If you want to send your child off to school with wholesome, “real food” lunches this year, planning ahead is key! I know it’s tempting to just grab and go with those little prepackaged bags of cheese crackers and tubes of flavored yogurt, but giving your child nutritious foods throughout the school day can help them stay alert and do their best.
Now if I had to wake up each morning and make homemade “real food” school lunch recipes from scratch, well…that would just never happen! So instead I make lunch items when it is convenient for me and freeze them. I think it’s safe to say freezing foods in advance is my number one school lunch “trick” that makes the lunches I pack even possible. And my number two school lunch trick is to always pack – or at least start packing lunch – the night before!
So before we dive right into the list of things you should make and freeze right now at the beginning of the school year, here are a few freezing tips…
How to freeze and defrost recipes for school lunches:
- For Soups, Pastas, Meatballs, Refried Beans, Stews, Etc: Freeze the finished dish in individual portions using small jelly jars, small Tupperware containers, or even freezer-safe Ziploc bags (once the food has cooled). Note: If using glass jars leave room at the top for the soup to expand!
The day/night before school: Take out the frozen item of choice and let it defrost in its container in the fridge overnight. On the morning of school heat up the item (we usually use a small pot on the stove, but the microwave would work as well) in a heat-proof container and then transfer it to a thermos container in order to keep it warm at school. Be sure to check out our post on how to select and use a thermos. I try to send “hot lunch” (usually a soup) every Wednesday because it’s a nice break in the middle of the week, and I am now in a routine to remember to pick out something to defrost on Tuesdays.
– - For Whole-Grain Muffins, Waffles, Pancakes, Quick Breads, Pizza Crusts, Store Bought Breads/Pitas, Etc: There are two ways to freeze bread items: 1. Freeze them in one layer on a baking sheet. Then once they are frozen transfer them to a big Ziploc bag or other freezer-safe container. 2. Eliminate a step by separating the layers of food with pieces of wax paper in your freezer-safe container/bag (so nothing sticks together). With certain foods (like muffins) I find that I don’t even need the wax paper.
The day/night before school: Pull out the desired individual frozen bread item, put it in the divided lunch container, and let it defrost in the fridge overnight with the other items you’ve packed. If you are just defrosting a bread item alone and it is not already packed with a perishable item then it can defrost on the counter at room temperature.
– - For Smoothies: I freeze our smoothies in reusable silicone freezie pop molds and do not take them out until the morning of school. These do not need to defrost overnight! Instead they will actually slowly defrost throughout the school morning. My kids say they are kind of half frozen, half not by lunchtime (Note: I pack their lunch in insulated bags with 3 or 4 frozen ice packs).
–
10 Recipes to Freeze For School Lunches
(which will make packing a breeze!)
- Whole-Wheat Pancakes or Waffles.
We use these to make sandwiches with all sorts of fillings like cream cheese, jam, cinnamon, raisins, and even peanut butter (or other nut butters).
- Spaghetti and Meatballs.
Our family thinks homemade meatballs are pretty awesome. Combine them with cooked whole-grain noodles and organic sauce and freeze them in a jar – you now have yourself a lunch to get excited about. (See freezing notes above.)
- Pizza Crust (or Finished Pizza).
Whether you make and bake your own plain pizza crust or just cut store bought whole-wheat pitas into triangles and freeze them, it is a great item to have on hand. Pack with grated cheese and tomato sauce and you officially have a homemade “lunchable.” Alternatively, pizza that has already been baked with sauce and cheese freezes beautifully so don’t be afraid to go that route as well.
– - Chicken Noodle Soup.
Who doesn’t love homemade chicken noodle soup… especially on a cold winter day? Make and freeze this now and you will be SO thankful in a couple months when fall arrives. (See freezing notes above.)
– - Smoothies.
We love smoothies in our house and one of the best parts about them is that you can easily add in greens and peanut butter and other good stuff. We freeze them and send them in colorful reusable smoothie pop molds, and they are the envy of the lunch table. (See notes above.)
– - Whole-Grain Pumpkin Muffins (or Mini-Muffins).
