Make your kid the star of the lunchroom with these school lunch ideas

Ready to branch out from PB&J? It’s easy to shake up your lunch ideas for kids with these recipes! From homemade chicken nuggets to cobb salad, there are tons of ways to give sandwiches a break. Lunchtime is about to get way more interesting!

Lunch Box Art

Check out this adorable lunchbox idea! Use these eyeball spears to hold the food down and make cute creatures, if you’re so inclined.

Meatballs and Veggies

lunch ideas for kids
One Lovely Life

This protein-packed lunch doesn't take too much time to pull together in the morning. Simply warm up meatballs (store-bought or homemade both work) and add their favorite veggies to the other spots in the bento box. See more great lunch ideas from One Lovely Life.

Deep Dish Mini Pizzas

One Little Project

Pizza lovers, rejoice! With this idea from One Little Project, you can have itty bitty deep dish pizzas that are the perfect size for lunchboxes. Customize with your fave toppings for a truly magical lunch.

Peanut Butter and Banana Roll Ups

lunch ideas for kids
Damn Delicious

You can’t get more colorful (or yummy!) than this lunchbox idea from Damn Delicious! It’s packed with strawberries, pretzels, tangerines, and celery sticks, along with quick wraps that are—you guessed it—super quick to make.

Baked Chicken Nuggets

Load up their lunch boxes with a healthy and homemade version of a fast food staple! These lunch ideas for kids will go over like gangbusters with kids who crave nuggets 24/7—and you’ll be surprised how easy they are to make. Snag the recipe here.

Homemade Lunchables

Snap. Eat. Run.

Step away from the store-bought Lunchables! You can totally whip up your own version of this lunchbox classic—and even add some healthy additions (hello, fruit!) while you’re at it. Get inspired to make your own over at Snap. Eat. Run.

Skip the juice and pair it with Creative Roots! This plant-powered coconut water beverage has a taste kids love. With one gram of sugar, it’s a happy hydration solution for all.

Turkey Spinach Pinwheels Lunch Box

lunch ideas for kids
Damn Delicious

More pinwheels, please! These super healthy bites—along with a hefty dose of fruits and veggies—are customizable, easy to make, and utterly delicious. Plus, you can make them ahead of time and have lunch for the whole week. Get the recipe from Damn Delicious.

Taco Salad Lunch Bowl

Kristine's Kitchen

Turn your lunch into a fiesta with this creative idea from Kristine’s Kitchen! Filled with taco beef, lettuce, cheese, black beans, corn and salsa, these lunch bowls are bursting with flavor and are healthy to boot.

Pepperoni Pizza Bites

A Taste of Madness

Got thirty minutes? That’s how long it takes to make these four-ingredient bites from A Taste of Madness! Sporting some pepperoni and your fave cheese, they’ve got all the flavors of pizza and will fit just right in a lunchbox.

Mini Bagels with Cream Cheese

Chelsea's Messy Apron

Bagels with cream cheese are a classic at any time! Let your kids pick their favorite flavor and fill a small container with cream cheese. They'll have fun slathering their bagels, and you can throw in cheese and fruit or veggies to round out their lunch. See the details and get other lunch ideas for kids over at Chelseas' Messy Apron

Fruit and Cream Cheese Wraps

lunch ideas for kids
Healthy Seasonal Recipes

For a sweet but still healthy lunch idea for kids, you’ve got to try these wraps from Healthy Seasonal Recipes. Pair them with fresh veggies for a light and delicious meal.

Kiddie Cobb Salad

this kiddie cobb salad is a great cold dinner idea
Mom's Kitchen Handbook

Turn veggie-averse kids into salad eaters with this genius take on cobb salad from Mom’s Kitchen Handbook. You can customize it with toppings your littles will like, but we figure avocados, turkey and hard-boiled eggs are a delicious place to start.

Homemade Kraft Easy Mac

lunch ideas for kids
Food Fanatic

Mac and cheese is a surefire win for our kids, which is why we love this take on easy mac from Food Fanatic. The best part? It’s made entirely in the microwave and comes together in a flash.

Sweetie Pie Quesadilla

Jennifer Martine

Sneak veggies into your kid’s diet with these delish quesadillas by Katie Sullivan. In addition to being tot-approved, they’re also easy to make ahead and quickly reheat.

Pizza Pasta Salad

lunch ideas for kids
Veggie Quest

Pasta salad is always a great lunch idea for kids, and this pizza-inspired version from Veggie Quest is bound to be a hit with the little ones. With good-for-you ingredients like beans and veggies, it’s a win for health, too.

Don't forget the Creative Roots to make this meal even more fun! This plant-powered coconut water beverage has a taste kids love. With one gram of sugar, you can feel good about it, too.

 —with additional reporting by Taylor Clifton and Susie Foresman

 

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