Healthy Lunch Box Ideas for Kids

It’s almost back-to-school time and parents everywhere are looking at supply lists, figuring out what’s needed for new clothes, and of course . . . wondering what to do about lunch. While many children receive their meal via the school lunch program, there are many others who bring their lunch from home. Coming up with fresh ideas for the noon-time meal can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are a few suggestions to help you plan your child’s lunch menu.

How to plan a healthy lunch box for your kids

  • Make a list of your child’s favorite foods and meals
  • Narrow the list down to those that are easily transported
  • Choose things you can prepare and pack the evening before. Your mornings will go more smoothly if lunches are ready to go before the morning rush.
  • Start with main dishes and list out five options, one for each day of the school week.
  • Add in side dishes as needed to balance out the meal.
  • Check each meal to see if it contains a good source of protein, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and a dairy item. You can download my lunch menu worksheet to help with this.
  • Desserts can be added, but don’t have to be. Add them occasionally as a fun treat for your child.

5 healthy lunch box ideas

To help you get started here are 5 healthy lunch ideas for back-to-school time. I serve each with milk, so that is not listed:

  1. Tuna salad on whole wheat bread, grape tomatoes, melon slice or chunks.
  2. Turkey roll-ups (sliced turkey, lettuce leaf, tomato slices, low-fat cheese slice – all rolled in a whole-grain tortilla wrap with low-fat cream cheese or hummus), grapes, carrot sticks with hummus. For dessert serve dried fruit with granola in small jelly jars.
  3. Nut butter and banana sandwich on whole wheat bread, sliced cucumbers and peppers with hummus or low-fat dip,
  4. Vegetable and pasta salad (whole-grain pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, broccoli florets, sliced black olives, mushrooms, or whatever fresh vegetables you have on hand that your kids enjoy, mozzarella cheese cubes, sliced turkey, and your favorite vinaigrette). Apples slices on the side help round out the meal.
  5. Egg salad (made with plain Greek yogurt and mustard) on whole-grain pita halves, celery and carrot sticks with hummus, mixed fruit cup.

Make lunch enjoyable for your child. After all, there’s a lot more to eating than food. Let her know you’re praying for or thinking of her during the day by adding an encouraging note to her lunch box. Invest in a Bento box and arrange her food choices in a fun, playful way.

Whenever possible, include your child as you plan the meals.  Getting his input will get you “buy in” and it is a great opportunity to teach about the essentials of nutrition. Lunch is an important meal for your child, so take a little planning time and help him through the day with a healthy, filling meal that will give him the energy and nutrition he needs to be healthy and do well in school.

You can find more healthy lunch box ideas in recipe books like Best Lunch Box Ever: Ideas and Recipes for School Lunches Kids Will Love by Katie Morford.

Have any lunch box ideas or tips that work for your family? Please share them below. I’d love to hear about them!

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15 Comments

  1. In our house school lunches ARE most successful when they help plan – and preparing as much the day before makes mornings so much nicer. Wonderful reminders and ideas:)

  2. I need to start trying some new recipes that I have earmarked as possible lunch ideas. Last year all my children ended up taking their lunches everyday after the boys had several stomach issues after eating the school lunches– even my high schooler!

    Thanks for sharing on A Humble Bumble’s Healthy Tuesday Blog Hop!
    Kerry from Country Living On A Hill

    1. The nice thing about bringing your own lunch is you can control what your child is offered and hopefully avoid those stomach issues. Thanks for stopping by!

  3. Stopping by from Inspire Me Monday, love these ideas. My son loves tortilla roll ups and many of the things on your list. I haven’t tried hummus in his lunch but he’ll eat it with pita chips. I feel like I am always feeding him the same thing every day so it’s nice to have some new ideas. We can’t send peanut products so it limits the good ole pb&j of my childhood 🙂 Hope you will stop by my weekly recap of reading, cooking and blogging news I shared at Inspire Me Monday!

    1. Bummer about the peanut butter, but I know it’s sometimes necessary because of allergies. You have a lovely blog too. Thanks for visiting!

  4. You’ve shared some great tips. Planning is absolutely key! I keep a master list of lunches that we rotate. This takes the guess work out things and helps prepare the kids for what’s coming next.

  5. Great tips thank you I really enjoyed reading. Here is another article that talks about Japanese mothers and the extents they go to to create sculptures and pictures in their kids food… But craziness aside I guess they understand the importance of a healthy lunch too.

    Thanks again

    1. Nic – I looked at the article and wow, they really go to lengths to make it visually appealing. And with healthy food too. You’re right, they do understand the importance of a healthy lunch, and that we eat better if we like what we see. Thanks for stopping!

    2. Hi Marie,
      I too was surprised and motivated by this, having been a picky eater for my entire teenage years, I think it’s great that parents understand how important it is to make food and meal times fun for kids.
      But as I think about it processed food manufacturers have been actively exploiting this principle, I guess that’s why they so keenly prey on children with their greasy proceed food produced as animals and cartoon characters.
      Great blog, I’m please to have stumbled by,
      Nic

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