50 Healthy Kids Lunch Recipes

Save this list of kids lunch recipes to make packing and serving healthy kids lunches easy each week. With make-ahead and freezer-friendly options to serve to the kids at home or packed, these ideas will take some of the challenge out of the midday meal (or I hope they will at least!).

Kids Lunch Recipes

Making healthy foods ahead of time for lunch is one of the best ways to ensure our kids are eating well throughout the week—and that we’re not scrambling for lunch when everyone is hungry. These recipes are great to meal prep and they can be served to toddlers and big kids alike. And even if you don’t find time ahead to make these recipes, you can prepare them in the morning or right before lunch to serve up a healthy meal.

TIP: You can of course eat these foods yourself too—parents deserve yummy food too!

Lunch Ideas for Kids at Home

With kids who are home for lunch, having this stash of healthy recipes to make ahead of time can be a big win. I always find that lunchtime comes so quickly when I’m home with my kids, so the more I can have at least one healthy option ready and waiting, the better able I am to serve them healthy lunches. I have these broken up my type of food to help you easily scroll through to find options that will work for you.

TIP: These lunches work at home, as well as packed for daycare or preschool.

Muffin and Quick Bread Recipes for Lunch

One of my very favorite ways to get ahead for lunches is to rely on healthy muffins or quick bread as the main, then add simple sides like fruits and veggies, cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, or even a smoothie to round things out.

1. Apple Cinnamon Bread with Oats
2. Applesauce Muffins
3. Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
4. Carrot Cake Muffins
5. Blueberry Banana Zucchini Muffins
6. Chocolate Protein Muffins (with Hidden Veggies)
7. Spinach Banana Muffins
8. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
9. Veggie Muffins
10. Sugar-Free Banana Muffins

TIP: You can find all of my best Healthy Muffins here.

Breakfast for Lunch Ideas

Mix up when you serve favorite breakfast foods by serving them for lunch. It’s an easy way to keep the kids interested and also make it easy on yourself to prepare their lunch!

1. Egg Muffins with Spinach
2. Egg Muffins with Cheese and Veggies
3. Smoothies with Hidden Veggies
4. Simple Strawberry Smoothie
5. Overnight Oats with Berries
6. Leftover pancake sandwich

TIP: The egg muffins are super easy to bake and then reheat quickly to serve for lunch. Try them with a side of ketchup or salsa for dipping.

Quesadillas and Burritos for Lunches

My oldest kiddo is a super fan of burritos and quesadillas so we tend to have them for lunch often—and I love to make big batches on the weekend to warm throughout the week.

1. Bean and Cheese Quesadillas
2. Apple Quesadillas
3. Freezer-Friendly Beef Burritos
4. Vegetarian Burritos
5. Spinach Quesadillas
6. Refried Bean Taco Roll Ups
7. Vegetarian Burrito Bowls

TIP: You can pack any of these in a lunchbox or thermos as needed.

Make Ahead Proteins

Whether meat or vegetarian based, these easy protein options are perfect to prep ahead—either by a few days or a few minutes!

1. Baked Chicken Nuggets
2. Breaded Chicken Tenders
3. Cheesy Meat Buns
4. Chicken Nuggets with Sweet Potato
5. Chicken Sweet Potato Meatballs
6. Wild Salmon Sandwiches
7. Pan-Seared Chicken
8. Soft-Roasted Chickpeas
9. Healthy Meatballs (with Hidden Veggies)
10. Mini Meatballs with Kale

TIP: Meatballs are one of my favorite recipes to batch cook and freeze for future meals.

Pasta Recipes for Lunch

I love to make an easy pasta recipe to have ready for the kids for lunch and all of these are great for adult lunches too.

1. Broccoli Pesto Pasta
2. Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
3. Spinach Pesto Pasta with Peas
4. Pesto Tortellini
5. Veggie-Loaded Marinara with Pasta
6. Tomato and Tortellini Soup
7. Healthy Pasta Salad
8. Boxed mac and cheese (always a good option! We usually add frozen peas.)
9. Pesto Pasta Salad

TIP: Add frozen peas or broccoli to your pasta cooking water for the last two minutes when making mac and cheese to easily add a veggie to the mix.

