40 Popular Kid Lunch Ideas

Sandwich/Bread Themed

1. Homemade lunchable – whole grain cracker, cheese slices, lunch meat shapes, a few chocolate chips, yogurt drink
2. Sandwich Kabob – Layer bread, meat, cheese, (and any veggies) on a long toothpick! It’s like an unassembled sandwich, cucumbers, banana
3. French baguette slices, cheese slices, cashews, apple slices
4. Peanut Butter Jelly or honey sandwich, plum, carrot sticks, milk
5. Bagel and cream cheese sandwich, chia seed “sprinkles”, blackberries, peanut butter dip, pretzels
6. Caprese Kabob – layer bread, fresh mozzarella, cherry tomato, and basil leaves on a kabob stick or long toothpick. Serve a little container or balsamic vinegar to use as a dip!
7. Breakfast Sandwich – egg, cheese, meat -optional, English muffin, orange slices
8. Peanut Butter Banana Sushi Wraps – Use a whole grain tortilla and wrap up peanut butter, banana, and raisins (optional), cherry tomato, carrot sticks, ranch dressing
9. Wrap style sandwich with wrap tortilla – wrap whatever their favorite concoction is! (i.e. ham/cheese, turkey/basil/swiss, etc.)
10. Pizza muffins (layer dough, sauce, top with cheese in oven and bake), celery, carrot sticks with ranch, apple slices
11. Leftover pizza slice, green peas, milk, watermelon
12. Kabob – Layer Bacon, Bread, Lettuce or spinach, cherry tomato, on a skewer, green grapes, a few alphabet crackers
13. Grilled Cheese, tomato soup, banana
14. Homemade pretzel, honey mustard sauce (or you could make a pizza themed pretzel), orange slices, cheese pieces

Pasta Themed

15. Pasta & Peas – Green peas, pasta, butter, topped with parmesan, leftover breadstick, strawberries

16. Pasta & Marinara sauce – pasta, red sauce, topped with parmesan (maybe some fresh basil!), leftover breadstick or premade roll, canned pears, carrot sticks

17. Pasta & Alfredo sauce – pasta, alfredo sauce, canned chicken – optional, snap peas, Leftover breadstick or premade roll.

18. Pasta & Pesto sauce – pasta with pesto sauce, parmesan cheese on the side, fresh mango, breadstick or premade roll.

19. Tortellini, sauce (optional), cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil (optional), bread or baguette, canned peaches

20. Bacon Asparagus Rigatoni – use leftover or buy white pasta sauce, add crumbly bacon and cooked asparagus and mix in, raspberries

21. Mac n cheese, broccoli and olives with ranch dressing, whole wheat roll

22. Ravioli, (sauce optional), steamed green beans, purple grapes, treat

23. Pasta salad (pasta, olives, turkey pepperoni, cheese, cucumber, beans, Italian dressing), breadstick or baguette slice, blueberries

24. Lo mein – premake noodles, stir fry veggies, lo mein sauce, add mini corn, mandarin oranges to lunch box day of.

Breakfast Themed

25. French toast sticks, a little syrup, berries to mash on top (or eat separate), ham slices or shapes, milk

26. Mini pancakes, a little syrup/butter, blueberries, hard boiled egg or scrambled eggs

27. Baked oatmeal slice, a little syrup, sliced almonds or cashews, strawberries, gogurt

28. 2 Whole grain muffins, string cheese, banana, milk, some homemade trail mix

29. Whole grain waffles, peanut butter, jam (make a sandwich), full fat yogurt or cottage cheese topped with strawberries

30. Quiche/breakfast muffins (usually eggs, hashbrowns, cheese, green onion, meat (optional), ketchup (optional), raspberries, milk

31. Breakfast burrito serve with salsa or ketchup, orange slices, milk

Other

32. Gnocchi (precooked in a skillet), turkey pepperoni slices, blueberries, a veggie choice, string cheese

33. Tortilla Chips with side of guac and salsa, shredded cheese, pitted cherries

34. Cheese quesadilla, beans (or put some beans in the quesadilla)

35. Hummus plate – whole grain crackers, sliced bell peppers, cucumbers, hummus, granola bar, grapes

36. Leftover ham fried rice (can use egg, peas, carrots, whatever other veggies your child will eat), watermelon, cherry tomatoes

37. Leftover cooked chicken cutlet or chicken nuggets, leftover potato wedges, ketchup or ranch, bell pepper slices, kiwi fruit

38. Grilled chicken strips, corn (or leftover street corn salad), bbq sauce, roll, applesauce pouch

39. 2 Veggie string rolls, sauce, snap peas, cherries, yogurt w/graham crackers to dip

40. Premade bean and cheese burrito, leftover Spanish rice, lettuce/sour cream on the side, strawberries