Struggling to come up with fresh and exciting lunch box ideas for your kids? I have 10 Easy Kids School Lunch Box Ideas that you and your kids will love!
Packing lunches can often feel like a repetitive chore, especially when you’re trying to keep things both fun and nutritious. And let’s face it, when it gets close to the end of the school year, we’re fresh out of ideas! It’s easy to fall into the same sandwich routine, leaving both you and your kids uninspired.
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But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! I’m sharing 10 Easy Kids Lunch Box Ideas that have been a hit in our household. These meals are not only kid-approved but also simple enough to prepare on busy mornings.
Plus, I’ll introduce you to some of our favorite lunch-packing supplies that make the process smoother and more enjoyable.
Whether you’re dealing with picky eaters or just looking to add variety to your lunch routine, these ideas are sure to bring some excitement back to lunch time.
The Supplies for Kids School Lunch Box Ideas
These school lunchbox supplies are absolute essentials when it comes to packing meals for kids. I’ve been using these tried-and-true products for over 10 years, and with my daughter now in preschool, I recently stocked up on a few more. Here’s the supplies:
Containers
- These lunchbox containers are fantastic! I especially love the built-in, separate compartments. They help with portion control and keep everything neatly in place. Unlike sandwich bags, which can easily be overfilled (hello, triple chip portions!), these containers help you stick to balanced servings. Plus, they’re reusable, microwave-safe, and dishwasher-friendly!
Silicone Liners
- These reusable silicone baking cups are a game-changer. They’re perfect for separating different foods in the larger compartments, which keeps everything neat and prevents items from touching—great for picky eaters (kids and adults!). I use the standard round ones, but also keep some rectangle-shaped liners on hand for items like carrot sticks or Biscoff cookies.
Condiment Cups
- These mini condiment cups with lids are perfect for dips and sauces—think hummus, salsa, jelly, or cream cheese. Just be sure to remind your kids not to toss them out after lunch (same goes for the silicone liners!).
Cookie Cutters
- While I’m not big on turning every veggie into a star shape, I do like to add a little fun now and then. My go-to is cutting sandwiches into Mickey head shapes with a cookie cutter. It’s an easy way to make lunchtime a little more exciting!
Water Bottles
- I love these water bottles for my kids school lunches. You can sometimes find them on sale at Costco too! If you’re trying to stay away from straw water bottles, we have about 3 or 4 of these wide-mouth ones. Honestly, we have a bunch of different water bottles at home, because let’s be real, sometimes they don’t make it back home, and backups are a must.
Lunch Boxes
- There are so many lunch boxes or bags that will fit the above bento boxes! I have this one for my daughter and it fits perfectly. Each of my boys has a different color and pattern of this type of lunchbox to take to school.
Ice Packs
- A good ice pack is key for keeping cold lunches fresh until it’s time to eat. I like slim, reusable ones that slide easily next to the lunch container without taking up too much space.
Lunchbox Ideas Beyond the Classroom
Although this post is titled, “Easy Kids School Lunches” these ideas aren’t strictly for school days. Use these ideas for day trips, family vacations, day care, or even lunches at home!
During the years-that-shall-not-be-named, I tried my best to keep my kids’ lives as normal as possible when they were home from school. Being able to keep making fresh lunch ideas at home, was a way to keep things normal and my way of being in control of a situation that I couldn’t control.
These lunch containers are also amazing for travel! I’ve used them for everything from road trips to park days.
Kids School Lunch Box Ideas
They are a great way to keep food fresh and contained, and best of all, you’re only dealing with the containers—no loose sandwich bags or plastic wrap scattered all over the car.
Now that we’ve covered the essentials, let’s get into the fun part—the kid-approved lunches! These 10 easy kids’ school lunch box ideas are simple to put together and perfect for busy mornings or prepared the night before. Let’s get into them!
1) Charcuterie Box
This is probably one of my kids’ favorite lunches! It has a little bit of everything, just like a charcuterie board you would make at home or order at a restaurant. It’s very similar to a Lunchable but so much better and healthier!
It consists of a hard-boiled egg, slices of salami, cubed cheese, sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, Triscuit crackers, grapes, and blueberries. A great option for kids who love variety and finger foods!
2) Turkey Roll-ups
I love purchasing tortillas from Costco, not only to use for burritos or quesadillas, but they are perfect for turkey or ham roll-ups! Add your favorite deli meat, a little spread of mayo and/or mustard, some cheddar cheese, and spinach if you’d like.
I also have some ruffles, carrot slices with hummus (homemade hummus is even better!), grapes, strawberries, and a homemade chocolate chip cookie.
3) Peanut Butter & Jelly
This is the ultimate classic when it comes to kids’ school lunches—a good old PB&J! It’s quick, reliable, and let’s be honest, who doesn’t love one now and then? I still treat myself to one occasionally with a cold glass of chocolate milk, yum! If your child attends a school that is peanut-free, try sunflower seed butter as an alternative.
For this lunch, I paired the sandwich with a small handful of chips, sliced cucumbers, fresh grapes, and a store-bought M&M cookie. But honestly, this would be the perfect time to swap it for one of my Homemade Monster M&M Cookies.
4) Beef & Rice Burritos for Kids School Lunches
If you ever participate in “Taco Tuesdays” at your home, I’m sure you’ve had leftover taco meat. My kids love burritos so much, they could have them every day if I let them!
