10 Kids’ Lunch Box Ideas That Are Not Another Sandwich
Pinwheels, pasta salad, snack boxes, mini muffins, quesadillas and dinner leftovers in a thermos, with tips to keep lunches cold and safe.
Packing lunch every school day gets old fast, for you and for them. A simple formula keeps it varied: a main, a fruit, a vegetable and a little something fun, with one food you know they like.
Keep lunches safe
- Pack perishable food with two cold sources, such as a frozen ice pack and a frozen water bottle, in an insulated bag.
- For hot food, fill the thermos with boiling water for a few minutes, empty it, then add food heated to steaming.
- Leftovers from dinner make great thermos lunches; cook once, eat twice.
Turkey and cheese pinwheels
- 4 large tortillas
- 4 tablespoons cream cheese
- 8 slices turkey
- 4 slices cheese
- Spinach leaves
Spread, layer, roll tightly and slice into rounds.
Pasta salad
- 2 cups cooked pasta
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup cucumber
- 1/2 cup cubed cheese
- 3 tablespoons Italian dressing
Toss the night before and pack cold.
DIY snack box
- Crackers
- Cheese cubes
- Sliced deli meat or hard-cooked egg
- Grapes and carrot sticks
Pack each part in its own compartment so kids can build little stacks.
Quesadilla wedges
- 2 tortillas
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese
- 1/4 cup beans or chicken
- Salsa to dip
Make in the morning, cut into wedges and pack with salsa. They are good at room temperature in an insulated bag with an ice pack.
Hummus and veggie dippers
- 1/2 cup hummus
- Pita triangles
- Carrots, cucumbers and snap peas
Pack the hummus in a small leak-proof container.
Mini muffins
- Banana bread or muffin batter
Bake on the weekend and freeze; a frozen muffin thaws by lunchtime.
Thermos mac and cheese or soup
- Leftover pasta bake, chili or soup
Reheat until steaming and pack in a preheated thermos.
Rice and chicken bowl
- 1 cup rice
- 1/2 cup cooked chicken
- Corn and edamame
- Teriyaki or soy sauce
Pack cold with an ice pack, or hot in a thermos.
Yogurt parfait
- 1 cup yogurt
- Berries
- Granola in a separate bag
Pack the granola separately so it stays crunchy.
Breakfast for lunch
- Mini pancakes or waffles
- Hard-cooked egg
- Fruit
- A small container of syrup or yogurt
Cook a double batch at breakfast and pack the extras.
Questions, answered
How do I keep my child’s lunch cold until lunchtime?
Use an insulated lunch bag with at least two cold sources, such as a frozen ice pack and a frozen juice box or water bottle.
What can I pack instead of a sandwich?
Pinwheels, pasta salad, snack boxes with crackers and cheese, quesadilla wedges, hummus with dippers or hot leftovers in a thermos.
