Back to School Kids Lunchbox Ideas + Tips & Tricks!
Back to School Kids Lunchbox Ideas + Tips & Tricks!
Step away from lunchbox stereotypes this school year with these easy lunchbox ideas! A variety of meats, grains, fruits, vegetables and snacks, the possibilities are endless!
After packing your child’s lunchbox, put one of these free printable lunchbox notes and jokes into their lunchbox for a fun surprise to energize their day!
It’s that time of year!
Summer is officially over. That means the kids are back at school and I’m back at lunchbox work. Our kids are old enough that we usually let them pack their own lunches, but I still have to provide ingredients and toppings!
I like to change it so the kids don’t get bored and make sure there are plenty of healthy items to keep them energized and happy throughout the day. To make sure their meals are comprehensive, I usually include at least one item from each category:
- meat
- cereals
- fruit
- vegetable
- Sometimes it’s a treat đ
I compiled a list of ideas from each category. As you can see, there are a lot of ideas and hopefully even your pickiest eater will enjoy some of them!
Healthy School Lunch Ideas
Like I said, I usually try to include at least one item from each category to ensure kids’ school lunches are nutritious and provide healthy nutrition. You can easily mix and match by pairing different items together! But here’s our list of healthy lunchbox ideas:
Try these lunchbox examples!
Here are 4 examples of lunchboxes mixed and matched from items on the list! You can see the variety and you can make many different lunches with similar ingredients. Catering to each child’s preferences is easier than you might think!
Lunch Box #1
- Ranch Dip Snack Packs
- carrot slices
- cucumber slices
- apple slices
- Cheese Bars
- Peanut Butter Pretzels
Lunch Box #2
- Ranch Dip Snack Packs
- radish
- raisin
- Cubed Colby Jack Cheese
- Peanut Butter Banana Rolls
Lunch Box #3
- Ranch Dip Snack Packs
- carrot sticks
- celery sticks
- blueberry
- Strawberry
- Ham and Swiss Cheese Sandwich
Lunch Box #4
- Ranch Dip Snack Packs
- cherry tomatoes
- bell pepper sticks
- blackberries
- blueberry
- 1 mini bagel pizza
Tips for Packing Lunch Boxes
Any tips, tricks and tricks to make lunchbox packing easier when you have 6 kids like me will be well received!
food safety
- Use the insulated lunch box to keep hot and cold food cold!
- Pack food while it’s cold.
- Use ice packs in insulated lunch boxes to keep food cool. (Bonus tip: Freeze items like juice boxes, grape or yogurt packets – they’ll thaw at lunchtime, but double as ice packs!)
- Make sure your kids empty their lunchboxes of any leftovers at the end of the day to avoid spoiled items getting back.
Simplify the packaging process
- Be prepared to do whatever you can at the start of the week – wash and cut fruits and vegetables, and store them in storage containers in the refrigerator for easy access throughout the week.
- Pack your bags the night before. This is a good practice if there are leftover dinner items to toss in the lunch box. Plus, this will ensure you’re not in a rush to pack your bags the next morning.
- Get your kids involved! Most of my kids are old enough to pack their own lunch. I would provide all the items and fill the pantry with a bin full of snacks and other items prepared in the fridge so they only have to grab what they like.
Once my kids’ lunches are packed, I usually like to put a note or joke in their lunchbox. I have a whole bunch of free printable lunchbox notes and jokes that you can use too!
Happy lunch box packing! !