When it comes to kids lunch box ideas, the options can feel repetitive. It seems that most lunch ideas for kids at school revolve around sandwiches, veggies, chips and juice boxes. If your kids are getting sick of their typical PB&J sandwich lunches, it’s time to swap things out!
Kids lunch box recipes don’t have to be boring or routine. Ever considered BBQ chicken pizza or pretzel pigs in a blanket? If not, we’re here to help!
Read on for more creative ideas and recipes!
Lunch Ideas for Kids (Other Than Sandwiches)
- Quesadillas
- Chicken or beef skewers
- Salads
- Pizza
- Granola bars
- Sliders
- Wraps
- Spring rolls
- Fried rice
- Pasta
- Baked potatoes
- Chicken drumsticks
- Noodle salads
- Hummus and pita bread
No-Bake Chewy Butterscotch Granola Bars
Granola bars are good for snack time, but they also make for a wonderful addition to kids’ lunch boxes. These No-Bake Chewy Granola Butterscotch Bars are made with peanut butter, Bob’s Red Mill Regular Rolled Oats and wheat bran, so they’re packed full of protein and hearty whole grains. Think of them as a peanut butter sandwich, but in chewy bar form. They have some butterscotch chips for extra sweetness and are both rich and chewy. Because they contain healthy fats, fibers and protein, they’ll keep the kids charged up and ready to take on the day.
Salt and Pepper Flax Crackers
If you’re used to putting chips in your little one’s lunches, consider a heart-healthy flax cracker instead. These tasty Salt and Pepper Flax Crackers are both grain free and gluten free. They’re created using just flaxseed meal, water, salt and pepper. In just 30 minutes, you’ll have a fiber-filled cracker that you can throw in your kids’ lunch boxes to ensure that they stay energized throughout the day. Once you master this recipe, experiment with spices and herbs for a variety of unique flavor combinations.
BBQ Chicken Pizza
Homemade pizza is a great alternative to other lunch box main courses (like the typical sandwiches). This version of BBQ Chicken Pizza is paleo and combines the smoky sweetness of barbecue with a creamy no-cheese cashew sauce. Top it all off with cilantro to integrate a little more green into the lunch box routine. To get the kids especially excited about this pizza, enlist their help for making a paleo pizza crust the night before. In the morning when you pack their lunches, let them know they’ll be taking a few slices of their prized pizza along to school.
Bob’s Basic Pasta Recipe & Quick and Easy Tomato Sauce
Though it may not initially be what you think of when it comes to school lunch, cold pasta with a quick sauce is easy to pack up in a resealable container, and a fun and nutritious option for kids. Try making Bob’s Basic Pasta Recipe with olive oil, eggs, semolina pasta flour and water and pairing it with a delicious Easy Tomato Sauce. As long as you have onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, bay leaf, tomato paste, diced tomatoes and a bit of salt and pepper on hand, you can master this simple sauce in no time.
Quinoa Sliders
Sliders are a good lunch box option because they’re small and easy-to-eat. These Quinoa Sliders from Chef Billy Parisi are easy to customize for picky eaters and can be made gluten free by choosing a gluten free breadcrumb and gluten free buns. The quinoa provides lasting protein for the playground adventures ahead and the addition of sliced green onions and spices (like cumin and chili powder) add a tasty kick to the quinoa. Pair these lunch box sliders with baked sweet potato fries and a creamy dipping sauce.
Pretzel Pigs in a Blanket
What dish is more fun than pigs in a blanket? These Pretzel Pigs in a Blanket take your lunchbox game to a new level. They’re great for parties, gatherings and also—lunch boxes! They taste as good at room temperature as they do warm, just make sure to send little containers of mustard and ketchup condiments along, too.
Quinoa Spring Rolls
Spring rolls are a great way to keep things fun for your kids while also getting them to eat their veggies. With these Quinoa Spring Rolls, you can mix and match different fillings like shrimp and chicken. Luckily, Chef Billy Parisi has also included dipping sauces (because no lunch box is complete without dipping sauce).
