Are you ready for school to start? Yes! Maybe not ready to start packing school lunches and all the accompanying piles of Tupperware, but the time has come. We have some recipes, and practical back to school lunchbox ideas to help ease you through September. Let the games begin!
Whether you pack lunch for your kids or yourself, it can quickly become difficult to find new ideas that check all the lunchbox boxes:
- easy to prepare
- nutritious
- tasty
- kid-friendly
- eco and allergy friendly
If your kids are like mine, they quickly tire of sandwiches and are always on the hunt for variety. We also aim to reduce highly processed or single-serve items that generate extra waste for the landfill, so we seek alternatives to many of the traditional convenience foods like pouches, packaged lunches, etc. Allergy policies also come into play for many schools, so we have suggestions for nut-free and gluten-free alternatives. My daughter has an anaphylactic allergy to wheat, so all the foods we make at home are gluten-free.
School Lunchbox Tip #1: Make Your Own “lunchable”
We don’t buy pre-packaged lunches, but my kids have fun preparing their own version at home. We like these Sistema two section storage containers for school lunches. Not only can you help your kids load up on more nutritious ingredients to power them through the day, but you reduce waste, too. They are easy and versatile to make. You can use turkey, ham, salami, roast beef, whichever deli. meat your child prefers.
- Cut cheese and deli meat slices into quarters and stack them. Cut up quesadillas work well for this, too!
- Separate the stacks with small pieces of waxed paper or parchment paper.
- Add your favorite fruit, veggies, and a package of crackers.
- A small container of guacamole, hummus, or dip for the veggies makes a great addition.
School Lunchbox Tip #2: Toothpicks for the Win!
I don’t know what it is about toothpicks, but if we add them into the mix, my kids immediately love their lunch. If the toothpick has fringe or an umbrella, I win mom of the year (for the day). Here are some of our favorite fancy toothpick school lunch ideas. Have your kids help cut and assemble them the night before during dinner prep time and double them for a second serving later in the week.
- Fruit kebabs– Skewer grapes, orange segments, grapes, blueberries, melon, apples, kiwi, whatever fruits you have on hand. No bananas, though:)
- Caprese kebabs– Stack mozzarella balls (or chunks of mozzarella cheese sticks), basil leaves, and cherry tomatoes on a toothpick.
- Ham and Cheese Kebabs or Pinwheels– Spear cubed or rolled slices of ham, cubed cheese with optional baby pickles or pickle slices.
- Pancake and Sausage Kebabs– It may sound strange but it’s awesome! Cut up pancakes and sausage patties/links into pieces and layer them on the toothpick for kids to dip into syrup. You can even add blueberries or strawberries to the stack.
Spice up your kids lunchbox with blueberry pancake and sausage kebabs. - Hawaiian Kebabs– Stack up pineapple, diced ham, and cheese cubes.
- Veggie Towers– Stack sugar snaps, tomatoes, cucumber chunks, black olives, snow peas, sliced bell peppers and serve with hummus or another dip.
- Burger Bites– Skewer mini-meatballs, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, bacon (if you like) and serve with ketchup.
School Lunchbox Tip #3: Invest in a good thermos.
A thermos that actually keeps hot foods hot (or cold foods cold) changes the back to school lunch game. We’ve tried numerous thermos brands, and this Zojirushi thermos is the best! Warm it for 10 minutes with hot water before filling and it keeps food hot for hours. Freeze it the night before and add your smoothie or ice cream and it will be perfect at lunchtime. Some of our favorite hot school lunch menu items include:
- Oatmeal with nuts and dried fruit
- Chili with cornbread
- Soup with crackers- try our Mexican Tortilla Soup, Tuscan White Bean Soup, or Crock Pot Vegetable Soup
- Stir fry with rice
- Fruit and yogurt smoothie
- Yogurt parfait with granola
- French toast with turkey bacon (and syrup, of course)
- Grilled cheese and tomato soup
School Lunchbox Tip #4: Add the Unexpected
Adding one unexpected element to the lunch adds variety. Try these variations to avoid the lunchbox doldrums.
- Swap out the bread: Make your usual peanut butter and jelly sandwich on mini-waffles (or full sized waffles), bagels, or pancakes. Substitute almond butter, Sunbutter, or Nutella if desired.
- Roll it up: roll out the bread and roll up the filling inside the sandwich like a pinwheel or sushi.
More Back to School Lunchbox Ideas
- PB&J on Waffles
- Peanut Butter & Jelly Sushi
- Ham & Cheese Sliders
- Pizza Bagels
- Fruit and Cheese Kabobs
- Watermelon Salad
- Homemade Granola Bars
School Lunchbox Tip #5: Cook once and eat twice!
This may be old news to you, but if not, it it will save you time and money if you Utilize leftovers for school lunches. Leftover soups, quesadillas, pasta, pizza, tacos, fajitas all make great lunches, especially if you use a good thermos to keep the hot foods hot. Alternating hot meals with cold ones keeps things interesting, helps you boost the nutrition, and often reduces whining:)
These sites also have some great school lunchbox ideas:
- Tips for Packing Lunches from Live Simple by Annie
- Strong4life has some great ideas as well.
Still looking for more? Laura Fuentes from Super Glue Mom and Momables wrote The Best Homemade Kids’ Lunches on the Planet.
I hope you find the suggestions helpful and I wish you smooth sailing as you head off into the next school year! Feel free to share your favorite tips and tricks as I’m always looking for more great ideas.
