Get a jumpstart on lunch for yourself and the kids with these top make-ahead lunches. Make these to serve at home or pack them for daycare, preschool, elementary school, or work.
With everything we need to do in the mornings—from prepping preschool snacks and toddler lunches, to simply getting everyone dressed and fed—making lunch ahead of time can be a game changer.
Find our favorite ideas for make-ahead lunches that we can share with the kids to simply your day. You can prep these on the weekend or the night before, according to what works best for your schedule.
There are vegetarian options, sandwiches, pasta salad, pizza recipes, salads, and more, so scroll below to find your family’s new favorites.
(You may also like School Lunch Ideas, Cold Lunch Ideas, and easy Wraps for Kids).
Table of Contents
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Pizza Uncrustables
They are made with just a few ingredients, have classic pizza ingredients and flavors, but are ready in about 10 minutes.
DIY Uncrustables
Learn how to make a batch of healthy, homemade Uncrustables to stash into the freezer for fast kids’ lunches. I love this method so much because you can decide exactly what to put inside, they’re crazy fast, AND they freeze beautifully.
Salmon Salad
Offering healthy fats to kids is easy when you keep a can of wild salmon on hand to make a simple open-face Salmon Salad Sandwich. The process is easy and doesn’t require any fancy tools—and a yummy meal can be ready in about 5 minutes!
Quinoa Salad
With a handful of simple, nutritious ingredients, you can mix up this fresh Mediterranean Quinoa Salad to have on hand for lunches or weeknight dinners for yourself—or to serve deconstructed for the kids. It even stores well in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Farro Salad
The beauty of this salad is that you can make it ahead of time, it stores so well, and that it’s versatile. Which means you can change the cheese or omit it completely, swap the vegetables for ones you happen to have on hand, and vary the dressing.
Focaccia Sandwiches
It’s versatile, filling, delicious, and is a much less expensive version of an Italian sandwich that I might buy at the store…and just tastes SO good.
Pizza Rolls
This Pizza Rolls recipe is one of those foods that I like to have on hand for nights when there are activities and commitments since they are so easy to make ahead, warm up, and serve.
Pizza Cupcakes
The shape of these is so fun and the method is so easy! Plus, you can really fill them with whatever pizza toppings your family prefers.
Pizza Bites
Wrapping up pizza toppings inside the dough is such a fun take on pizza—and it’s a much more convenient way to pack up pizza for lunch. (They also work as a snack or appetizer.) These little bites are super versatile and store so well.
Mac and Cheese Cups
We love to rotate through lots of types of pasta in our house, and these muffin tin macaroni and cheese cups are a fun option that I make for lunch for the kids—or as an appetizer to share with grown-ups. It’s so easy, too!
Pesto Pasta Salad
Made with just a few simple ingredients, this fresh and flavorful Pesto Pasta Salad is a quick and easy family meal you’ll be able to pull together even on those nights you don’t really feel like cooking.
Pasta with Peas
The sauce can be made ahead and put into the fridge, or you can make the whole recipe and freeze it in small portions for a future meal. It’s rich in iron, protein, and fiber, but mostly it just tastes creamy and delicious.
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
I love packing the ingredients for this easy pasta salad up into leak-proof Yumbox lunch boxes as nutritious lunches. It holds up really well!
Chickpea Fritters
They are easy to adjust for allergies, can be made on the stovetop or in the air fryer, and are great with a range of dipping sauces including Cucumber Yogurt Sauce, salsa, guacamole, hummus, and ketchup.
Chicken Fritters
You can make these tender Chicken Fritters with any cooked chicken you have on hand, either leftover or purchased cooked from the store. Then, you can make the chicken fritters in just a few minutes, with or without the addition of vegetables, as an easy meal component.
How to Store
Store each of these lunch ideas in a lunch box or an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days ahead. Many of the recipes can be stored for 5 days, so check each one for the specific storage information.
Best Tips for Success
- Add vegetables for lunch, cut up fruit, applesauce pouches, yogurt tubes, or other easy sides to round out these make-ahead lunch ideas.
- Pack each in an insulated lunch bag with ice packs to ensure the food stays cold.
- Pack hot lunches in a kids thermos to ensure it stays warm until lunch time. Prepare the thermos according to the manufacturer’s directions to ensure food safety.
- Prep lunch foods the night before or on the weekend to simply your morning routine.
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