My kids went back to school this week. In the United States at least, that means 180 days of school lunches. Multiply that by my two kids, and we’ve got 360 school lunches to pack. For friends of mine with three or more school-aged children, we’re talking over 500 lunches between now and next summer break. No wonder coming up with lunch box ideas that are easy AND healthy can become challenging.
And that’s before you even factor in kids’ own preferences. After all, if they don’t think it’s “fun” or yummy, they won’t eat it.
That’s why I’m sharing my cheat sheet of lunch box ideas, organized not by complete meals but by components. I’ve found that if you start by thinking of food/nutritional categories, that makes the “what goes in the lunchbox” process easier to break down.
Where to start:
I’m a big fan of the basic approach behind MyPlate: lots of veggies/fruit, some protein, some grains, and some dairy (or other calcium source) for building bones. If you don’t hit every group at a given meal, that’s OK, so long as it evens out over the course of the day.
Thinking in terms of nutritional groups makes it easier to cover your bases according to your family’s (or child’s) specific dietary needs: vegetarian, gluten-free, kosher, vegan, etc. There’s more to the protein group than just meats, more to grains than wheat-based products, and ways to get dietary calcium besides dairy products.
So keep that in mind as you read the rest of this post, and make mental adjustments accordingly.
QUICK TIP: Want to make packing healthy lunches super-easy? Invest in a couple of good bento-style lunch boxes, with separate compartments for different food groups. You can get the fancier ones for $25-$40 each, or more basic ones for $15-$25. They’re an eco-friendly investment you can reuse for years to come, and they’ll save you time and energy when packing up those lunches day after day!
Lunch Box Ideas: A Cheat Sheet For Busy Parents
A) Fruits and Veggies
Did you know that approximately half your plate at every meal should be fruits and vegetables? It’s not surprising that most Americans don’t get enough! But including these healthy, nutrient-packed offerings in every meal is critical.
Fruits and vegetables are high in dietary fiber, which is important for regulating our digestive systems as well as helping us feel “full” for longer after meals. The vitamins and minerals in fruits and veggies can help heal us when we’re sick or injured, regulate blood pressure, and prevent heart disease and cancer. And the fact that they’re low-calorie means that filling up on them can help you maintain a healthy weight.
Fortunately, there are lots of simple options to fill your child’s lunchbox with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Our go-to staples include
- Baby carrots (we buy them in 2- or even 5-pound bags on sale) and baby tomatoes
- Celery sticks, string beans, and the “spears” inside a head of romaine (save those tiny condiment containers from takeout/fast food, and tuck in a little dip or dressing)
- Frozen vegetables (they’ll thaw by the time your kids reach school)
- Leftover salad (my kids love this for snack sometimes, too!)
- Grapes, apple wedges, or a banana (see this great post for tips on keeping those apples and bananas fresh!)
- Sliced cucumbers or colored pepper strips
- Miniature colored sweet peppers, seeds and stem-end removed at home
- Fresh berries
- Clementines/other mini-oranges, which are easy for most kids to peel (or you can peel them at home in a matter of seconds)
- Cut-up mixed fruit chunks
- Applesauce/fruit purees – pouches, cups, or homemade (beware of added sugars, though)
- Broccoli or broccoli rabe (these are also a source of calcium)
- Kale (homemade kale chips are easy to make, way cheaper than store-bought, and my kids love them!)
- Dried fruits can also be a good option, with some caveats. Our dentist doesn’t like them because they tend to stick to teeth and promote tooth decay; the same is true for fruit roll-ups and fruit leathers. Also, many dried fruits are loaded with added sugars.
B) Protein sources
Protein helps your body build muscle and other tissues. It’s important to focus on lean sources of protein, though; protein high in fats, especially unhealthy saturated fats, can lead to excess weight gain, heart disease, and other things you’re better off avoiding.
- Leftover meat from meals, sliced or cut into bite-sized pieces
- Cold cuts or deli meats – my kids love them rolled up (don’t overdo these, though, as they’re usually high in sodium)
- Frozen meatballs (homemade or store-bought), cut into bite-sized pieces (they will thaw by lunchtime) – If you make your own, you can sneak in lots of veggies, too!
- Nuts/seeds or nut butters, if your school allows them (ours does not)
- Beans – Canned beans (preferably low-sodium, or rinse them well) are an inexpensive, ready-to-go staple in our house for quick meals and last-minute protein ideas
- Fish – cooked fish sticks, leftover pan-fried or baked fish, or canned fish (tuna, salmon, etc – if you live in a hot climate, you can swap olive oil and/or spices for mayo when making into tuna or salmon salad) – canned salmon is also a good source of calcium
- Eggs – hardboiled, deviled eggs, egg muffins or egg bites, etc.
- Edamame (which is also a great source of calcium)
- Cooked/seasoned tofu (which is also often a good calcium source)
- Cooked quinoa (this ancient grain is also a source of complete protein)
- Meat jerky or meat sticks
- Roasted chickpeas
- Hummus – great for dipping baby carrots or other veggie sticks into
C) Grain sources
Grains – especially unrefined whole grains – are great sources of lots of vitamins and minerals our bodies need, as well as fiber. Dietary fiber not only helps you feel full, it’s important to keep your digestive system running smoothly.
Our favorite lunchtime grain sources include
- Sliced bread, rolls, pita, English muffins, etc.
