Now that school is officially back in full force, are you feeling a little bit overwhelmed with less time to do things? I am, and I think lunches take up a ton of time they should not. Plus, some mornings, I am just flat out of good ideas for a healthy lunch. Never fear, Pinterest to the rescue. I pulled together 50 of the best ideas for easy school lunches and snacks and wanted to share all of these great ideas with you. From nutritious and healthy snacks to wraps to never boring sandwiches, you are sure to find something both you and your kids love. Vegetarian and vegan ideas, too. Check out these drool-worthy recipes kids will love taking to school for lunch.
Healthy School Lunches
1. Vegan Taco Salad Wrap
I wanted to be able to offer my kids a healthy lunch that I knew I could make without spending hours in the kitchen and came across this vegan wrap recipe. At first, I thought my son would not like it because it is not turkey and cheese flavored, nor is there any ketchup inside, but he actually loves this easy taco salad wrap and it never gets smooshed flat like a sandwich does. When you highly want to add a little variety to true PBJ and the turkey and cheese on bread options, learn how to make sandwich wraps with veggies. You may be surprised when the kids come back asking for more of them. Even my picky eaters will come home with an empty lunch box on the days I send them to school with these.
2. No Bake Oatmeal Energy Bites
Mornings at my house are pure chaos, so anything the kids can make themselves earns a permanent spot in our lunch rotation. These no bake oatmeal energy bites are exactly that kind of win, just oats, peanut butter and a little honey rolled into poppable balls with no oven and no fuss. I like to make a double batch on Sunday and stash them in the fridge so grabbing a handful for a lunchbox or an after practice snack takes about two seconds. My one tip, chill the mix for ten minutes before you roll or it sticks to everything, ask me how I know. They travel beautifully and hold their shape even in a warm backpack. Get the full recipe at iSaveA2Z.
3. Homemade Strawberry Fruit Leather
My kids adore pretty much all strawberry recipes and will eat a container or fresh berries before I even get them in the fridge or whatever I was planning to make with them. I’ve started buying the extra large container of strawberries at Costco now that I’ve discovered this amazing homemade fruit roll ups recipe. My kids love to help me make these strawberry fruit rolls and they pack better than just about anything I’ve ever sent them off with.
Easy School Lunch Ideas for Kids
4. Apple Slice Snacks
mandatorymooch
For healthy, easy snack recipes even picky kids will eat, look no further than these apple slices topped with goodies. Spread your apples with peanut butter and nuts, plus chocolate chips for an extra treat. Nutritious and delicious, kids can help make these, too. Store them in the fridge and we keep ours overnight so there is nothing to prep in the morning.
5. Ham and Cheese Pockets
I love being able to make these ham and cheese pocket sandwiches the night before school so I can just pop them in the microwave and wrap them in foil before my kids head off to class. The recipe may look super yummy, but it is also super easy. None of my kids have met a ham and cheese they don’t like, but this one may be win BFF this year.
Recipes for School Lunch Ideas
6. Sloppy Joe Cornbread Muffins
These sloppy joe cornbread muffins pack a whole meal into a handheld, lunchbox-friendly bite kids love. Make a batch ahead for easy weekday lunches. Get the full recipe at Amanda’s Cookin’.
7. Tortilla Pinwheel Bites
These colorful tortilla pinwheel bites are easy to make ahead and perfect for little hands. Fill them with your kids favorite combos. Get the full recipe at A Couple Cooks.
8. Healthy Mini Margherita Pizzas
9. Grilled Chili Lime Sweet Corn Salad
10. Ants on an Apple
Sometimes the simplest snacks are the ones kids beg for on repeat, and ants on an apple is proof. Crisp apple slices get a swipe of peanut butter and a scatter of raisins for the ants, and suddenly a piece of fruit feels like a treat. It comes together in about five minutes with pantry staples, which makes it my go to when the after school hangries hit before dinner. I let my little ones build their own, because they always eat more when they made it themselves. Swap in sunflower butter if you are packing for a nut free classroom. Get the full recipe at Crazy for Crust.
