Easy Lunch Box Ideas for Kids - No Cooking Required
Hi Mamas! Hope all is well.
If you’ve found your way to this post, it’s because you needed a little inspiration… don’t we all at times!!
Figuring out what our kids will actually eat can be tricky. Sometimes that little dash of inspiration can renew our faith in pleasing our kiddos, while also giving them choices that are healthier and more balanced than other options.
I know some of you are visual — so I’ve taken pictures of some of the lunches I’ve packed since school started. This way you can have some real-life lunch box examples.
Do you use rebate apps when you grocery shop?? If not you totally should. Let me introduce you to a few of my faves:
Must Haves for Lunch Boxes
Before we get started, let’s talk about some of the lunch box “tools” that make packing lunches so much easier for me.
I also use my Bentgo meal prep containers for…. meal prep (bet you didn’t see that coming 😎)… and leftovers.
The silicone cupcake/baking liners are awesome for packing lunch boxes. They keep things separated and juices off of other food items. I know some of us have kids that just won’t eat something if it’s touched something else on their plate… that’s me… I was that kid! They work really well with the Bentgo meal prep containers too. The lid fits perfectly over them and food doesn’t fall out of it’s liner when kids are jumping around.
Amersun lunch boxes have been my favorite so far. They are large enough to fit all the things, but still low profile enough that they fit in their bookbag or aren’t awkward or bulky to carry. They are super affordable too.
Our Owala FreeSip 24oz stainless steel water bottles are amazing. Their water stays cold all day, and they are easy to refill if needed.
They also have water with them, but we’ve found these new Country Time Lemonade Pouches that the LOVE!! I mean, who doesn’t love Country Time Lemonade… or is that just a Southern thing??
Tips - Easy Lunch Box Ideas for Kids
I need to brag on myself for just a second…
This is the first year I’ve been so dedicated to lunches, and Wheels (my youngest - 9) said he loves them. He claims he is so excited for lunch every day, and they are the best meals of his LIFE.
Mom WIN!!!
Tip #1: My biggest secret is that I do a lot of the same things, I just try to do them a little different so it doesn’t look the same every day.
Tip #2 Also, I try to be mindful of the fact that they get roughly 20 minute lunch breaks. I hate to give them things like mac n cheese, even though they love it, because it takes 3 minutes to cook and by the time they’ve waiting in line for a microwave and let it cool, 10 minutes or more of their lunch is gone. So, cold lunches are easy for both all of us!
Easy Lunch Box Ideas for Kids
Ok, let’s get into it… easy lunch box ideas for kids with pictures!
Ham & cheese roll up
Salt & vinegar almonds
Extra crispy Cheez-its
2 Sweet Tart ropes
Green grapes
My kids are pretty plain, I literally only put ham and cheese on their roll up. They love it that way. A few days later, I’ll give them the same thing but with ham.
Ham & cheese sub sandwich
Buttermilk Ranch rice crisps
Blueberries
Flipz white chocolate covered pretzels
I buy Walmart deli made sub rolls. It’s like $3 for 6 here, and I cut them in half. I did put a little mayo on them. And one kid likes tomatoes.
Of course you see the Country Time Lemonade pouches again. They are obsessed.
Ritz crackers
Cheese slices
Pepperonis
Green grapes
Mott’s gummies
I call these my homemade lunchables. You can really get creative and use different meats or cracker brands!
Turkey, cheese, ranch pinwheels
Cucumbers
Buttermilk Ranch rice crisps
Fudge Stripe cookies
I actually sent this one this morning. I put the thinnest layer of ranch on the pinwheels as possible. Just to give it a little more flavor.
Turkey & cheese sub sandwich
Extra crispy Cheez-Its
Red grapes
Flipz white chocolate covered pretzels
Can you see what I mean now by repeating things, just differently? I switched up the meat in the sub sandwiches, so they were a bit different. I know they love grapes, so why give them something funky they won’t eat?? I just switched up the color.
Ritz crackers
Turkey slices
Cheese slices
Cherry tomatoes / Blueberries
Flipz white chocolate covered pretzels
One kids looooooves cherry tomatoes, and one kid won’t touch them. I don’t mind doing two different things with these lunches, because they are so easy to begin with.
Ideas - Easy Lunch Box Ideas for Kids
Main Course Ideas
Sandwiches (use buns, flatbread, bagels, etc. to make more fun)
Pin wheels
Roll ups or wraps
Meat, cheese, crackers combo
Boiled eggs
Cold pizza
Chicken nuggets
Don’t forget to get creative. It’s okay to repeat. Just change it up the slightest bit, and it will take longer for them to get bored with it.
Side Items Ideas
Grapes
Bluberries
Strawberries
Mandarin oranges
Chips
Cheez-Its
Puffs
Graham crackers
Cherry tomatoes
Cheese cubes
Olives
Cucumbers
Nuts
Yogurt
Baby carrots
Rice crisps
Pretzels
Something Sweet Ideas
I like to throw in something sweet or more “fun” for them, just to add some excitement to their meal.
White or chocolate covered pretzels
Gummies
A cookie or a few if they are little
Chocolate covered nuts
Nutella
Mini muffin
Keep it Simple - Easy Lunch Box Ideas for Kids
We won’t our kids to eat better and enjoy their lunches, but if we get burnt out on making complex lunches … we get the same result. Toss in something easy and premade and go.
Keep that in mind, and be kind to yourself. Keep it simple when you’re making lunch boxes.
When you have multiple kids, try to keep them as close to the same as possible.
Choose items from the store that are simple and don’t require a lot of effort to make them edible or appealing.
Use Google for inspiration… we all do. Afterall, that’s probably how you wound up here!
