cucumbers, or bean dips for chips.

Build-you-own-lunch ideas for bento boxes

Put ingredients from the meal ideas below into separate compartments in your bento box and let kids assemble it during lunch time.

• Tacos or burritos. Tortillas, refried beans or taco meat, shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, sour cream, and guacamole.
• Pizza. English muffin half or cut up pizza crust, sauce, shredded mozzarella, pepperoni slices, and olives.
• Nachos. Tortilla chips, taco meat, queso dip, sour cream, salsa and guacamole.

Delicious dips 

Kids love to dunk and dip, and it’s a parent-approved way to play with their food! Incorporating fun dips into school lunches is a fun way to change things up, and even add some nutrition. Fill your own containers or purchase packages in single portions.

• Avocado. Whether you use guacamole or just smashed avocado, kids will enjoy dipping tortilla chips, raw veggies or crackers into this heart-healthy fruit. The brand Wholly Guacamole makes mini cups that are perfect for lunch boxes.
• Hummus. Another nutritious dip, hummus can be paired with a variety of dippers from veggies to chips. Several brands sell hummus in individual portions, including Kirkland Signature and Simple Truth.
• Ranch dressing or dip. It’s a classic for a reason, ranch is a delicious accompaniment to veggies. Hidden Valley brand sells “dipping cups,” perfect for a lunch box.
• Nut butters. Nut butters make yummy, protein-packed dips for apple slices or celery sticks. Jif brand peanut butter sells “Jif-to-go” portioned cups.
• Sweetened yogurt. Greek yogurt holds up to dipping due to its thickness. Choose a flavor your kid enjoys or add your own sweetener to plain yogurt for dipping fruits. 
• Bean dip. Buy a commercial brand, or simply mix ¼ cup taco seasoning with a 15-ounce can of refried beans. (Use less taco seasoning if your kiddo likes less spice.) Bean dip goes well with chips and veggies alike. Sprinkle a little grated cheese on top for extra flavor. 
• Fluffernutter dip. Mix equal parts nut butter and marshmallow creme (or fluff) for a delicious dip for graham crackers or fruit.

Not sandwiches

For the kids who don’t want sandwiches, school lunch planning is even more challenging. Whether your student is tired of sandwiches or just doesn’t like them, here are some great alternatives. 

• Quesadillas. Easy to make the night before and endlessly customizable, quesadillas are a treat. Simply heat a tortilla in a skillet, top one half with filling, fold the tortilla in half and cook until the cheese is melted and the filling is heated through. Cut the quesadilla into smaller pieces and include guacamole or salsa for dipping. Fill your quesadilla with your child’s favorites, such as refried beans, shredded cheese, cooked taco meat, sliced fresh avocado or chicken strips. 
• Tortilla pinwheels. Spread a large flour tortilla with cream cheese, then layer on their favorite lunch meat. Roll the tortilla tightly, then slice it into discs for easy eating. Customize by swapping the cream cheese with guacamole, hummus or a thin layer of ranch dip. Use different lunch meats and consider adding in veggies like lettuce, bell pepper strips, sliced dill pickles or black olives.
• Kabobs. Bite-sized foods on a skewer are both fun and delicious. Find rounded tip, kid-friendly skewers online. Whether you choose fruits, veggies, meat, cheese or a combo, be sure to alternate the bites for an attractive presentation. Or better yet, let older kids make their own! Try meatballs and mozzarella for an Italian twist; salami, cheddar and cherry tomatoes for a charcuterie kabob; cut-up string cheese with lunch meat when you want to keep it simple, or just skewer up leftover meat from dinner. You can sneak in veggies in between bites of meat and cheese by adding olives, cucumber, cherry tomatoes or bell pepper chunks. And fruit kabobs make a great dessert! Find more inspiring ideas on the Plate in 28 blog. 
• Homemade lunchables. Making your own mix of items for kids to stack and eat rather than buying the packaged brand is not only less expensive, it also gives you the freedom to choose their favorite combos. It is easiest to use a divided lunch box like a bento box, but you can also use a regular lunch box as long as you keep wet and dry items separate with baggies or containers. 