If you like to make your kids’ school lunch the night before, the easiest thing to do in ‘hot lunch” cases like this is to prep the whole lunch the night before, and make the ‘hot’ portion the morning of.
The night before, I added some Doritos, sugar snap peas, mandarin oranges, blueberries, and a diced-up slice of marble loaf for their bento lunch box. The following morning, I warmed up the taco filling and a tortilla and rolled it up. I then rolled the burrito into some foil to help it keep warm.
5) Mickey Shaped Ham & Cheese
These Mickey-shaped sandwiches are so fun for my kids! They love to open up their lunches and see it. Now I’m not the type of person who likes to make cute shapes or ‘faces’ out of food. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I just don’t have the patience for it haha!
But this is something easy to do and feels like I’m participating in that area. I paired this Mickey-shaped Ham & Cheese sandwich with pretzels, goldfish crackers, sliced cucumbers, cauliflower, cut fruit, and a quarter chocolate chip muffin.
6) Naan Bread Pizza for Kids School Lunches
I don’t know about your kids, but my kids absolutely adore pizza! We have it weekly, either homemade or pick-up. So I knew these Mini Naan Bread pizzas would win them over!
To make these, place a tablespoon of pizza sauce or marinara sauce on top of the naan bread, add some shredded mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni. Broil these in the oven on high for 2-4 minutes, checking on them around the 2-minute mark to make sure they don’t burn.
I then cut the mini pizzas in half so they would fit better. With their pizzas, they have some shredded carrots and spinach, chips, grapes, mandarin slices, and a Twinkie on the side. Watch me make the Naan Bread Pizzas here!
7) Egg Salad on a Croissant
Egg Salad sandwiches are another one of my kids’ favorites, and it’s even better on a flaky croissant! I love to make my egg salad with a little bit of mayo, Dijon mustard, and a splash of pickle juice.
The pickle juice completely elevates the egg salad. I love grabbing croissants from Costco—they’re perfect for making these sandwiches and also work amazingly well for my Croissant French Toast. They also got some chips, shredded carrots, broccoli, blueberries, mandarin slices, and Oreos.
8) Ham & Cheese Sliders
This kid’s school lunch is perfect for when you have leftover dinner rolls. Use whatever lunch meat you have, cheese, and some greens! I added some Fritos, fresh fruit, baby carrots, broccoli, and a Biscoff cookie for this nutritious meal.
9) PB & J ‘Sushi’
This lunch was inspired by a trip to Disneyland that we took as a family. The boys had ordered PB&J ‘sushi’ at the LampLight Lounge at Disney’s California Adventure and thought this would be a great thing to make for cold lunch ideas!
You can watch how I make these but I basically just roll out the bread till it’s thin and pliable, smear some peanut butter on it and roll it up and cut it into little ‘sushi’ bites.
In the small condiment cups, I added some preserves that they could dip their ‘sushi’ into. They also got chips, baby carrots, cucumbers, blueberries, mandarins, and a Mini Chocolate Chip Muffin.
10) Cheeseburgers
Another leftover that my kids were excited about, Cheeseburgers! Except that my youngest son was disappointed he got half a cheeseburger instead of a whole on haha!
I put some avocado and butter lettuce on top as well. They also received some tortilla chips, carrot sticks, sliced plums, and a square of these delicious Lunchbox Brownies!
Smart & Simple School Lunch Packing Tips
Packing a delicious and balanced meal for your kids can be challenging. But having a few small strategies can make a big difference! Here are some tips for creating easy lunch box ideas:
- Variety is key! Pack a mix of whole grains, protein, veggie sides, and fruit to provide a well-balanced school lunch. And definitely be sure to include a sweet treat!
- Make it fun and visually appealing. While I personally don’t have the talent to make sandwiches in the shape of a rocket ship (although my youngest son would love that!), I do love using a Mickey head-shaped cookie cutter for sandwiches. Fun food picks can make lunch more eye-catching and exciting for kids!
- Get your child involved in the process. Having your child help make their school lunch might entice them to eat it! Maybe lay out a few different flavors of chips and/or crackers and have your child choose what they’d like to eat. It is their lunch after all!
- Pack leftovers. I am a huge fan of giving my kids leftovers in their school lunches. Not only does it save you time on preparing it, but it saves you money as well.
- Is your child starting daycare or preschool soon? Help them feel more confident by practicing a week or two before the first day. Serve their lunches at home in the same lunchbox and containers they’ll use at school. Show them how to unzip their lunchbox, open each container, and explain what should be thrown away versus what should come back home. Getting familiar with their lunch routine ahead of time can make a big difference—and ease some stress for both of you!
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Pin it for Later!
Be sure to save any of the photos or graphics for easy kids school lunch box ideas to your Pinterest so that you can come back to this post for inspiration!
Looking for kid-friendly meals to make? Check out these recipes!
- Easy, Creamy Stove-Top Macaroni and Cheese
- The Best M&M Monster Cookies with Peanut Butter
- The Best from Scratch Belgium Waffles
- Mini Chocolate Chip Muffins (Little Bites Copycat)
- Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Dinner
- Baked Creme Brulee French Toast
- Homemade Lunchbox Mini Funfetti Bites
- Sticky Honey Chicken Recipe
- Copycat Little Bites Mini Blueberry Muffins
- Homemade Mini Pop Tart Bites
- Kids Lunchbox Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Copycat Little Bites Fudge Brownies
Joshua 1:9 - "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
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