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Sick and tired of packing school lunches? ๐Ÿ˜ญ We've got 22 EASY ideas โ†’
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Wholefully ยป School Lunch Ideas

School Lunch Ideas

Healthy lunches do not have to be time-consuming or expensive. You can send these school lunch ideas every day of the week with our simple and easy-to-make recipes.

There is a wide world of healthy packed lunches outside of sandwiches! Some of our favorite “main dishes” for lunchboxes include chicken quesadillas, muffins and yogurt, and pasta salads. We have a whole selection of more school lunch ideas below!

Stainless steel bento-style lunchbox filled with a snack lunch: pretzels and dip, grapes, watermelon, popcorn, cucumber spears, and deli meat roll-upsShelf of a utility cart holding small containers and accessories for zero-waste lunch packing.

Lunch Packing Tips

Once you have the right tools,ย lunch packing is actually pretty easy! Here’s everything you need to get started packing eco-friendly lunches.

LEARN MORE
Bento-style lunch box filled with the makings for two-bite tacosSchool Lunch Ideas: Stainless steel lunch box with Greek pasta salad, pita chips and hummus, and clementine slices.

18 Eco-Friendly Lunches

We pack school lunches nearly every weekday, and these are some of our biggest hits. Whether your family is vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, or eat a little bit of everything, there is a lunch here for you!

LEARN MORE

School Lunch Mains


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The real secret to packing a school lunch that your kid will eat? Let them have input, and pack whatever you think they’ll eat that will fuel their brain and keep them full through recess! Check out some of our favorite school lunch ideas:

Serving platter of pinwheel appetizers stacked with one on top showing all the spiraled layers inside.

Italian Pinwheels with Cream Cheese Spread

Close view of baked chicken meatballs on a serving board, garnished with chopped fresh herbs.

Best Baked Chicken Meatballs Recipe

Meal Prep Baked Falafel Lettuce Wraps packed into glass lunch containers with mixed berries

Meal Prep Baked Falafel Lettuce Wraps

Veggie wrap bites with hummus packed into a school lunch with fruit, cheese, and snacks.

Veggie Pinwheels for Packed Lunches (Vegetarian)

School Lunch Sides and Snacks


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We like to make sure all of our packed lunches include a fruit, a vegetable, some form of protein, and some sort of carbohydrate. We may include more than that, but we consider a lunch complete if it checks those four boxes. Here are some of our favorite ways to fill out a lunch box:

Overhead shot of Instant Pot coconut yogurt in a white bowl, garnished with mixed berries and seeds, and a drizzle of honey

How to Make Instant Pot Coconut Yogurt

A bowl of strawberry muffins. One muffin is cut in half and smeared with butter.

Strawberry Muffins Recipe

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola

Whole Wheat Parmesan Crackers arranged on a marbled background

Parmesan Whole Wheat Crackers

The Ultimate Guide to Healthy School Lunches

We’ve packed (pun intended!) all our knowledge from years ofย making school lunches into one digital master guide!

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All the latest recipes

Find all of our favorite school lunch ideas and recipes below. We’ve got something for everyoneโ€”gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, and nut-free options can all be found below.


How To Make Any Berry Smoothie At Home

How To Make Any Berry Smoothie At Home

Italian Pinwheels with Cream Cheese Spread

Italian Pinwheels with Cream Cheese Spread

Best Baked Chicken Meatballs Recipe

Best Baked Chicken Meatballs Recipe

Best Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie Recipe

Best Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie Recipe

How to Make Instant Pot Coconut Yogurt

How to Make Instant Pot Coconut Yogurt

Strawberry Muffins Recipe

Strawberry Muffins Recipe

English Muffin Pizzas

English Muffin Pizzas

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Almond Flour Banana Bread

Almond Flour Banana Bread

Pasta e Fagioli

Pasta e Fagioli

Easy Chicken Caesar Wrap Recipe

Easy Chicken Caesar Wrap Recipe

Roasted Garlic and White Bean Dip

Roasted Garlic and White Bean Dip

Almond Cranberry Breakfast Cookies

Almond Cranberry Breakfast Cookies

Veggie Pinwheels for Packed Lunches (Vegetarian)

Veggie Pinwheels for Packed Lunches (Vegetarian)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie Recipe

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie Recipe

How to Make Yogurt (With or Without an Instant Pot!)

How to Make Yogurt (With or Without an Instant Pot!)

Strawberry Banana Smoothie Recipe

Strawberry Banana Smoothie Recipe

Lemon Shrimp and Orzo Recipe

Lemon Shrimp and Orzo Recipe

How to Make an Awesome Cheese Board in Minutes

How to Make an Awesome Cheese Board in Minutes

Savory Pumpkin Hummus Recipe

Savory Pumpkin Hummus Recipe

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Any specific health claim or nutritional claims or information provided on the website are for informational purposes only. Nothing on the website is offered is intended to be a substitute for professional medical, health, or nutritional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. See full disclosures ยป

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