EASY Ideas for School Lunches

When I was growing up, the easiest thing for my dad was to give us money and let us buy our lunches at school. Times have changed since then.

Now parents can log into the school’s site and add money to the child’s school account for them to be able to purchase breakfast (if applicable) or lunch. It resolves the money being used on snack machines and being lost in transit. Very Smart Idea!

This past weekend in Virginia was Tax-Free school supplies as school starts on August 12th. It is two weeks earlier then it has been. Some students have already begun to or will be starting very soon.

With that said, it is time to discuss lunch boxes followed by easy school lunch ideas. We are all busy these days, so let’s make school lunch easy and healthy.

TOP Kids Lunch Boxes on Amazon:

Best for Kids: Wildkin Lunch Box

Best Insulated: Packit Freezable Deluxe Lunch Bag

Best Lunch Bag: Yookeehome Reusable Lunch Bag

Best Bento Box for Kids: Bentgo Kids Brights

Kids Lunch Portions:

Know the number of servings your child’s body needs to thrive this school year. However, your child’s stage of growth and development, age, appetite, and activity will all play a part in deciding on what portion sizes are right for your child. In general, portions should be “child-sized” until adolescence.

Healthy & Easy Snack Ideas for Kids:

REMEMBER: Try to stay away from nuts as lots of children have a nut allergy.

1. Grapes
2. Bananas
3. Berries: Blueberries, Strawberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, etc.
4. Nutragrain Bars/ Cliff Bars
5. Carrots
6. Cucumbers
7. Cheese or cheese sticks
8. Apples or apple sauce
9. Pears
10. Peaches or nectarines
11. Oranges or clementines
12. Pineapple
13. Yogurt – plain, not Danibles, and other sugary ones.
14. Watermelon
15. Hummus with pretzel sticks
16. Dried fruits
17. Popcorn
18. Kale Chips
19. Cantaloup or Honeydew
20. Sliced peppers and ranch
21. Broccoli or cauliflower with ranch
22. Kale or Zucchini chips

Want more ideas? There is this great website called SnackNation. You can see a list of snacks, or you can choose some options to filter out specific details.

Healthy Lunch Ideas for Kids:

NOTE: Eight foods are responsible for 90% of food allergy reactions in the U.S. These include milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, and soy. Milk and egg are the most common allergens for children, followed by peanuts.

1. Peanut butter and Jelly – My son Jack would eat nut butter and jelly for breakfast lunch and dinner with a side of cucumbers all day if we allowed him. However, peanuts are not permitted in most educational facilities, so please double-check policies before sending your child to school with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
2. Turkey and cheese roll-ups
3. Ham and cheese sandwich with lettuce and tomato – I often buy a spiral ham, and we make split pea soup with it and sandwiches. I have also done breakfast quiche with the leftovers and so much more.
4. Peanut butter and banana – My boys love this. They think it’s like having dessert for lunch; however, if I let them, they would eat a container of peanut butter and a bunch of bananas daily.
5. Egg and Avocado on a plain bagel
6. Tuna fish on a crescent roll – This is one of the boy’s absolute favorites. I am starting to notice a trend that my boys may eat just about anything.
7. Chicken and ranch wrap with lettuce and tomato — Health and low-carb.
8. Turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomato on Ciabatta Bread – This may be one of my favorites with a little mustard.
9.  CUSTOM Leftover creation! Take some leftovers and be creative! It would have to be one of my husband’s favorite lunches, but the boys like it too. Sometimes I add leftover chicken and cheese and make a quesadilla. Options are endless!

Recommended Water Intake:

Remember to include a water bottle as most children do not drink enough water and milk throughout the day. Water is necessary to prevent dehydration and is essential to maintain the proper functioning of internal organs. So next time, when you are hungry, have a glass of water first before having a healthy snack.

At CHOC Children™s, we recommend that children drink the amounts of water below according to their age. It is important to note that children should drink the number of 8-ounce cups of water equal to their age, with a maximum of 64 ounces of water for children over the age of 8. These amounts do not include other beverages they may consume in a day, including milk, juice, or other beverage.

Cute School Lunch Ideas:

1. 1. Add a Note to your Child’s Lunch Box:

      • A definite fun note can change a blue day into a beautiful sunny day.
        • Good Luck Today!
        • Love you, Love Mom.
        • You’re going to do great on your Test!

   2. Make their sandwich into a cute shape.

      1. You can use a cookie-cutter, or they have some great ones on Amazon!

Where to buy healthy back to school snacks on a budget:

Shop your local farmers market or highway road stand. Often you get fresher produce that will last longer than when you purchase it in the grocery store. If the fruit lasts longer, you will be preventing waste and get the most bang for your buck.

However, often grocery stores offer specials on snacks because let’s face it having travel-sized animal crackers is excellent at entertaining children and curbing tantrums due to hunger.

My TOP 5 Recommended Stores to Stay on Budget:

1. Lidl
2. Aldi
3. Dollar Store
4. Warehouse Stores: Costco, Sam’s Club, BJ’s Wholesale
5. Walmart

Other Ways to Save on School Lunch:

1. Use reusable bags and water bottles
2. Stay away from prepackaged items
   • To give you a savings example, even with sales:

     Cheez-It Snack Packs, 12 ct., 1 oz bags – $3.49 (reg. $6.99)
     vs.
     Cheez-It Crackers, 12.4 oz box – $2.09 (reg. $4.19)

3. Affordable protein option:
   • Beans, lentils, and chickpeas-  Can be super kid-friendly into a little grain or fusilli salad with cucumbers and carrots. As a result, it will cost a lot less than adding meat, tuna, or cheese but still provides much-needed protein.
4. Plan, Plan, Plan:
   • I hear a lot about meal prepping lately, but lunch prepping is just as important as it is a meal. However, we often only think about it for dinner. There are many different apps and websites out there to help you.
   • The best thing I have found is to shop the sales and then Google your mix of ingredients you want to use that day. You will find a good list of different ideas that you can customize to make your own for your family to enjoy.
   • I have realized when I plan our meals, we save money and have less waste. You should try it and let me know your thoughts.

I hope you enjoyed this post, and if you would like to add anything, please make a comment below. Your thoughts and concerns are important to me.

– Sincerely,

Still, working on your Back to School list shopping guide? Here is a list of items you don’t want to forget from your list this year.