They don’t have to be pumpkin flavored…blueberry, cinnamon/raisin, raspberry, or banana/nut would do! The important thing is that you make the muffins. And freeze them of course! :)
– - Tomato Bisque.
This is my 8-year-old daughter’s most favorite soup. She would eat it every week and it would never get old to her. She especially loves it when I boil some whole-wheat macaroni or penne noodles (the day before of course) and then add them to the soup when heating it up in the morning before school. (See freezing notes above.)
– - Homemade Pop Tarts.
If I actually have enough extra homemade pop tarts on hand to freeze and then I later find them in the freezer (after a period of forgetfulness), they are like the golden nuggets of the school lunch world to me. I am just being honest – it is the best.
– - Whole-Wheat Zucchini Bread or Cinnamon Raisin Bread.
These can be a great stand-in for sandwich bread as well. Just add some cream cheese in-between two layers and you are ready to go.
- Slow Cooker Refried Beans or Baked Beans.
Ya okay so beans aren’t for everyone. But I didn’t think they were for me either until I tried these recipes – so just give them a chance! It’s hard to beat cheap, real, and filling.
Bonus: You can also freeze sauces like spaghetti sauce (for make your own pizza “lunchables”), organic applesauce (store bought or homemade), and pesto in little ice cube trays. These are great to have on hand for school lunch boxes as well!
Please share your freezing ahead tips for school lunches in the comments below.
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I have a son in college and a 16 yr old. They said that even with the thermos everything ended up lukewarm to cold at school (not your ideas just any heated stuff). Unfortunately I eventually gave up giving them hot stuff since they didn’t like/eat it anyway. I sure wish there was a microwave at school. I remember that when I went to school thermos things were always hot at lunchtime so it’s a shame that the ones we find nowadays are no good. Do you recommend a different item?
Hi. Have you seen Lisa’s recommendations? https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/08/24/my-favorite-school-lunch-supplies/. That should help. ~Amy
I also heat the thermos first with the boiling water and boil what goes in it before filling it. I pack it with a kitchen towel around it and put it in the lunchbox with other room temp foods like raisins, crackers, grapes, etc. that don’t need to be kept cold. My son buys a juice or milk at school but you could send 2 thermos’ and put hot chocolate or warmed apple cider in it so the entire meal is a warm one with no foods to keep cold.
I’ve took soup to work in a thermos and it stayed hot for over over 4 hours before i could get to it. Might need a new thermos or make sure the soup is HOT before you put it in!
You need to get a better thermos. I use one all the time – even in the dead of winter being outside for hours ice fishing and no matter what I put in it, it stays steaming hot for at least 5 hours. I have a thermos made from LL Bean. The idea of having a microwave available at school – think about that – there are 100’s of kids so do you expect them to all stand in line to take turns with 1-2 microwaves or for the school to have dozens of them. Yes, I have worked for schools and microwaves are not the answer.
I went to high school with 1600 kids -there were two microwaves available for student use during lunch and I rarely had to wait long for it -if I had to wait at all!
Jen, have you tried boiling water and putting in the thermos with the lid screwed on tight for 10 minutes before filling it? I just pour out the hot water and put int he food (heated to much hotter than my child could possibly handle). Four hours after filling it, my daughter STILL has to blow on it before she takes a bite!
Jen, there is quite a difference among thermoses. We had a really well-insulated small metal one that kept food so hot that hours later it was still too hot to eat. This thermos was more expensive than the plastic Crayola type. Unfortunately, it got lost. However, even the plastic ones will stay warm enough if you follow the tip that Kymm shared. I use those all the time, and never get complaints of cold food. Good luck!
Sure wish there was a way to make/sew a thermos keeper for those truly expensive thermos sets… I’m thinking like using rubber band type leash that can be wedged tightly onto the thermos lid and cup. That way, both the lid and the cup cannot get separated… especially if said rubber keeper(leash) was sewn into a corner of your kids lunchbox seam or even clipped to a loop that you have sewn onto inside seam of the lunch pack. Ideally, this would have to be made tight enough so that an adult could slide it onto the thermos lid and container, and just too difficult for a smaller child to remove easily.
