Best Fruits for School Lunches

It’s true that some fruits hold up better than others in a lunch box; and in this post, I share a list of the best fruits for school lunches and fun ways to add them in!

You’ll also find a free downloadable PDF with ingredients you can mix and match and pack healthy lunches fast!

an image collage of school lunches with different fruits

In this video, I show you how to cut fruit for the lunchbox. Lots more tips below!

Best Fruits for School Lunches

Fruits are a great way to add fiber, nutrition, and a little something sweet to a school lunch and the list of the most popular fruits below also include ways to add them other than serving the on the side! Yes, you can build filling lunches with fruit!

Apple slices: kids love the bite sized appeal, and my apple sandwiches are a great way to jazz up lunch.
Bananas: they tend to get smushed in the lunch bag so why not make these banana roll ups or turn them into banana chips.
Pears: this bento box shows you exactly how to pack them in an easy, well-balanced lunch.
Mangos: turn this fruit into an indulgent and tropical smoothie in the lunch box!
Kiwi: for younger kids, thinly slice and place in a compartmentalized container. For older kids, cut in half and pack with a spoon.
Guava: a cross between a pear and a strawberry, making it a deliciously tart treat that can be sliced and easily packed.
Pineapple: slicing a whole pineapple into chunks is great, but individual fruit cups work just as well.
Orange: pre-peel for young kids, or buy store-bought cups to easily place in the lunch box.
Grape: popable, delicious, and can be packed as a sweet parfait.
Watermelon: this sweet fruit can be made into smoothies or added to a bento. Learn how to yield the most melon when slicing.
Strawberry: grab those leftovers in the back of your freezer and easily pack them in this lunch.
Blueberry: can be packed in fruit salads, smoothies, or if your kids are picky, try baking this heavenly blueberry bread!
Raspberry: this video shows you how to keep berries fresh longer to serve in fruit salads and bentos!
Cherry: if serving to young kids, make sure to pit them and add them to a separate container in the lunch box.
Peach: served on the side or between two crisp waffles in this waffle breakfast bento!
Plums: they add lots of fiber and they’re very sweet. Add them to a fruit salad or halved in the lunch box.
Coconut: a great addition to add texture and a little bit of sweetness to snacks like my sneaky Chocolate Coconut Granola!
Grapefruit: this one is super tart, and usually yields a lot of fruit! Slice it and cut it up and if it’s too tart, drizzle a little honey on top. Or, grab some fresh or premade cups from the supermarket.
Pomegranate: this superfruit can be seedy, so if your kids don’t like the texture of raw fruit, pack a little juice (like POM) with their lunch!
Nectarine: this fruit doesn’t have fuzzy skin, is tangy and sweet, and is an easy fruit to slice and serve in a snack box.
Tangerine: this vibrant fruit is easily packed in a colorful fruit and veggie bento!
Dragon fruit: slice and eat as is, top in yogurt, or as a smoothie add in!
Fig: pair with an epic salad or in a snack box for all around nutrition and a great addition to any bistro box.

How to Pack Fruit for Lunch

Most of us stock up on produce during our weekly trip to the store; but when it comes to packing fruit for school ahead of time, you’ve got a couple of days before the quality changes. Here are my top tips for packing fruit in a lunchbox:

Pack them separate
Fruit is a moist ingredient and should be packed in a separate compartment of a bento lunch box or by itself. This way, it won’t turn any dry ingredients soggy.

Make fruit salad
Make just enough fruit salad for a handful of lunches or snacks, just enough for several days.

Add a smoothie to the lunch
Make a smoothie and pack it inside a leak-proof container and make the lunch more nutritious. Check out: How to send a smoothie to school.