Start by choosing a favorite cracker, lunch meat or cheese (or both), a fruit or vegetable and a sweet treat. Mix it up by using pretzels or pita bread instead of crackers and try using silicone muffin cups for separating items like pretzels or grapes. Consider adding a dip for extra fun. For treats, try fun-sized candy bars, chocolate kisses or gummies. Find even more ideas at The Domestic Dietician.

• Pasta salad. Most kids like pasta, and cold pasta salad can be a filling sandwich alternative. As a bonus, it’s easy to make ahead of time. Cook a box of pasta (use easy-to-eat types such as bowties or spirals) and allow it to cool completely. Toss the cooled pasta with some olive oil to coat it and prevent sogginess. Then choose your additions: cut up string cheese, cubed cheese, cubed salami or chicken, pepperoni slices, olives, cherry tomatoes, cut up cucumber, carrot slices or bell pepper strips. Store the pasta and additions separately in the fridge and toss together each serving before packing it up. You can mix in some dressing on the day you pack the lunch or put it in a container on the side. 

Allergy-friendly swaps

More and more children are being diagnosed with food allergies, which can cause life-threatening allergic reactions. Many schools have nut-free classrooms or tables to help prevent accidental exposures. As a mom to a child with severe nut allergies, I understand the struggle with school lunch. When my daughter’s friends wanted to sit with her at the nut-free table, many moms asked me for advice on what to pack. So whether your child has an allergy or isn’t allowed to bring certain foods into school, here are some products to make your life easier. 

Note: Always double check any product labels for allergens, as ingredients and manufacturing methods can change.

Peanut and tree nut substitutes

If your child wants to join a buddy at the nut-free table in the cafeteria, but they only eat PB&J, what’s a parent to do? Luckily, there are more nut butter substitutes than ever on the market. Here are a few of my favorites:

• WOWBUTTER, made from toasted soy.
• SunButter, made from sunflower seeds. The company also makes “Jammies,”  their own uncrustable-type sandwich with SunButter and grape jam. 
• Finally Nut Free, made with chickpeas. They even offer a chocolate-flavored version.
• Granola Butter, made from gluten-free oats and described as “spreadable granola.” It comes in many fun flavors.

Gluten-free bread products

For die-hard sandwich eaters, try these breads.

• Canyon Bakehouse. This bakery offers soft sandwich bread, plus rolls and bagels.
• Franz Bakery. Franz has a gluten-free line, including breads and buns.
• Schar. Schar offers a wide variety of gluten-free bread products.
• Udi’s. This company is certified gluten-free and offers bread, muffins, English muffins and more.  

Dairy-free products

Dairy-free lunches can be tough when cheese, milk and yogurt are staples of the school lunchroom. Those half-pints of milk are practically iconic, and no kid wants to feel left out. These dairy-free swaps can help kids enjoy the food they love while still feeling included in the lunchroom.

• Silk offers a variety of milk substitutes for every palate, as well as soy-based yogurts.
• Ripple makes a dairy-free milk substitute from peas. They offer a variety of products, including shelf-stable, 8-ounce cartons, perfect for lunch boxes.
• Almond Breeze comes in vanilla, unflavored and chocolate varieties, with both shelf-stable and refrigerated options available.
• Califa Farms offers oat, coconut, soy, almond and cashew milk.
• Babybel makes a plant-based version of their kid-friendly circle cheese. Pop these in the lunch and kids can eat tiny cheese wheels along with their friends.
• Kite Hill makes an almond-based cream cheese perfect for bagels, and an almond milk-based yogurt. 
• SO Delicious makes yogurt from coconut milk, and one variety even has chocolate shavings — yum! 

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