Kids Lunch Recipes with Veggies

Serve up a veggie-packed main dish or add a simple side. We also like no-cook options like sliced cucumbers, sliced bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, avocado, snap peas, and shredded carrots.

1. Broccoli Tots
2. Cauliflower Tots
3. Zucchini Fritters
4. Roasted Carrot Fries
5. Sauteed Carrots
6. Roasted Broccoli
7. Roasted Sweet Potato
8. Roasted Butternut Squash
9. Boiled Beets

TIP: I like to have roasted veggies on hand most weeks since they have natural sweetness and are good at room temp or warmed. Find all of my best recipes for veggies for lunch, including how to serve raw veggies to toddlers, here.

 

Easy Sandwich Ideas

If your kids aren’t quite able to chew a sandwich with two pieces of bread quite yet, serve them open face or with the components deconstructed.

1. Homemade Lunchables
2. Grilled Cheese with Mashed Roasted Sweet Potato
3. Grilled Cheese with (a little) Chopped Spinach
4. Homemade Uncrustables
5. Ham and Cheese Pinwheels
6. Sandwich Kabobs
7. Sandwich Sushi
8. Puff Pastry Tarts with Veggies
9. Wild Salmon Sandwiches
10. Carrot Hummus
11. Butternut Squash Hummus
12. Hummus (without Tahini)
13. Beet Hummus

TIP: You can find more easy lunch recipes in my Yummy Toddler Lunches ebook.

Pizza for Lunch Ideas

Using the flavors of pizza to make easy lunches is fun and kid-friendly. And most of these ideas are super simple too!

1. Pizza Rolls with Spinach
2. Pepperoni Rolls
3. Pesto Pizza Rolls
4. Pita Pizza
5. Pizza Pockets with Broccoli and Cheese
6. English Muffin Pizzas

Best Snack Recipes for Lunches

I’m a HUGE fan of snack lunches for the kids, where you assemble a mix of snacks to make a lunch (sort of like a kid version of a cheese plate). You can do it with any store bought snacks, but these homemade ones make nice options too.

1. Healthy Homemade Granola Bars
2. Easy Breakfast Bars
3. Pumpkin Bars
4. Peanut Butter Oatmeal Energy Balls

TIP: Learn more about making healthy snack meals here.

Helpful Tips for Packing Lunches in a Lunchbox

Packing leftover chicken, meatballs, pasta, and more can bring up some questions, so these tips should help!

• Pack leftover cooked chicken, chicken nuggets, or tenders to be eaten chilled or warm in a thermos.
• Pack quesadillas, burritos, or any other dish that’s better warmed in a thermos.
• Cut up muffins, sandwiches, and any other baked goods or breads into cubes if it’s easier for your child to eat them that way.
• Pack smoothies in a reusable pouch to send with lunch. (You can also make them right before lunch to serve at home.)

Kid-Friendly Lunch Ideas for School

Packing lunches for kids will vary according to your own unique child, so do keep in mind the preferences of your kiddo and adjust your lunch plan accordingly. I try not to send any brand new foods in a lunchbox since the kids don’t have much time to eat them AND they are likely very busy chatting with friends.

TIP: And aim to pack foods that are easy to eat—put yourself in your kid’s shoes as you pack everything and make things easier to open, access, and eat as needed.

School Lunch Ideas for Picky Eaters

One last consideration for pickier kids: Keep their lunches simple. It’s also okay if they don’t have a huge variety at their midday meal since they may also be dealing with the demands of socializing—which is a lot of work for some kids! You don’t need to make Pinterest-worthy lunches. Just ones that your kids will eat and enjoy!

TIP: Find my best no-cook school lunch ideas here.

I’d love to hear any lunch tips you have so please comment below to share. I love hearing what works for your families and I appreciate all feedback!

Filder Under:Advice, Lunch, School Lunch