Are you looking for easy kids lunch ideas that are quick, healthy, and delicious? These back-to-school lunch ideas for kids are good to take on the go or to eat at home this year.
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Now, that back to school is upon us it’s time to start thinking of lunch ideas for the kiddos. Let’s face it, it can be challenging trying to think of ideas that your kids will eat, and love especially when you have a picky eater in the family.
These mix-and-match lunches are perfect if you are struggling to come up with ideas that your kids will look forward to eating when lunchtime rolls around this year.
Don’t worry, none of these ideas require fancy ingredients that cost a lot of money to put together. The goal is to keep things simple and save money in the process especially when it comes to groceries.
Looking for more ways to save on groceries:
- 6 Easy Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half
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Here are a few things you might want to consider when making back to school lunches for your kids this year:
- Plan ahead– Besides saving you money, planning lunches ahead of time, and doing meal prep can save you a ton of time. Although it may be convenient to buy prepackaged fruits and veggies, it also costs a lot more. Take a few minutes when you get home from the grocery store to cut up your produce and store them in these containers to keep them fresh.
- Use a calendar– Similar to the school lunch calendars, make a calendar of your own to make life easier. This way you are always prepared and you know what to make your kids for lunches for the entire week (or month). Get your kids involved. Have them look over the list below and pick out combinations to add to the calendar. We love using dry-erase calendars like this one on our refrigerator.
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- Variety is key– Just like you wouldn’t want to have the same thing for lunch every day, kid’s don’t either. Make sure you are including different types of food in your child’s lunch so they don’t get bored.
- Keep it simple– I have found over the years when packing lunches for back to school, that it’s best to keep things simple. Find recipes that you know your kids will like but don’t require so many expensive ingredients to make.
Looking for healthy and delicious breakfast or snack ideas for kids?
Easy Back to School Lunch Ideas for Kids
At School Lunch Ideas (Main Dish)
Roll-ups/Pinwheels
- Ham and cheese– (The Cookie Rookie)
- Turkey and cheese– (Kristine’s Kitchen)
- Peanut butter banana roll-ups– (Happy Foods Tube)
- Peanut butter and jelly sushi rolls (Eating on a Dime)
Wraps
Wraps are so easy to make and kids love them! Grab a tortilla shell and load it with the protein ideas below and then just add veggies, cheese, mayonnaise, ranch, or anything your child likes.
- chicken
- turkey
- ham
- roast beef
- tuna
Sandwiches
Sandwiches can seem really boring to kids especially if they are getting plain old ham and cheese every day. Try changing things up. Add veggies like celery, lettuce, or spinach. You can also add tomatoes, avocado, or pickles. Use low-fat yogurt instead of mayonnaise for a healthier option.
- Tuna salad
- Chicken salad
- Ham salad
- Egg salad
You can use these sandwich cutters to make lunchtime even more fun.
At Home Lunch Ideas (Main Dish)
Many of these at-home lunch ideas can be made up ahead of time for quick and simple meals that can be pulled out, heated up, and are ready to go when needed.
Sliders
- Ham and cheese sliders– ( The Seasoned Mom)
- Chicken Parmesan sliders- (Dinner at the Zoo)
- Barbecue chicken sliders- (Tastes of Lizzy T)
- Pepperoni Pizza sliders– (Rachel Cooks)
Quesadillas
- Cheese– Cheese quesadillas are so easy to make and kids can’t seem to get enough of them. All it takes is your favorite shredded cheese sprinkled on one side of a tortilla shell and then folded over. Press to flatten and then cook in a frying pan (with a small amount of cooking spray) until crispy, turning once. Customize your cheese quesadilla by adding ham, chicken or vegetables then serve with guacamole, salsa, and sour cream.
- Taco– (This Farm Girl Cooks)
- Pizza (Divas Can Cook)
Pigs in a blanket-( Lil’ Luna)
Bagel pizza– (Spend with Pennies)
Tortilla pizza– (Cookie and Kate)
Homemade macaroni and cheese– (Bless this Mess)
Walking tacos– (Picky Palate)
DIY Lunchables– (100 Days of Real Food)
Freezer peanut butter and jelly sandwiches– (Amanda’s Cookin’)
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Lunch ideas for kids (Sides)
- Pretzels
- Crackers
- Cheese sticks
- Cheese cubes
- Yogurt
- Hard-boiled egg
- Granola bars
- Trail mix
- Raisins
- Popcorn
- Fruit roll-ups
- Fruit snacks
- Pudding cup
- Jello cup
- Fruit- peaches, pears, a whole apple, bananas, blueberries, sliced strawberries, applesauce, orange slices, grapes, watermelon cubes, cherries, raspberries, and mandarin oranges.
- Vegetables– baby carrots, celery sticks, broccoli, sliced green or red peppers, cherry tomatoes, sugar snap peas, and cucumber slices.
You can serve yogurt (fruit), hummus, guacamole, salsa, or ranch dressing on the side of the veggies. These dip containers work great for this.
Kids Lunch Ideas (Drinks)
- Milk
- 100% fruit juice
- Water
- Smoothies
Here are a few lunch combinations that you can use to get you started. Most combinations contain protein, fruit, vegetable, grain, and dairy. However, depending on your child’s needs they can be adjusted to better suit them. You may also want to keep aware of any food restrictions at your child’s school.
Lunch Combination Ideas for at School
- Ham and cheese roll-up, sliced strawberries, celery sticks, and milk
- PB and jelly sushi, string cheese, baby carrots, an apple, and 100% fruit juice
- Chicken wrap w/lettuce, pretzels, yogurt, mandarin oranges, and water
- DIY Lunchable (deli meat, cheese cubes, whole-wheat crackers), sugar snap peas, granola bar, and a fruit smoothie
- Chicken salad sandwich, raisins, cucumber slices, grapes, and milk.
Lunch Combination Ideas for at Home
- Chicken parmesan slider, broccoli, fruit cup, and milk
- Tortilla Pizza, sliced bell pepper, blueberries, jello cup, and water
- Homemade macaroni and cheese, cherry tomatoes, pear, pudding cup, and 100% juice
- Taco quesadilla, watermelon cubes, sliced red peppers, fruit snacks, and milk
- Ham and cheese slider, trail mix, cucumber slices, mandarin oranges, and water
Related:
- 60 Indoor Activities at Home for Kids, Tweens, and Teens
- 60 Budget-Friendly Summer Activities for Kids
Lunch Ideas for Kids Printable
I’ve included a free lunch idea printable so you can build your own combination of lunches to put on your calendar. All you have to do is choose from the main meal, and then just include a fruit, vegetable, additional side (optional), and a beverage.
Click here to print out the Free Kids Lunch Ideas printable
Hopefully, these lunch ideas for kids have inspired you to create a meal plan of lunches for your kids this year. The goal is to make simple and inexpensive lunches that your kids will love.
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