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School Lunch Ideas (Printable Cheat Sheet!)
Course:
lunch
Cuisine:
healthy
Keyword:
school lunch ideas
Prep Time:
5
minutes
minutes
Cook Time:
5
minutes
minutes
Total Time:
10
minutes
minutes
Servings:
1
Calories:
500
kcal
Author:
Megan Gilmore
Here are my favorite school lunch ideas, broken down into categories to help make packed lunches easier. Choose 1 option, or more, from each category to create a healthy lunch!
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Ingredients
Fruit:
Applesauce
Blueberries
Grapes
(slice in half if you're concerned about choking)
Watermelon
Strawberries
(I slice these in half)
Kiwi
(peeled and sliced)
Whole apple
Whole banana (with peel)
Peeled oranges
(seedless)
Vegetables:
Cucumber
(sliced in coins or spears)
Broccoli florets
(raw or steamed)
Cauliflower florets
(raw or steamed)
Celery sticks
(fill with nut butter & raisins for "ants on a log")
Carrots
(baby or sliced)
Sweet potato
cooked in cubes or slices
Guacamole
(technically a fruit, but my kids see it as a veggie)
Protein & Healthy Fats:
Yogurt
(coconut milk, goat, or cow)
Cheese
(shredded, string, or cubes)
Hummus
Nut or seed butter
Edamame
Cooked beans
(Chickpeas, black beans, pinto)
Deli Meat
(try it rolled up; look for no additives)
Hard boiled egg
Crunchy:
Low-sugar dry cereal
(my kids like the Cherrios from Whole Foods brand)
Whole grain crackers
(I like Mary's Gone Crackers)
Crispy chickpeas
Pretzel sticks
Sunflower seeds
Rice cakes
(we like Lundaburg brand brown rice cakes)
Plantain chips
(usually serve these with hummus or guacamole)
Baked tortilla chips
(usually serve these with guacamole)
Pita chips
(good with hummus)
Hearty Fillers (Mains):
Spinach Muffins
Leftover Pizza
(Cauliflower pizza, english muffin pizza, vegan pizza, etc.)
Steel Cut Oatmeal
(if your kid doesn't mind eating it cold)
Tortilla roll-up
(fill with hummus, avocado, nut butter & jelly, or turkey)
Paleo Banana Snack Cake
Homemade Granola Bars
(or store-bought)
Date Energy Balls
Homemade Larabars
(or store-bought)
Hummus & Veggie Sandwich
(or wrap)
Oatmeal Pancakes
Waffles
(add peanut butter for a sandwich or dip)
Black Bean Burger
Egg & Cheese Sandwich
Healthy Granola and Yogurt
Almond Butter & Honey Sandwich
Egg Muffins or Frittata Slice
Quesadilla
(for dairy-free, fill with hummus or bean spread)
Pasta Salad
Any dinner leftovers (like spaghetti or plain noodles)
Instructions
Choose one or more options from each category to fill your lunch box. Feel free to mix and match each day to keep school lunches interesting!
Video
Nutrition
Serving:
1
serving
|
Calories:
500
kcal