- Tortillas (flour or corn), plain or with fillings
- Crackers (whether made from wheat or rice or another grain)
- Corn chips (add a small container of salsa to sneak in more veggies!)
- Pretzels
- Graham crackers
- Rice cakes
- Cooked rice, oats, bulgur, or another grain (cooked amaranth is also high in calcium)
- Granola and granola bars
- Popcorn
- Cooked noodles or other pasta
- Cereal (Os, squares, etc. make a great finger-food lunch or snack item)
- Leftover pancakes, waffles, or French Toast (cut into sticks or triangles makes them more fun, and egg-rich French Toast adds protein, too)
- Homemade quick breads (banana bread, zucchini bread, etc. sneak in extra fruits and veggies!)
- Homemade muffins (blueberry, banana, zucchini also sneak in extra vegetables & fruits)
D) Dairy and non-dairy calcium sources
Besides the items noted above, you can add calcium to your child’s school lunch with
- Milk, which kids can often buy at school
- Yogurt smoothie drinks and probiotic yogurt drinks
- Calcium-fortified non-milk beverages (most soy, almond, coconut, etc. beverages contain extra calcium, and some orange juices are now also calcium-fortified)
- Yogurt cups or yogurt tubes
- Cheese slices, cheese cubes, cheese sticks, cheese wedges, etc.
- White beans or black-eyed peas
- Calcium-fortified breakfast cereals, including instant oatmeal
- Pudding made with milk or a calcium-rich milk substitute
- Raw almonds, some seeds, and oranges – though not as calcium-rich as other sources listed above, these also score higher-than-average
Do you have favorite lunch box ingredients that I missed? Let us know in the comments! And also see my next post on more hacks to make school lunch prep a little faster and easier!
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So many lunches! One of our favorites is hummus with carrots, pita bread, and a side of fruits, with almond milk.
This is great! I don’t have a child yet but this is definitely a great guide for someone like me who’s planning to have a child soon.
I always need lunch ideas! I feel like a few weeks into school we are all bored!
LOL been there, done that, hence this list 🙂 – reminders for myself as much as anything haha
Ooooo so many helpful suggestions!! My daughter gets sick of things pretty quickly, so I’m always trying to find new variations of things!
That’s about where we are half the time, too! So, glad this will help you change things up a bit! 🙂
these are amazing tips on making an easy and healthy lunch box for school
So glad you found them helpful!
I love these ideas. I have to keep these in mind when my little one starts school in a few weeks.
So glad they were helpful!
These are all wonderful ideas! I’m always looking for new and healthy meal options for my little one (and myself)! 🙂
You are so welcome, Monica! 🙂
Wow, when you break it down that way, it really is a lot of lunches we are putting together. We go back to school next week. I appreciate the lunch packing tips.
Wow! School has started already. I love the idea about the frozen meatballs. Yuum! School lunch was always nasty to me. I love the addition of fruit and veggies being a part of the meal as well.
You are so welcome, Rosey! And yeah, Nichelle, I was flabbergasted as well a) when I did the math and b) when my kiddos started going back earlier and earlier every August…ugh!
I like your list! Definitely saving this for the school year. I feel like I have such a tough time putting together a decent lunch, and it is so good to have a list in front of me.
So glad this is a helpful resource, then! 🙂
Cheese and crackers are really great! love these ideas
Cheese & crackers is a favorite for my kids! 🙂 So glad you liked the post!
These are great ideas! It’s so important to incorporate fruits and veggies in kids’ diets.
Absolutely!!! Whenever my kids get short for a few days, they regret it…
Awesome ideas! I love reading about school lunch ideas, although most of the ingredients used on the list are not available in our country. Still, I love looking at kid’s school lunches.
Aww, I know what you mean! What fascinates me is seeing what other countries serve their kids in SCHOOL lunches – so much more interesting and healthy than what kids traditionally get in the US…
These all look so good! I really need to step my game up this school year. I am so bad when it comes to packing lunches.
Well, hope this helps you out! 🙂
I don’t have kids- but I love these ideas for me! I am so busy so I’m always looking for great ideas to make my meals more enjoyable & healthy! Thanks!
So glad you like them, Kristina! It’s hard to think outside the box sometimes when you’re in a rut, so I’m glad this helps! 🙂
I love how you’ve listed things out. That is a ton of school lunches and I never would have thought to calculate it like that!
Glad you liked the breakdown-by-categories, Angela! 🙂
I love these ideas! I have a few years before my daughter is school aged, but we often pack a lunch during family days out, so I will keep these in mind.
Glad you liked them so much! 🙂
What great lunchbox ideas! My daughter goes back to school next week so will have to give some of these ideas a go…
So glad you liked them, Kate! 🙂
Awesome list! My oldest just finished his first week of kindergarten and I already feel like 5 days per week is going to be a lot harder than the 3 days when he was in preschool! We have a bento box lunchbox which is divided by food type so we already think this way but I hadn’t thought about some of these foods. We have a hard time with dairy/calcium because he doesn’t like a lot of cheese which is easiest to pack.
Yesssss…dairy has been hard for us, too. If your son is drinking his 3 glasses of milk a day at home, that should be a good start. I’m glad my girls like broccoli so much, esp. when it has some melted cheese sprinkled on top – even if it’s cooled, they still get excited to see that in their lunchboxes!