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If you need some school lunch ideas that are quick to make, easy to pack, kid-approved, I’ve got some for you today!
These are all flexible enough to swap ingredients -like ham for turkey- to accommodate for taste preferences and use up what you have on hand. I’ve been sharing school lunch ideas on the internet since 2011 and wrote an entire cookbook dedicated to school lunches, The Best Homemade Kid’s Lunches on the Planet, so it’s safe to say that I’m full of lunch ideas to eat at home or at school.
I’m all about keeping lunches easy, achievable and tasty enough that kids will eat them!
If coming up with nutritious kid-friendly lunches daily has become a daunting task, you can download my latest ebook today, to get 101 ideas for packed lunches.
101 Packed Lunches eBook
All my best kid-friendly lunches from over a decade of creating meal plans. Add some variety to your child's lunchbox with these epic lunches, plus receive my Pack Meals Like a Pro ebook, free with purchase!
Now, if you need a quick dinner idea for tonight save this post.
Best School Lunch Ideas
The best school lunches are filling, tasty and make sure the lunchbox comes home empty.
All lunches have a “main dish” and then the “sides.” Let’s work through some of the top ideas for the “main dish” part of the lunchbox.
School Snack Ideas
You can use these tasty snacks as sides for the main lunch, or as “sides” or bonus snacks if your children have snack time at school. Here are some of our favorites.
- Spinach Bites – They’re cheesy & Delicious!
- Broccoli Tater Tots – hidden veggies!
- Zucchini Chips -hidden veggies!
- Homemade Doritos -much healthier!
- Strawberry Fruit Leather – easy to make!
- Banana Chips – so addictive
- Fruit & Yogurt Parfait – extra protein!
- Cheese Straws – hard to pass up!
Thermos Lunch Ideas
One of the best ways to pack a lunch so that it stays hot and delicious all day is in a thermos. Grab one of my favorite lunchbox thermoses here, and then you start packing these healthy and delicious lunches for your kids too.
- No-Bake Lasagna
- Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese Dippers
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Teriyaki Chicken Bowls
- Creamy Tortellini Soup
And, if you need a thermos container and want to see how the ones on the market hold up, check out the Top 5 Thermos Containers Comparison Guide.
Lunchbox Dips
Because Everything goes better with dip! Try one of these healthy dip recipes as a companion for your child’s next lunchbox.
- Homemade Ketchup
- 5 Minute Ranch Dressing
- Greek Hummus
- Edamame Hummus
- Alfredo Sauce
- Pineapple Salsa
- 7 Layer Dip Cups
School Lunch Ideas for Kids
Ingredients
Bacon Avocado Pinwheels
- 1 flour tortilla, 8 inches
- ¼ avocado, mashed
- 2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 2 tablespoons cheddar cheese
- 2 teaspoons mayonnaise
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mash avocado and mix with mayonnaise.
- Place flour tortilla on a flat surface and spread the mayonnaise avocado mixture evenly throughout the flour tortilla.
- Top with crumbled bacon and shredded cheese.
- Roll tortilla tightly. Cut tortilla roll in half, and then into 1-inch pieces.
Equipment
Nutrition
Special School Lunch Ideas
If you are working with special dietary needs, I have you covered. You can always browse my recipe index and search by your particular dietary need OR, I’ve pulled together a few of. the top lunch ideas for a few of the main lunch restrictions I’m frequently asked about. Grab these lunch ideas below.
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