It’s so easy to get stuck in a cooking rut. Instead of the dream for a fairy Godmother to take me to a ball, I want someone to do meal prep for me for the week. No one warned me that I will have to think of food at least three times a day, seven days a week for the next 18 years! This list has tons of healthy lunch ideas for kids that you can easily prepare.
24 Easy and Healthy Lunch Ideas for Kids
Coming up with creative combinations can be daunting, plus, we all know that many kids can be very particular about what they eat. Dare I say it, many kids can be picky about what they eat.
Here are a number of combinations of easy and healthy lunch ideas for kids to make lunch planning easier for you. You can serve this entire combination or mix and match. Hopefully, you’ll be inspired to offer more whole foods and skip the bag of pretzels and chocolate milk.
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Ants on a Log Apple Slices
Apple slices with raisins or better yet goldenberries, with almond butter (or Sunbutter if your school is nut-free), carrot sticks and orzo pasta with tomatoes and feta. You can prep this all the night before. The orzo is super easy to make and is delicious cold or hot.
Bruschetta Quesadilla with Pasta Sauce
Quesadillas are so easy. We chose Bruschetta for this one but you can put whatever you want in yours. Use our easy bruschetta recipe for this! Dip it in pasta sauce and pair with veggies of your choice to dip into hummus.
Bruschetta Quesadilla with Snow Peas and Watermelon
Sandwich Kabobs with Berries and Cucumbers
A creative spin on a classic sandwich. Your kids will love this sandwich kabob that can be prepared in less than 5 minutes! Add some cucumbers and berries on the side.
Sandwich Kabobs with Hummus, Peppers, and Dried Apricots
Chicken and Avocado Quesadilla
Chicken and avocado make the perfect, creamy combo for this quesadilla. Adding some bell pepper slices or veggies of your choice to dip into hummus. A side of easy bruschetta is perfect! And you can add berries or other fruit, too.
Chicken Quesadilla with Berries and Veggies
Chicken and Avocado Quesadilla with Hummus, Berries, and Green Peppers
Whole Wheat Waffles with Almond Butter, Berries, Apples, and Carrots
If you have any leftover waffles from breakfast, use them up for tomorrow’s lunch. Have some almond butter to dip them in. So good! Perfect with a side of berries and apples. You can add veggies like carrot sticks and even add dipping ranch if you want.
Whole Wheat Waffles and Almond Butter with Berries, Apples, and Dried Apricots
Tomato and Feta Orzo with Cucumbers and Berries
Orzo pasta with tomatoes and feta is the perfect no-heat lunch. It’s delicious cold! Pair with berries and cucumbers with ranch for dipping.
Edamame Pasta with Veggies and Dried Superfruits
Edamame pasta is much healthier than regular pasta, plus it’s quicker too! It takes about 4-5 minutes to cook fully. You can add some veggies and dried fruits on the side.
Edamame Noodles, Bruchetta, and Avocado with Mandarin Oranges and Nut Mix
Grilled Cheese with Hummus, Veggies and Dried Fruit
Grilled cheese is an easy and classic lunch! Mix it up. Pair with pita chips and hummus. Or try it with celery and berries. So easy and filling.
Grilled Cheese and Berries with Celery and Almond Butter
Grilled Cheese with Celery and Almond Butter
Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese and Fruit
You can easily add a side of tomato soup to your grilled cheese lunches. I love to dip my grilled cheese in the tomato soup.
Israeli Couscous with Watermelon and Veggies
Israeli couscous is super yummy! It’s these delicious little pasta pearls that your kids will love to eat. Cook according to the package and season however you like! Pair with some veggies and fruit.
Israeli Couscous with Mandarin Oranges and Veggies
Yogurt with Trail Mix, Avocado, and Grapes
These next three lunches are for those days your kids have big breakfasts. Mix and match fruits and veggies for more variety. These are perfect on the go, too. The seeds and nuts in this mix will help keep your little one full.
Celery with Almond Butter and Fresh Berries with Trail Mix
Greek Yogurt with Superfruits, Watermelon, and Veggie with Ranch
Mexican Quinoa with Apples, Grapes, Cucumbers, and Tomatoes
Quinoa is full of fiber and helps keep you full. It takes about the same time to cook as rice depending on which one you get. Make a huge batch and save it for the week. We have two varieties here, one Mexican with beans, and another one that’s veggies filled. Mix and match your fruit and veggies options for variety.
Veggie Quinoa with Mandarin Oranges and Dried Fruit
Whole Wheat Pasta with Grapes, Bell Peppers, and Tomatoes
Pasta is fast and easy to cook. You can make it ahead of time and just put it all together later. We used whole wheat pasta here and added broccoli and cheese. Mix and match your fruits and veggies.
Healthy Lunch Prep
You can prepare these lunch ideas for kids really quick! Cut up your fruits and veggies Sunday night and keep them in the fridge for the week. You can store cut celery in a mason jar with a bit of water so they stay fresh.
You can also use reusable, silicone cupcake holders to separate sides like hummus or Ranch dip. They’re also great for keeping fruits and veggies away from the rest of the lunch. With these tips, you can prep all these lunch ideas for kids in just a few minutes and keep them ready for the whole week.
