What to pack for Back-to-School lunches

Sharing is caring!

When it comes to planning kids’ back-to-school lunches the options are may not endless but they are plenty to keep them excited about school lunchtimes. Children’s school lunches may look different all over the world but they are optimal as per kids’ nutritional and dietary needs.

In the US, parents need ideas to pack school lunches whether it’s about faith restrictions to consume certain types of foods or a flexible menu to pick from. As long as foods that are easy to prepare, and stay fresh after 4 to 5 hours depending on the weather, is something important to consider.

Even if you are making fresh nuggets in the morning, they are not going to stay as warm as they are at home. Knowing your children’s preferences and how well they like eating warm to semi-cold food makes your ritual of packing lunches every morning a breeze – and worth it.

Typically, when you have to pack a lunch for a kindergartner or a 5th-grade student, the portion size would vary depending on the nutritional requirements and growth spurts.

Mainly a lunch box should have a main meal, two sides of fruits and veggies, and one sweet treat to enjoy at the end of the meal. However, packing a healthy, filling snack is a must to eat between breakfast and lunchtime.

As I said, given the age of your child, you have to be smart about the portion size that your child actually nutritionally needs and enjoys. For picky eaters, you might have to try a different approach to get the right nutrition. Here are the easy recipes to try for picky eaters.

To make your child’s lunchtime special, add a thoughtful note in his lunchbox. This is one of the best ways to stay connected with your child when they are away. I know it may seem like an extra chore to add on, but trust me, it’s all worth it!

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclaimer for more information.

Back to school kids’ lunch ideas

Kids’ lunch boxes to accommodate a variety of food for ages 3 years to 7 years old kids should not be too big.

However, these Bento lunch boxes are optimal for 9 years and older tweens.

What to pack as a Main meal for back to school lunches

Here are some healthy meal ideas for school lunches. I highly recommend you to use an air fryer for preparing or cooking nuggets or kabobs etc. Using an air fryer is the best healthy alternative to deep or shallow frying. Just wrap the warm meal in foil paper and put it in a lunch bag.

However, you can still make children’s lunches ahead of time may be a day before. Choose items that do not go soggy overnight, refrigerate fruits and cheese, dips, etc so they don’t go bad by the time it’s time for school.

Deli meat of your choice

Chicken nuggets

Fish nuggets

Chicken kabobs

Chicken and potato cutlets

Minced meat kabobs

Tortilla and cheese

Quesadilla

Sausages

Hot dogs with buns

Chicken Patties in a hamburger

Beef patties in a burger

Chicken wraps

Chicken cheese bread

Pasta

Pita and hummus

Chicken and spinach puff pastry

Boiled eggs

Cheese and crackers

Hash browns rounds or tater tots

Bread with omelet

Flaky butter bread (aka Paratha) with veggies omelet

Store-bought paratha wrap with minced kabob

Pro-Tip

Remember, if your child has a strong sense of smell or he is a picky eater, you may not be able to try everything on the list. Ideally, you should be packing meals that have fewer spices and not too much aroma.

Just go with a flow and choose what works for your picky tween or a kindergartner cautiously – because some foods may have a strong smell that kills your child’s appetite right away.

Fruits and vegetable sides for kids’ lunches

Strawberries

Blueberries

Raspberries

Grapes

Honeydew Melon Slices

Cantaloupe slices

Apple slices

Mango slices

Peach slices

Carrots

Oranges

Brocolli

Celery

Cucumbers

Edamame

Cheese sticks

Tofu

Boiled eggs

Cheese and crackers

Cold Sandwiches

Bread with cheese slice sandwich

Chicken Tandoori Sandwich

Cucumber sandwiches

Croissant and cheese sandwich

Peanut butter sandwich

Peanut butter jelly sandwich

Egg salad sandwich

Chicken and spinach sandwich

Snacks and sides for lunches

Pringles

Kettle cooked chips

Granola bar

Fig bars

Rice Krispies

Pop tart

Crackers and cheese

Trail mix

Chocolate chip cookies snack size

Fruit cups

Pretzels

Fruit Yogurt

Dips for school lunches

Ranch

Ketchup

Avocado sauce

Salsa

Cheddar cheese dip

Store-bought items for quick lunches

Garlic bread

Texas cheese toasts

Waffles

Garlic knots

Danish Pastry

Strudels

What to drink

Water

100% fruit Juice

Honest or Caprisun boxed juiced

Gatorade

Vitamin Water

Chocolate milk

Strawberry milk

Related:

Healthy after school snacks for kids

How to get your picky eater to eat with a family.

Back to school tips for moms to stay organized.

Sharing is caring!