Has anyone else seen examples of this??
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My daughter is 6 years old. She eats breakfast at 7am before going to school. Her school has a recess time at 9:30am then lunch time at 12pm. I want her to have a little snack (e.g. fruit or nut) and drink (water) at the recess. She doesn’t want to take the snack and water bottle out from her lunch bag. I would like to get some ideas how others to pack snack and lunch for school days. (e.g. put both into the same lunch bag? Bring two lunch bags?!…)
Thanks in advance.
Hi Amy. Lisa packs snack in a little cinched bag for the girls separate from their lunch bags. I do pretty much the same and put it it in the front zipper pocket of their backpacks where it is easily accessible. ~Amy
I see dates on the freezer bags. Do you make these weekly or how long can you keep the frozen items considering there are no preservatives?
Hi there. Many things you can keep in your freezer for up to 6 months. I typically use three months as a rule of thumb or my freezer becomes too packed. :)
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I’m wondering about the tomato bisque soup. I tho’t cream wouldn’t freeze well?
Hi there. This soups freezes really well. :)
love your lunch box solutions. I haven’t figured out how to adapt them for very hungry high school boys however. Any ideas?
Hi Dawn. You have to tailor them to their needs by increasing the serving sizes. That may require a larger lunch box and containers. :)
I really appreciate this article. Any ideas for lunches for toddlers that don’t require heating? My son is one year and his child care center cannot heat up foods. I’m struggling to find new things for him.
Hi there, Amanda. Make your way through these round-up posts. Outside of the thermos, the meals are not heated: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/04/19/school-lunch-roundup/, https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/09/04/school-lunch-roundup-ii/, https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/02/04/school-lunch-roundup-iii/, https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/05/29/school-lunch-roundup-iv-picnics-camps-road-trips-pool/, and https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2014/01/31/school-lunch-roundup-v/. ~Amy
Hello. I love your ideas, my husband is a truck driver that delivers Azure Standard its an organic and whole foods company in OR we are on the road constantly with our almost 2 year old son, we love eating fresh and grilling our own meals, I love the smoothie tubes and the metal food containers shown in the above photos! What brand are they and where can I buy them? : )
Hi Miranda. You can find them here: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/08/24/my-favorite-school-lunch-supplies/. :) ~Amy
Are your kids allowed to warm foods at school?? Ours are not, which SEVERELY limits our lunch choices to raw foods and sandwiches. It always surprises me when schools have microwaves for kids to warm foods in. Seems the line would be so long, that some kids wouldn’t get to eat, with 20-minute lunch periods.
Jema, use thermos for warm food. I fill mine with boiling water while preparing their food. Dump the water & fill with hot/warm food. My boys say it’s still warm at lunch time.
Thank you for all the great suggestions! I just spend a fortune on amazon and have reorganized my whole kitchen around lunch prep cupboard :)
Question that might be silly…. Do you need to go through the actual canning process when freezing the soups in the canning jars? Or are you ok just setting the lid on and screwing the band around it?
Hi Aly. No, just be sure the jars and lids are clean. :)
Do you have a link to some of the smoothie combinations that you put in the smoothie pop molds? We make a a lot of smoothies at home but I am wondering if they will taste more watered down after being frozen and then rethawed? Our most common one is almond milk, banana, peanut butter, with some flax seed. Would I skip the ice if I am freezing it? TIA
Hi Carly. These posts will help: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/03/19/real-food-tips-4-hints-for-using-freezie-pop-molds/ and https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/12/26/green-smoothie-recipe/. I use frozen fruit instead of ice. ~Amy
Do you have links to the great lunch box containers you showed (like the one for pizza, the thermos, etc)? And what lunch bag do you get that will hold all of this?
Hello Christi. You can find all of that here: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/08/24/my-favorite-school-lunch-supplies/. ~Amy
Hi,
Is your cookbook easy to adapt to gluten free diets? I know you use a lot of whole wheat and was wondering if I should still purchase it.
Thanks!!! Love your ideas and love your website!
