Healthy School Lunch Ideas for Teens

Need some healthy school lunch ideas for teens that are both full of nutrition and easy to pack? You’ve come to the right place. These ideas a filling, quick and easy to eat and they’re packed with healthy nutrients that will keep your teens feeling their best all day long.

Jump to:

• Healthy School Lunch Recipe Ideas for Teens:
• Teenage Lunchbox Ideas
• Healthy Teen Lunch: the Wrap

Healthy School Lunch Recipe Ideas for Teens:

These healthy lunches for school are always huge hits with the teens. Or, as “always” as anything can be with teens. This list will give you a good variety to start with from things my own teens and teenage exchange students have enjoyed.

Nobody wants to be seen with a PB&J anymore (or so I’m told), so give them an “adult lunch” upgrade with one of these ideas and some filling lunchbox sides.

I’ll give you a list and recipes below, but for those of you who prefer the visual, you can watch how I pack my teen’s lunches here and grab the recipes below.

Now, on to the recipes!

More Healthy Lunch Wraps for Teens

Need something a little smaller? Try these Middle School Lunch Ideas!

Try More Cold Lunches for High Schoolers

As you can see, lunchtime is a BIG DEAL at MOMables and I’m always looking to make lunchtime healthier for my kids and your kids. When you are done planning all your teen’s lunches, you’ll be ready to make one of these dinner ideas for tonight!

Teenage Lunchbox Ideas

Perhaps, you’re probably already thinking “what do I do if they think packing a lunchbox is dorky?”, “what if they want to pack it themselves?”, “how much should I pack?“, and of course, “what do I pack so they are not starving when they get home after school?“.

No worries, you aren’t the first to come across these questions or situations. So let’s start with these tips!

When it comes to packing lunches for teens, it’s not as easy as it used to be. They no longer want to pack their food in cutesy lunchboxes, instead, they want more mature teen lunchboxes or thermoses. These are durable containers, that will pack enough food and will easily fit into a gym bag or school lunch bag for teens.

Here are a few more “grown-up” options for teens and tweens:

• Swap the character thermos for this simple food jar
• Turn in the cutesy lunchboxes for the Packit Cooler Lunch Box
• Say goodbye to boring tupperware and try these sophisticated containers

Packing Their Own Lunches

If your teen wants to pack their own lunch – LET THEM! You’ve been waiting for this moment for years, and now the time has come, embrace it.

Of course, you will want to make sure the fridge and pantry are stocked with healthy options like fresh fruit, veggies, hummus, whole grain crackers, sandwich/wrap ingredients. Otherwise, left to their own devices teens will pack chips, cookies, and 5 packs of string cheese.

My ebook 101 Packed Lunches is perfect for teens who are packing their own lunches!

When they’re using this book, you’ll know that the lunches the teens are packing themselves are filled with nutritious ingredients and something you’ll be glad they’re eating at school.

Filling Foods for Teenage Lunches

Finding foods that won’t leave your teen feeling like they’re “starving” by the end of the day is a major concern for parents.

However, it’s as simple as providing a balanced lunch and snacks for your teen, with healthy fats like cheese, hummus, nuts, and peanut butter (or no-nut butter). Including proteins like deli turkey/ham, hard-boiled eggs, tuna fish; and the right kind of carbohydrates; whole-grain bread, wraps, crackers, rice, and fruit.

I’ve even been known to pack an extra burrito for lunch for my teenaged son when he can’t seem to stay full.

If your teen stays late at school, it’s best to pack one of these popular snacks for teens, too. Read more about how to bulk up lunches for teenage athletes here.

Packing Healthy Treats for High School Lunches

Remember when your teen was little and you packed cute lunches for them? After school, you’d open the lunchbox and see that some things were left, but the treat was always devoured.

When they’re teenagers, they’ll still want to eat a treat; and while it’s convenient to pack a packaged item, it’s best to keep dessert full of nutrition with fruit, nuts, energy bites, or maybe a homemade parfait. Check out more healthy Lunchbox desserts here.

Being a teenager is a big deal, packing lunches, not so much when you have lots of ideas! Here’s one last recipe that your teens are sure to love seeing in their lunchbox tomorrow!