Back to School Kids Lunch Ideas

Say goodbye to boring lunchboxes! I am sharing kid-approved school lunch ideas that your child will love to eat. This post has over 15 mix-and-match lunch combinations, plus tips for packing bento boxes, prepping ahead, and keeping food fresh. With a mix of cold lunch recipes, snack box combinations, and healthy sides, you will have plenty of school lunchbox ideas.

Today is the day! My kids are going back to school which is mind-boggling to me. I have no idea where the summer went and I have mixed emotions about watching them go back to school. I have one leaving the house at 6:00 am, one at 7:00 am, and two at 8:00 am which means it is a non-stop busy morning.

I am one of those Moms. I organize up a storm leading up to the first day of school and have a goal of packing healthy lunches all year long. By the time May comes around, their lunches barely resemble lunch. But I start off real strong! Haha!

I do have a theory though in our home and it works for us. My kids pack their own lunches. Here’s the thing — kids are fickle. One day, they love a certain granola bar and the next day they despise it, for some odd reason. They tire of certain foods and so I switch up their choices often. I give them a lot of different options to keep lunch interesting. So I am sharing a list of some healthy school lunch ideas for kids.

Packing school lunches for kids can feel like a daily challenge, especially during the back-to-school rush. Whether you’re dealing with picky eaters, nut-free policies, or just trying to keep things healthy and quick, having a plan makes all the difference.

The key is to build balanced, colorful meals that are easy to assemble and appealing for kids to actually eat. We always try to include at least one fruit or vegetable to get some nutrition into their lunch. In this post, we’ll cover a variety of easy lunch ideas for school that are both nutritious and realistic for busy parents.

Here are some tips for packing kids lunches from a Mom of 4, who has packed a lot of lunches in my days. I would love to hear what you love to pack in your child’s lunchbox as well.

BACK TO SCHOOL KIDS LUNCH IDEAS:

OPTION #1
Turkey + Cheddar Roll-up
Fresh Berries
Yogurt
Trail Mix 

OPTION #2
Hummus
Pita Bread
Grape Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Sliced Oranges

OPTION #3
Cheese Quesadilla
Guacamole
Salsa
Tortilla Chips
Strawberries 

OPTION #4
Deli Meat + Cheese Kabobs
Red Pepper Slices
Apples
Fruit Leather or Snacks

OPTION #5
Hard Boiled Eggs
Baby Carrots + Ranch
Pretzels
Peaches or Applesauce

OPTION #6
Pasta Salad
Yogurt
Granola Bar
Raspberries

OPTION #7
Almond Butter + Jelly (or PB +J)
String Cheese
Fruit Cup
Chips

OPTION #8
Crackers
Cheddar Cheese Cubes
Grapes
LaraBar or Cliff Bar

OPTION #9
Bagel + Cream Cheese
Yogurt Tube
Baby Carrots
Fruit Snacks

OPTION #10
Veggie Wraps with Hummus
Edamame or Snap Peas
Clementine
Granola Bar

OPTION #11
Turkey or Ham Sandwich on Hawaiian Roll
Apples
Cucumbers or Carrots
Homemade Ranch (for dipping)
Cheesy Baked Crackers

OPTION #12
Pepperoni Pizza Sliders
Granola Bar
Orange Slices
Carrots and Ranch

OPTION #13
Homemade Naan Bread
Barebell Protein Bar or GoMacro Bar
Yoggies (fruit bites covered in yogurt)
Honeydew

OPTION #14
Butter Noodles (pasta noodles tossed in butter)
Fruit Roll-Ups or Fruit Bars
String Cheese
Strawberries or Watermelon

OPTION #15
Hummus and Pita Chips
Dried Mangoes
Cucumbers and Carrots
Fruit by the Foot

Healthy Lunch Ideas for Kids:

 MAIN MEAL:
Pita Bread + Hummus
Cheese + Crackers
Turkey + Cheese Roll-ups
Almond Butter + Jam Sandwich
Cheese Quesadilla
Hard Boiled Eggs
Pasta Salad
Meat + Cheese Kabob
Chips + Guacamole
Ham + Cheese Sandwich
Bagel + Cream Cheese
Veggie +Hummus Wrap
Turkey or Ham Sandwich on Hawaiian Roll
Pepperoni Pizza Sliders
Butter Noodles (pasta noodles tossed in butter)
Homemade Naan Bread
Chicken Nuggets

FRUITS + VEGGIES:
Oranges
Apples
Strawberries
Grapes
Peaches
Blueberries
Raspberries
Natural Applesauce
Mangoes
Melon
Baby Carrots
Cucumbers
Grape Tomatoes
Edamame
Snap Peas
Watermelon
Cherries

SIDES and SNACKS:
Chips
Granola Bars
Pretzels
String Cheese
Yogurt
Trail Mix
Lara Bar or Cliff Bar
Fruit Leather
Fruit Snacks
Popcorn
Crackers
Chips + Salsa
Fruit Cup
Pudding Cup
Graham Crackers
Cookies
Rice Krispies Treats
Yoggies
Fruit Bars
Protein Bars (Barebells or GoMacro Bars)
Baked Cheese Crackers
Chia Pudding
Tru-Fru Freeze Dried Raspberries

DRINKS:
Water Bottle
100% Juice Boxes
Capri Suns
Bolthouse Smoothies
Milk — Strawberry or Chocolate

If you would like to make your own sandwich bread, here is a recipe for Homemade Sandwich Bread and for 1 Hour Whole Wheat Bread. If you want to add a little treat into their lunch, add the classic Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Here are some suggestions for kids lunchbox containers:

 Rubbermaid LunchBox Sandwich Kit  

and 

 Rubbermaid Take Alongs Food Storage Container (Set of 6)

and 

 EasyLunchboxes 3-Compartment Bento Lunch Box Containers, Set of 4

Here is a suggestion for a kids lunchbox:

Rubbermaid LunchBlox Small Lunch Bag, Blue 

KIDS SCHOOL LUNCH IDEAS PRINTABLE OPTION:

What do you love to serve in your kid’s lunchbox? I would love to hear your favorite things! I hope this list of back to school kids lunch ideas helps you pack those school lunches. Have a great day, my friends! xo

Hope your kiddos have a fabulous first day!