If you’ve been on the hunt for fresh and fun kids’ lunch box ideas, you’ve found the perfect spot. I’ve spent years crafting, testing, and refining an abundance of delicious, nutritious, and kid-approved lunches for my picky eaters. Now, I’m here to share my favorite lunch box ideas with you, conveniently grouped by age range. So, read on for some great kids’ lunch box ideas to try throughout the school year. In addition to sharing my kid’s favorite meals, I will also share my three favorite lunch boxes that my kids have used through their stages and ages.
Welcome to the ultimate guide full of my best ideas for packing your little ones’ lunch box! If you’re a busy parent seeking inspiration and practical advice on what to pack into your child’s lunch boxes – you’ve landed in the right place. As a Mom of two, I understand how challenging it can be to come up with a variety of healthy, tasty, and kid-approved meals every single day. There’s nothing more disheartening than your kids coming home from school with a full lunch box that you spent 20 minutes making with only one bite missing.
That’s why I’ve pulled together my tried and tested school lunch box meals. I wanted to give you some ideas broken down by age range, to help take the guesswork out of your meal prep routine. From toddlers to teens, I am diving into everything from finger foods and fun snacks to hearty, balanced meals that will keep their energy levels up all day.
Easy Lunch Box Ideas For Kids
So whether your little one is stepping into preschool with their first lunch box, your middle-schooler is navigating the day with a practical brain-boosting meal in mind, or your high schooler is balancing their appetite with a stackable lunch box, I’ve got a menu of delicious and nutritious lunch box ideas for every stage. Let’s make lunchtime the highlight of their day!
Selecting the right lunch box for your child can be just as important as the wholesome food you pack inside. It’s not just a container – it’s a personal dining space, a tool for nutrition, and an expression of their individuality. It also makes a difference in what lunch ideas you’ll choose to make. In the sections to come, we’re going to delve into the world of bento-style lunch boxes – a fantastic choice for organizing and presenting food in a fun and appealing way.
I’ll walk you through the various styles suited for different age groups, their unique features, and how to pick the one that’s just right for your kiddo. From compartments designed for tiny toddler hands to stackable containers for hungry teenagers, I’ve got all the insights to help you make the best choice.
No Cook Clean Eating Lunch Boxes 4 Creative Ways!
Below you’ll find some of my thoughts on what type of lunch box works best based on the age range your child is in. This is based on my experience with my own kids with the lunch boxes that made the most sense for them and the food types and quantities most suitable for them during that growth stage.
Everyone wants to know what the best lunch boxes are for kids. I’ve tried so many different kinds over the last 9 years since my oldest started going to school. There’s a lot to consider when picking your kids’ lunch box, including the age of the child, their meal preferences (hot or cold), and the amount and variety of foods they like to eat. My kids have used these four lunch boxes: Yumbox Lunch Box, Bentgo 3-Pack Fresh Pack, Bentgo Stainless Steel Leak Proof and Omie Lunch Box.
This post, though, will feature three lunch boxes, all by Bentgo, because I’ve found it useful to stick with one company and graduate the kids through their different lines of bento boxes. The three lunch boxes featured here and detailed below include:
Healthy Bento Box Lunch Ideas
Just like the Yumbox Lunch Box that my kids used when they were in pre-school, this Bentgo is the perfect size for tiny tummies and slow eaters. I love that it’s lightweight and compact with an easy-open latch, so it fits nicely in their backpacks or even in a standard-size thermal lunch tote. Then there’s a leak-free lid, which means you can put salad dressing in one of the compartments or yogurt and not worry about it leaking out. With this lunch box, there’s no need for zip lock bags, multiple containers, plastic wraps, and snack packs…all the lunch is in one compact container…so easy, so cute, and so fun!
