Easy Lunch Box Ideas For Kids

Reasons to Love These School Lunch Ideas

Packing lunches for kids is a dreaded task for many of us! I like to keep things easy by using a simple lunch box packing formula. All of the lunch box ideas below include a main, fruit, vegetable and a snack or treat. They are also easy to make, full of healthy foods and colorful (because we eat with our eyes first!).

3 Lunch Packing Tips

Tip #1: Keep it simple!

There is no need to spend a ton of time packing school lunches or making food art if that’s not your thing. It’s not mine! Well…unless I am occasionally feeling creative for a special holiday that is. For regular day-to-day lunch boxes, I follow this simple lunch box packing formula :

Main + Fruit + Veggie + Snack / Treat

Tip #2: Pick a time

Make it less frustrating by figuring out the best time to pack lunches. This will be different for everyone! The best time for me is the night before. I like to pack lunches either while cooking dinner (in the pockets of time while waiting on something) or right after dinner before the kitchen is cleaned up.

Tip #3: Use leftovers

I love popping leftovers into lunch boxes. Utilize any leftovers from dinner that will work in a packed lunch (e.g. pizza, pasta, chicken, meatballs, etc.). Homemade treats leftover from weekend baking adventures are also a welcome addition! Any homemade treats you might see in the photos below were definitely leftover and not just made for lunch boxes.

What should I put in my child’s lunch box?

I hope the photos below provide you with some inspiration and new ideas. However, when it comes to your child…you know best! You know their likes and dislikes and level of openness to new foods. My recommendation is to get them involved in the process and choosing which fruits and veggies to include.

Do you know what all the lunch boxes below have in common? They all follow the same simple lunch box packing formula mentioned above. I’ve been using it for so long that my kids know this formula intuitively now and will naturally include something from each section when choosing their own lunches. Make sure to grab your free printable below!

Easy Lunch Box Ideas (with pictures)

Need some school lunch box inspiration? See the packing formula in action below! Lots of photos of easy lunch box ideas for kids (some are great for adults as well!). You can easily adjust the portion size based on the age and appetite of the child. Make sure to also check out the fun section at the end which features a few cute lunch box ideas for special holidays.

Sandwich or Wrap

Let’s start off with a classic – the sandwich! So many filling options! Make it with bread or a bun or make a wrap instead!

In This Lunch Box:

• Main: ham and cheese sandwich on a bun
• Fruit: green grapes
• Veggie: carrot, celery and red bell pepper sticks
• Snack / Treat: chocolate coconut cream stuffed strawberries and Annie’s Bunny Grahams

Sushi

Sushi rolls are a fun lunch box idea for kids that enjoy them! Many larger grocery stores even have sushi counters which makes it really easy to quickly grab and pop into a lunch box for the next day.

In This Lunch Box:

• Main: California roll
• Fruit: blackberries
• Veggie: sliced red and yellow bell pepper
• Snack / Treat: strawberry gummies and MadeGood granola minis

Homemade Lunchables

Homemade Lunchables are my go-to when I’m not sure what to pack and my kids also love this “snacky style” lunch! The main dish component is basically just crackers, cheese and meat.

In This Lunch Box:

• Main: rice crackers, hard boiled egg, salami, garlic cheese coil sausage, ham, cheddar cheese
• Fruit: strawberries, blueberries and blackberries
• Veggie: cucumber slices
• Snack / Treat: MadeGood soft baked red velvet mini cookies and crunchy roasted chickpeas

Pizza

Most kids love pizza and don’t mind eating it cold! Make some English muffin pizzas, naan pizza, puff pastry pizza or even throw in a leftover slice from dinner.

In This Lunch Box:

• Main: English muffin pizza with tomato sauce, ham and cheese
• Fruit: green grapes
• Veggie: carrot sticks
• Snack / Treat: crunchy roasted chickpeas and MadeGood chocolate chip crispy square

Leftover Pasta

If your kid is a pasta lover, then heat up some leftover pasta in the morning and throw it in a thermos. Spaghetti or mac and cheese always get a big thumbs up from my kids!

In This Lunch Box:

• Main: leftover spaghetti with Bolognese sauce
• Fruit: strawberries and orange slices
• Veggie: cucumber and red bell pepper slices
• Snack / Treat: apple cinnamon scone (leftover from weekend baking)

Chicken Drumsticks

Ever since my kids were toddlers, they loved chicken drumsticks (even cold). It’s just fun, hand-held food! Use leftovers from dinner if you are cooking up a bunch of drumsticks or grab a store-bought rotisserie chicken.