Brown Sugar Banana Flax Popcorn
Popcorn is a nutritious alternative if you’re looking to change things up with regards to a “lunchbox dessert.” This Brown Sugar Banana Flax Popcorn is made with yellow or white popcorn, melted butter, crushed banana chips, brown sugar, flaxseed meal and salt. If you’re looking to add a bit of extra nutrition to your popcorn dessert, consider throwing in some nuts (like peanuts or sliced almonds).
Oregon Trail Cookies
This recipe for Oregon Trail Cookies can be found on our bags of conventional and organic whole wheat flour. If you’re looking to add a special treat to your kids’ lunchboxes, these healthy cookies are packed with good ingredients like Organic Regular Rolled Oats, pumpkin seeds, brown flax seeds, dried cranberries and more. You can even add some nuts, like pecans or shredded coconut for some additional healthy fats.
Quinoa Tabbouleh
Quinoa Tabbouleh has such a nice flavor and tends to be loved by kids and adults alike. It makes a great salad addition to lunch boxes, because it can be eaten chilled or at room temperature. It also doesn’t wilt like other salads. This particular recipe can be found on our bags of Organic Quinoa Grain and is a refreshing and unexpected treat on warm days.
Bacon Cheddar Pull Apart Bread
If your kids tend to love BLTs, you might be in luck with this homemade Bacon Cheddar Pull Apart Bread. Applegate Natural Bacon adds a smoky note to the creaminess of the cheese and the bite of the garlic. This is a fun recipe to make with kids on the weekend; then pop it in their lunch boxes on a Monday morning to ease them into the week with something tasty.
Coconut Chai Smoothie
Thought lunchbox smoothies were too hard to manage? Think again! If you premix a smoothie for the kids, put it in a jar with a resealable lid that stays put. As long as you have a cooler pack to keep it cool, come lunchtime, the kids can shake it up and have a wonderful addition to their daily lunch box. If you’re looking for a go-to recipe, this Coconut Chai Smoothie seems to be a favorite among kids. Luckily, the options for smoothie are endless (just experiment a bit until you find the right fit).
5 Ingredient Almond Chicken Tenders
These 5 Ingredient Almond Chicken Tenders are gluten free and kid-friendly. To create them, chicken is coated in seasoned almond flour and baked until hot and crispy. The best part for lunch boxes is that they’re just as cool cold. Send your kids to school with a selection of dipping sauces (like honey mustard, ketchup and homemade ranch).
Fruit and Nut Energy Bars
Similar to the granola bars, these Fruit and Nut Energy Bars are a quick and easy energy boost. They can be customized with kids’ preferences for dried fruits and nuts and kept in the fridge with parchment paper between layers (and taken out when you need a last minute lunchbox filler). With ingredients like dried apricots, dried cranberries, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, gluten free rolled oats, hulled millet and shredded coconut, these bars are packed to the brim with sustaining and nutritious ingredients.
PB&J Protein Balls Recipe
If you’re still hanging on to the idea of the PB&J sandwich (but want to get a little bit more creative) try whipping up a batch of these PB&J Protein Balls with your kids. They’re perfect for tossing into a lunch box and are packed with ingredients like creamy peanut butter, Vanilla Protein Powder Nutritional Booster, gluten free rolled oats and organic chia seed.
If you’re sending your kids off to school every morning during the week, it’s easy to get into a routine of the same old recipes. But if you find yourself stuck and sick of the turkey and swiss and PB&J sandwich, we hope these lunch ideas for kids have broadened your lunch box horizon.
After all, is there anything more fun than opening up your lunch boxes and finding last night’s leftover homemade pizza? Or a bowl full of fresh noodles with a simple marinara and side of cheese to accompany it?
When you start thinking outside of the box, lunch box meal time gets a whole lot better for both the lunch box maker and the lunch box receiver. And at the end of the day, the best thing you can do is start a dialogue with your little ones about what they like and don’t like. What are their favorite veggies, whole grains and proteins?
From all of us at Bob’s Red Mill, we look forward to seeing what you create!
