School Lunch & Snack Ideas
Packing your child’s lunch shouldn’t be stressful, or wasteful. It should be fun, enjoyable, and tasty!
It should be healthy, and filling. They shouldn’t be coming home with a lunchbox full of food – that’s wasteful on the environment and your wallet. Nor should you be loading them up with junk food. They need food to power their bodies and minds.
If you’re sending your little one off to kindergarten this year for the first time, check out my tips on how to prepare them and yourselves for the big day. Also, if you’re looking to save some money this school year, or things that you can do before school starts.
Check out my school lunch and snack ideas below.
When I’m packing my kids lunches, I always include a protein, grain, vegetable, and something on the sweeter side. Always consider what your child will eat, but here are some suggestions from our kitchen to yours.
main entrée – protein & grain
- nut butter and jam sandwich on whole grain bread – there are a lot more nut butter options than peanut butter, choose the one your kid will and can eat
- peanut butter and banana rolled tortilla
- meat and cheese sandwich on whole grain bread
- crackers, cheese(cheese squares, string cheese), lunch meat – make your own “Lunchable”
- mac & cheese
- soup
- fried rice
vegetable
- carrots, broccoli, celery, cauliflower, cucumber, sugar snap peas – whatever veggie your child WILL eat
- side salad
- veggies and hummus – if you aren’t able to make your own, they do have single dip cups
on the sweet side
- apple sauce or squeezable fruit on the go
- apple slices
- handful of any kind of berry, grapes, oranges
- banana
- granola bar – z bars are a good option, and they are a favorite for so many kids
- yogurt parfait
drink
- water!
- milk – my kids love Horizon white and chocolate milks, no need for refrigeration. Most schools also offer just the milk for purchase, without buying the whole lunch
- juice box – Honest is a great low sugar choice
snack, for mid day or after school
- granola bar
- homemade muffins or bread- a few of our favorites are; Sourdough Banana Bread, Zucchini Bread, Berry Lemon Breakfast Cake, and Zucchini, Apple, Carrot Muffins these ones have veggies in them and only a little sugar in them. We do really love these Blueberry Muffins, but they are on the sweeter side.
- trail mix
- rice cakes with nut butter smeared on
- veggie straw chips
Here are some great products that will help you prepare lunches/snacks, and make it easy for your kids to enjoy.
Bento boxes are excellent lunchbox choices for your kids. They are easy to clean, no need for plastic baggies, food stays separated, and the perfect child sized portions. This style comes in 30 different designs.
If you’re looking for a bento box with a thermos included, here’s a good one.
Enjoying a warm lunch during those colder months is so nice, a nice thermos makes taking mac & cheese, soup, fried rice, spaghetti or leftovers convenient. 30 different designs to choose from, and easy enough for your child to open. Keeps stuff warm for 5 hours and cold for 7 hours.
If you’re not a fan of using the disposable baggies, consider purchasing reusable ones. Another bag option is using paper baggies, they work well too and are more eco-friendly than plastic.
Then you’ve got your standard lunch boxes, that work perfect for just about everyone. With many different designs to choose from, we love this tie dye lunchbox. Check out all the different designs from this small business as well.
If you’ve got an older kid, this lunchbox with a strap works perfectly for the older kids or adults.
If you don’t make Pinterest worthy lunches, don’t worry you’re not alone. As long as your child is fed, that’s all the matters. Happy eating!
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These are great lunch and snack ideas for me, too! I work in an Elementary school and I pack my lunch and snacks everyday. Thank you for all these healthy suggestions!