In This Lunch Box:

• Main: chicken drumsticks from a rotisserie chicken
• Fruit: sliced peach
• Veggie: cucumber slices
• Snack / Treat: pretzel crisps and Annie’s bunny grahams

Sausage Rolls

Sausage Rolls are also delicious served cold which makes them a great option for lunch boxes. These Chicken Sausage Rolls are a healthier version filled with ground chicken and loads of hidden veggies.

In This Lunch Box:

• Main: chicken sausage rolls
• Fruit: orange slices and blueberries
• Veggie: cucumber and red pepper slices
• Snack / Treat: crispy coconut rolls

Frikadellen

Frikadellen are German pan-fried ground meat patties – a cross between a meatball and a burger. They are delicious served hot or cold which makes leftovers perfect for lunch the next day!

In This Lunch Box:

• Main: leftover German Frikadellen from dinner and a pretzel bun
• Fruit: mandarin orange and apple
• Veggie: carrot sticks and red bell pepper slices
• Snack / Treat: leftover German waffle from the weekend cut into strips

Zucchini Slice

Zucchini slice is a classic Aussie dish that is often made for kids and tastes great popped into a lunch box. I was introduced to this delicious dish when I lived in Australia for a few years. It features grated zucchini (which you can’t taste), cheese, bacon and onion in an egg-based batter. The texture is soft and fluffy yet firm enough to hold by hand.

In This Lunch Box:

• Main: zucchini slice
• Fruit: raspberries
• Veggie: sliced cucumber and red bell pepper
• Snack / Treat: mini muffins and MadeGood soft baked mini cookies

Pasta Salad

Pasta salad is a great lunch box option that can be prepped ahead and enjoyed by the whole family. There are so many different options too so just choose one that your family loves!

In This Lunch Box:

• Main: Chicken Macaroni Salad
• Fruit: cubed watermelon
• Veggie: red bell pepper slices
• Snack / Treat: oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, crunchy roasted chickpeas, homemade fruit gummy

Fun Special Occasion Lunch Box Ideas

Sometimes I like to make the lunch boxes a little more fun for special holidays! Here are some cute themed bento box lunch ideas for Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter.

Halloween Lunch Box

How cute is this Halloween themed lunch box? It’s amazing what some candy eyeballs and a Sharpie can do!

In This Lunch Box:

• Main: “Mummy” English muffin cheese pizza, “Monster” mini Babybel cheese, “Ghost” hard boiled egg
• Fruit: blueberries and “Jack O’ Lantern” mandarins
• Veggie: baby carrots and cucumber slices
• Snack / Treat: Halloween chocolate popcorn balls

Christmas Lunch Box

This Christmas themed lunch box idea is super festive and filled with lots of healthy delicious foods (plus a Christmas cookie of course!).

In This Lunch Box:

• Main: pinwheel sandwiches arranged in the shape of a Christmas tree with a star cut out of cheese on top
• Fruit: strawberries, green grapes and pomegranate arils
• Veggie: sliced red and green bell pepper
• Snack / Treat: Kokosmakronen (German Coconut Macaroons) – can easily be replaced with any Christmas cookie you like!

Valentine’s Day Lunch Box

Grab some heart shaped cookie cutters to transform lunch into a cute Valentine’s Day lunch box.

In This Lunch Box:

• Main: parmesan salami rose, cheese and pumpernickel bread cut into hearts (using small cookie cutters)
• Fruit: watermelon and strawberries cut into hearts
• Veggie: bell peppers cut into hearts
• Snack/Treat: strawberry gummies made in a heart shaped silicone mold and a small chocolate heart.

Easter Lunch Box

This super cute Easter themed bento lunch box is really easy to assemble.

In This Lunch Box:

• Main: Annie’s macaroni and cheese (bunny shaped version), hard boiled egg “chicks”
• Fruit: strawberries
• Veggie: baby carrots
• Snack / Treat: chocolate mini eggs and Annie’s bunny fruit snacks

Lunch Boxes & Accessories

Looking for some new lunch gear for the kids? Check out my recommendations for lunch boxes and accessories here >>> Back-To-School Lunch Boxes & Accessories For Kids

What is a bento lunch box?

Wondering what a bento lunch box is? A bento-style lunch box is a segmented container with multiple compartments. This allows you to use just one container to pack multiple types of foods.

I love this style of lunch box for a number of reasons:

• Easy to pack: You just need to fill up the various compartments, close the lid and you are done.
• Visually appealing: It is really nice for kids to see all their food laid out before them in a colorful, organized display.
• Easy to store: It is just one container so there is no fumbling around with multiple containers and hunting for lids.
• Easy for kids: They just need to open one container to access all their food instead of struggling and wasting time opening multiple containers.

Kids are usually hungry when they get home from school. If you are looking for some after school snack ideas then you might enjoy these posts as well. Some of them also work as lunch box snacks too!

• Healthy After School Snacks For Kids
• Healthy Packaged Snacks For Kids

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