Change Up the Lunchbox Routine!

This school year, give lunchtime a fresh new twist with creative ideas that make packing and eating lunch more exciting. From tasty snacks to smart storage solutions, these simple ideas can make lunchtime something to look forward to.

Table of Contents

Beyond the Sandwich: Creative Snacks

DIY Lunchables: They’re fun and convenient, but those ready-to-eat lunch meals are often highly processed and high in sodium. Create a healthier option with low-sodium deli meat cut in squares, cheese cubes, whole-wheat crackers, apple slices and nut butter.

Mini Bagel Bites: Fun to eat and perfect for small hands – slice mini bagels in half and spread with with your choice of toppings. Try peanut butter and banana slices, jelly and strawberries, or cream cheese and raisins.

Easy Samosas: Bite-sized and just right for lunch! Fill these easy-to-bake pockets with anything from potatoes to chicken or beef. Make them ahead and pop into the freezer for an easy-to-grab snack.

Meatball Mania: Instead of sandwiches, try packing mini turkey meatballs in a thermos with a side of dipping sauce — marinara, teriyaki or barbecue.

Mini Lunchbox Meatloaves: Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a muffin pan with olive oil and set aside. In a large bowl, mix together 2 lb. ground beef, 4 cloves minced garlic, 1 c. rolled oats, 2 eggs, ½ c. BBQ sauce, 1 tsp. salt, ½ tsp. oregano and ½ tsp. thyme until well combined. Spoon out between ⅓-½ c. of the meatloaf mixture into each muffin cup. Top with a spoonful of BBQ sauce. Bake until cooked all the way through, about 20-25 minutes.

“Uncrustable” Sandwiches:Skip the frozen food aisle and make your own hand-held sandwiches with your choice of fillings, from turkey and cheese to ham salad or peanut butter and jelly. The Gelbira sandwich cutter, available on amazon.com, is made of durable metal and can be used again and again.

Buildable sandwiches: Make kids think they are eating a Lunchable, but made with ingredients you hand pick. Put everything needed to make mini sandwiches – one piece of bread cut into quarters, slices of cheese, sliced meat, thin-sliced carrots and lettuce. Serve ranch or mayo on the side. Kids can build the sandwiches or eat ingredients separately.

Make-ahead yogurt pops: Purchase a silicone ice pop maker set online or at a local retailer. To make 8-10 you will also need: 1 32 oz. container of plain or vanilla Greek yogurt, 2 cups fresh or frozen fruit and 2-3 tbsp. honey (optional). Blend ingredients, pour into molds and freeze at least 5 hours before popping in the lunch box.

Lunch kabobs: Combine any of the following onto bamboo skewers to mix up lunch. Try turkey and cheddar cheese with cucumbers, salami and provolone with bell peppers, chicken and Monterey jack cheese with pickles, roast beef and Swiss cheese with olives. You could also do this with fruit.

BLT Bites: Lay bacon in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until crispy on both sides, flipping once, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon to a plate and blot any excess grease with paper towels, then cool slightly and chop into 1-inch pieces. Spread a baguette slice with mayonnaise, then layer bacon, torn romaine lettuce leaves, small tomatoes, more bacon, green onions and a sprinkle of salt.

Safe Catch Pizza Bites: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 12-count mini muffin tin. Sprinkle parmesan cheese into muffin cups. Open tuna and empty into a medium mixing bowl. Use a fork to flake the tuna. Add 3 eggs, 3 tbsp. tomato paste, 1 tsp. parsley, 1 tsp. oregano, 1 tsp. basil, 1 tsp. garlic powder, ¼ c. oats, ½ c. mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated. Spoon the pizza bite mixture into the mini muffin tin. Bake for 12 minutes, then remove and sprinkle ½ c. of mozzarella cheese on top of the pizza bites. Bake for an additional 4-6 minutes or until the mozzarella is melted or slightly browned.

Use mini muffin tins: Bake kid-sized snacks in these tins, which fit easily into a lunch box with other foods. Look up healthy muffin recipes including whole grains and fruits. Other ideas include baking macaroni and cheese cups, pizza bites, mini meatloaf, corn dog muffins and more. Find these ideas on Pinterest by searching kid foods in muffin tins.

Easy as a Sandwich:

Roll ups: These skip the traditional sandwich, but keep in line with a child’s taste. Flatten a favorite piece of bread with a rolling pin and add peanut butter and jelly, lunch meat and cheese or Nutella and fruit. Roll the bread and slice into individual rolls for easy eating.