11. Mini Grilled Cheese And Tomato Sandwich
12. Healthy Veggie Wrap
This crunchy veggie wrap is a fresh, healthy lunch packed with colorful vegetables and creamy spread. It travels well in a lunchbox. Get the full recipe at A Couple Cooks.
13. Cheesesteak Crescent Braid
This cheesy crescent braid wraps savory filling in flaky crescent dough for a fun, hearty lunch. Slice it into portions for lunchboxes. Get the full recipe at Six Sisters’ Stuff.
14. Lunch Box Quesadillas With Dipping Sauces
15. Mini Tuna Balls
16. Chopped Italian Dip
simplehacksliving
17. Beef Mushroom Burrito
18. No Bake Oatmeal Granola Bars
19. Back To School Sugar Wafer Pencil Cookies
20. Healthy Zucchini Muffins with Chocolate Chips
21. Corn And Bacon Fritters
22. Homemade Spaghetti Os
23. Peanut Butter Banana Roll-Ups
These peanut butter and banana roll-ups are a wholesome, no-bake snack kids devour. They come together in minutes for easy lunchbox packing. Get the full recipe at Natalie’s Health.
24. Grilled Lemon Chicken Flatbread Wraps
25. Freezer-friendly Bean and Cheese Burritos
26. Sandwich Kabobs
27. Berry Brunch Kabobs
28. Make Ahead Yogurt Parfait
29. Empanada Hand Pies
30. Bulgogi Onigirazu
31. Mocha Zucchini Muffins
simplehacksliving
32. Turkey Roll Ups
If your kids stage a quiet protest against sandwiches by October, these turkey roll ups are the fix. Smoked turkey, Swiss, avocado and a little spinach get wrapped and sliced into pinwheels that look fun and hold up great in a lunchbox. No bread means they do not go soggy by lunchtime, which was always my biggest packed lunch headache. I make a row of them while the coffee brews and they are gone before I even sit down. A toothpick through each pinwheel keeps them tidy for little hands. Get the full recipe at Dinner at the Zoo.
33. Peach and Ham Grilled Cheese Sandwich
34. Meat, Cheese and Veggie Wraps
35. Cold Noodles With Shredded Chicken
36. Avocado Chicken Salad
This creamy avocado chicken salad skips the mayo for mashed avocado, making a healthy, protein-packed filling for wraps or crackers. Get the full recipe at Well Plated.
37. Baked Veggie Taquitos
38. Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad
39. Skinny California Roll Wraps
40. Spicy Smoked Sausage Alfredo Bake
41. Creamy Turkey Pinwheels
42. Baked Chicken Nuggets
These crispy baked chicken nuggets are a healthier homemade take on a kid favorite. Make a big batch to pack in lunches all week. Get the full recipe at Well Plated.
43. Easy Turkey-Bacon Tortilla Roll-Ups
44. BBQ Chopped Chicken Sandwich
45. Strawberry Roll-Ups
bentoriffic
46. Easy Tuna Cucumber Pita Pockets
47. Aloha Subs
Weekend lunches call for something a little more fun than the usual, and these aloha subs deliver a mini vacation on a roll. Hawaiian style meatballs, sweet pineapple and melty pepper jack pile onto a toasted sub for that sweet and savory combo everyone fights over. I first made them for a rainy Saturday when we all needed a pick me up, and now they are a standing request around here. They reheat well too, so leftovers make the next day lunchbox feel like a treat. Toast the roll first, it keeps everything from sliding out on the first bite. Get the full recipe at Carlsbad Cravings.
48. Bacon Chicken Penne Pasta
49. Easy Beef Taco Salad
This easy beef taco salad packs all the taco flavors into a hearty, colorful bowl. Pack the components separately for a fresh lunchbox lunch. Get the full recipe at Salt & Lavender.
50. Ham and Cheese Pinwheels
These ham and cheese pinwheels are a quick, no-cook lunch that kids can grab and go. Slice them into fun little spirals for the lunchbox. Get the full recipe at Plated Cravings.
51. Lunch Box Kabobs
