Back to School Lunches Your Kids Will Love

I can’t believe it’s already time to start thinking of school lunches! I try to focus on healthier options for my kids, to keep them energized for the rest of the school day and their after school activities. It’s great to have a list to work off for healthy lunches and have a rotation of fresh foods you already have in your fridge. I hope this list helps you never run out of lunch ideas this year! These are all approved by my kids and I can’t wait for them to try them out this new school year.

Let me know what your favorite lunch is!

Easy Go-To’s

There’s a few things that I think you can keep on hand for quick lunches your kids will love. Peanut butter and jelly and turkey and cheese sandwiches are always a good idea! Making sure you have fresh fruit on hand to toss in and something like hummus for them to dip cucumbers in would be delicious. If you have picky eaters, a cream cheese bagel, jelly sandwiches or chicken nuggets are all lunch time school essentials. Check with your school and make sure you know the nut butter rules, too! When in doubt, sunbutter is usually safe!

Muffins are something a lot of kids love. They can be full of good things, rather than sugar. These banana zucchini muffins are packed with blueberries and don’t even taste healthy, but they are! They are made with whole what flour, but you can substitute for any, including a GF flour.

Now this one sounds good to me! It’s not for the picky eaters, but I think the older kids will enjoy it! Follow this recipe or amend it to make it your own. It’s a taco salad, but instead of ground beef, it’s crispy chicken.

Quesadillas are a fan favorite in my house! You can personalize them for picky eaters and just do cheddar cheese, or add chicken if you’d like. This version is vegetarian-friendly and the beans are packed with protein to keep your child energized all day! These are so easy to create and make for delicious lunches.

You can’t go wrong with a pasta! A good hot meal for lunch can stay warm in a thermos. This recipe is super simple and a great option for school lunch box ideas because it’s all ingredients we normally have on hand.

I think it’s a fair assumption that a lot of kids like pizza, right? This pizza roll recipe is the good stuff! And you can pack your child’s favorite veggies into a homemade pesto sauce, or make it easier and combine store bought pesto with dough to save time with meal prep.

Yeah, you read that right! This basically combines your child’s favorite macaroni and cheese with zucchini to make a child’s lunchbox burst with deliciousness. It’s also a great way to sneak veggies in.

This fool-proof way to make grilled cheese last all morning and not get soggy works! And you can even add vegetables, chicken, ham, turkey or anything you’d like to this grilled cheese to make it that much better and full of protein!

I know these can traditionally be more of a tea-time thing. But they are so good and a great way to get some veggies into your kids tummies! Cucumbers also hold a lot of water, so it’s extra hydration! They are super simple to make and taste delicious! Elevate your kids’ lunches with this sandwich.

These give fast food chicken nuggets a run for their money! They are so delicious and something that is not only an easy recipe, but super easy to pack. Make them the night before and pop them into the lunchbox. They taste just as good the next day! You can add dipping sauce on the side or serve them with fresh berries.

This is one of the best healthy lunch ideas and it’s made without tahini, in case of any allergies! It pairs well with veggies like bell pepper or celery sticks and carrot sticks, pita bread, crackers or as a spread on a sandwich! It can also be enjoyed at room temperature, which is a plus! Hummus is a great add on for a healthy meal!

This post was originally published August 9th, 2022*

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