Apple Cheese Wraps: Slice a Granny Smith apple into ½-inch thick slices. Rub the apple with a lemon slice to prevent from going brown. Slice the cheddar cheese into ½-inch slices and ham into ¼-½-inch slices. Place an apple slice and a cheese slice on top of the deli meat and fold over deli meat to wrap.

Breakfast food: Waffles and pancakes, eggs, bacon or sausage, and you can even use leftovers from a previous breakfast.

Reusable separators: Use reusable cupcake liners in round or square shapes to separate foods in larger plastic containers. Fill with cheese cubes, cut fruit, vegetables or crackers (bonus for picky eaters – the foods don’t touch). Available at amazon.com for around $7 for a 12-pack.

Deconstructed Tacos: Put these ingredients in your child’s lunchbox for him to create his own tacos: ground turkey or beef with taco seasoning, shredded cheese, tomatoes or salsa, lettuce, mini guacamole to-go cup and watermelon.

Leftovers: Warm up any food from the night before and put into a Thermos to keep it warm until lunch time. This can be spaghetti, soup, casserole, etc. and make sure to pack a kid-friendly plastic utensil.

Side options:

Hummus and pita or vegetables
Sliced avocado
Grapes
Cherry tomatoes
Sliced and peeled tangerines
Cut strawberries
Popped popcorn
Sliced vegetables like celery, carrots and cucumbers
Yogurt
Nut butters and crackers to dip
Cheese sticks or cubes
Applesauce

All Boxed Up: Storage Solutions

L.L. Bean Lunch Box: This durable, insulated pack keeps food cool until it’s time to eat. Available in 10 kid-favorite colors, and each can be monogrammed with a name or initial. Available at llbean.com for $22.95.

Animal Bestie Insulated Container: Kids can have lunch on the wild side with this vacuum-insulated container. It keeps 20 ounces of food hot or cold, and comes in four designs — dinosaur, penguin, cow and unicorn. Available at uncommongoods.com for $35.

Bentgo Fresh Lunch Box: This box is great for picky eaters or kids who love a fun presentation. There’s a compartment for each item along with a removable divider. Both the tray and divider are dishwasher safe. The set includes one box and three compartment trays. Available at amazon.com for $39.99.

Start a System

Bento-style lunch systems have gained popularity in recent years, since they are visually appealing to kids and make the lunch packing process easier for parents. Even if you opt to use a traditional lunch box, packing can be simplified by making sure your kitchen is well-stocked with lunchbox essentials like bags, plastic spoons and reusable containers.

Lunch Box Bible: Your Go-To Guide for Building a Balanced Lunchbox by Julia Tellidis and Lauren Skora Packed with recipes, resources and tips, this new book has great ideas for fueling kids all day. Topics include lunchbox heroes, snacks, small bites, meal prep and nutrition, plus a library of photos for packing a complete lunchbox. $34.99 at barnesandnoble.com.

Lunch Box Builder: Plan a week of tasty lunches with the free printable Lunchbox Builder at momables.com, with food inspiration, a mix-and-match chart and “winners of the week” page. The website is also a great resource for fresh and healthy meal ideas.

Think Outside the Sandwich

Sure, some kids love sandwiches, but there are many other options to consider. Wrap meat and veggies in tortillas and then slice them to create pinwheels. Keep dinner leftovers like soup and pasta warm in a thermos. Send small tapas-style portions of many different foods to appeal to picky eaters.

Prioritize Protein

A protein-packed lunch will help your child to think clearly and concentrate in the classroom – and provide the energy he or she needs to make it through the rest of the day. Hard-boiled eggs, tuna, nuts and nut butters, meats and low-fat cheese or yogurt are all good, high-quality sources of lunchbox protein.

Dip Those Fruits and Veggies

Have kids who aren’t eating their carrot sticks and strawberries at lunchtime? You’re not alone. Make fruits and vegetables more enticing by including a dip for kids to enjoy. Send hummus, ranch dressing or even ketchup to accompany veggies.

Get Kids in the Kitchen

Kids inevitably have opinions about what they do and don’t like in their lunches, so why not pass along the responsibility of packing their own lunchboxes? Set a few ground rules about what they need to include, stock your fridge and pantry with plenty of parent-approved options and then, if you’re lucky, cross the entire task off your own never ending to-do list.

Fizzy’s Lunch Lab: Parents and kids will find great recipes, nutrition facts and more at Fizzy’s Lunch Lab (lunchlab. com). Professor Fizzy teaches kids about healthy eating through videos, games and songs, along with a side of humor