While there’s a regular Bentgo lunch box, it’s very similar to the Yumbox one, and my go-to is the Bentgo 3-pack Fres Pack. It’s a leakproof lunch box system that works for older children and adults. It has 3 compartment trays with a removable divider, so you can customize it to create 4 compartments instead. What I like about it is that for the price, you get three lunch box containers instead of just one. So, you can essentially prepare three meals in advance, each with its own meal tray covers, and then transport the meals in the main lunch box whenever you’re ready. This works great if you’re batch prepping on Sunday evening with items that can last 3-4 days in the fridge.
Now that my kids are entering 7th grade and 5th grade, they have really been loving these stackable lunch containers, which are great for bigger appetites and even perfect for adult lunches if you want to double up. The great thing about them is the two areas that allow for a salad, pasta salad, or sandwich at the bottom, along with toppings, snacks, or condiments on the top. In fact, one of the compartments has a small Tupperware with a lid that’s perfect so salad dressings, nut butter, or dips.
Lunch Ideas For Kids, Vegan + Healthy (bento Box)
Now that I’ve covered how to choose the perfect lunch box, it’s time to fill those compartments with colorful, tasty, and nutritious meals. In the upcoming section, I’m ready to spill the beans (literally and figuratively!) on the most loved lunch box ideas and recipes for every stage of your child’s life – from toddlers to high schoolers.
Think beyond the traditional sandwich; I’m talking finger foods, rainbow-colored fruits and veggies, hearty meals, and even surprise snacks. These meal ideas are designed to not just satisfy their little (and not so little) tummies but also to cater to their evolving taste buds.
Toddlers can be picky eaters, so don’t fret if you find a mostly uneaten lunch box returned home. The bento box is ideal for them as it shows off variety and also avoids hard-to-open packaging that may frustrate little hands.
Easy Vegan Lunch Box Ideas For Work Meal Prep (adult Bento)
Mini bagels with cream cheese are popular for toddlers. You can add pretzel sticks or other snacks and small fruits or fruits cut in half, like green grapes and strawberries.
These triangle-shaped cheese quesadillas are a fun shape that is appealing to toddlers, it’s a fun lunch box idea for kids ages 2-5. Including healthy sides that have interesting flavors like black beans, guacamole, and halved cherry tomatoes, which also offer a variety of textures, too. Include fruit in small bite-size chunks like peaches, strawberries, or peaches.
A toddler lunch box with scrambled eggs, bread cut into small squares, and fresh fruit like raspberries or pears offers a variety of easy-to-eat foods. Include a sweet treat like chocolate chips or coated chocolate candies, and crunchy cheese crackers or toasted oat cereal.
Easy Budget Lunch Box Ideas Your Kids (and Wallet) Will Love
For a quick lunch box idea cut an uncrustable in half and pair it with fresh fruit and vegetables like cucumber or carrot sticks, green peas, and halved strawberries or blueberries. Include a crispy snack like cheese squares or pretzels.
A favorite of most toddlers, make a peanut butter, almond butter, or sunflower butter and strawberry chia jam sandwich cut into triangles. Include a tube of Stonyfield yogurt and small bite-size items such as edamame, cereal, and blueberries.
Cut a turkey sandwich into squares and fill the remaining box with a few of your toddler’s favorite textural foods. Use celery that’s cut down into manageable sticks and pretzels for crunch. You can add peeled mandarin oranges or apple slices, plus a small snack like raisins.
Healthy Kids' Lunchbox Ideas With Photos!
By now, you’ve gotten a handle on what your child likes and doesn’t like in their bento box. You can still add new foods for them to try to keep them exploring with food. The larger compartments of this bento box let you add a little more for growing tummies. Pinwheels are one of my favorite lunch box ideas for this age range.
If there’s one thing my kids never get tired of, it’s pizza! It’s a surefire winner to make sure no lunches return home. Fill the other compartments with something a little lighter and healthy, like carrot sticks, granola with chocolate chips, and fresh fruit like peaches and blueberries.
Offer a variety of foods that are appealing and maybe new. Pesto turkey pinwheels have a herby flavor with cheddar cheese. You can also include sliced apples and crispy green peas for crunch, sweet, and salty foods. And as a treat, mini pancakes
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