Hi Holly. About a third of the recipes are gluten free. Many of the others can be easily converted by swapping out with a whole grain gluten free flour blend or a gluten free pasta. :) ~Amy
My biggest challenge is to get anything into the freezer before my kids eat it all. I make double recipes and it’s still not enough 😕
How do you find all these items on the freezer?
Hi. I’m not sure I know what you mean. You can see how Lisa stocks her freezer here: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/09/02/real-food-tips-21-essentials-for-freezer-pantry-fridge/. ~Amy
I make a BBQ variation of your meatballs I use stuffing as bread crumbs when I make them Italian for spaghetti but I use plain & ditch the parm then coat them in BBQ sauce abd freezer for another variation that’s easy! I also use flax eggs but that’s an allergy thing. My boys love them! I made a quadruple batch this past wknd (4# of organic grass fed beef!) and after my boys attacked I had 9 lunches to put up
Kinda makes me sad it wasn’t more but with a new baby coming Halloween every little bit helps!
I am sure you might have discussed this . But how much it affects the nutrition of the soups when we freeze , thaw and re-heat them ? I am just comparing the option of actually making the soup every morning vs your steps of make-freeze-thaw-heat. Thanks a lot for any input !
I made waffles yesterday and stuck them in the freezer. If I make a waffle sandwich with peanut butter to go in my son’s lunch, when would I put the peanut butter on the waffle? Would you still advise to defrost the waffle overnight in the fridge? Put the peanut butter on in the morning before I pack it? Would you still use an ice pack in the lunch since I will be putting strawberries and cheese in the lunch as well? I’m just worried the waffle will end up soggy. Thanks so much for the tips!
Hi LD. You could put peanut butter on the frozen waffles and they would thaw by lunch time. I would keep the strawberries and cream cheese cold, too, with an ice pack. ~Amy
I saw in an earlier comment you don’t have to go through the canning process to freeze things like soup, can I reuse any glass jar? Or should it be a canning type jar?
I am new to the whole freezing/canning world.
Thanks!!!
Hi Christina. This might help: http://lifeyourway.net/how-to-freeze-food-in-glass-jars/. :)
I loved your info on school lunches do you have a book on all this stuff that you posted on the website. What is your website? thanks
Hi Mary. Here is Lisa’s book that just came out: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2014/08/25/cookbook-big-day/. :)
I just went to Amazon to purchase the Ziploc divided containers you introduced us to (absolutely LOVE these)… and they are “currently unavailable”. Do you have a second best recommendation? I’m down to my last two Ziploc containers.. and they are cracked on the corners… so I need to get something quickly!!! Thanks! :-)
Hi Cheryl. Here are some other options: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/08/09/product-review-lunchboxes/, https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/09/20/product-review-lunchbox-accessories/, and https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/08/24/my-favorite-school-lunch-supplies/. ~Amy
Can you freeze bread like banana or pumpkin? Do you have any ideas on how to freeze them if so please share.
Hi Radha. Absolutely. Just be sure you put in in an airtight container or bag removing as much air as possible. I save old bread bags for homemade loaves. ~Amy
I’ve been trying to lose weight and eat fewer processed foods and your website is like a gift from heaven. Thanks for all the work you put into recipes and sharing snack ideas and practical tips. So appreciative!
Do you reuse the lids for the jelly jars? Since you aren’t actually sealing/canning them, it seems like you could. I checked out the lifeyourway.net link Amy posted but it didn’t answer the question.
Thanks
Hi Jana. You can reuse them for FREEZING as long as they are clean and not rusting. You should not reuse them for canning. ~Amy
We use these screw-on lids for canning jars, but we can find them for quite a bit less at the grocery store, Walmart, and Fleet Farm.
http://smile.amazon.com/Ball-Regular-Mouth-Storage-Caps/dp/B0000BYC4B/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1444075059&sr=8-1&keywords=reusable+lids+for+ball+jars
Tupperware has some great containers of all sizes that work really well with the freezing…
Hi – I am wondering how egg dishes that I freeze (like the lunch box quiche in Lisa’s cookbook) defrost best? I am guessing you put them in the fridge the night before, then pack in the morning, straight from the fridge?
Thanks!
Hi Tracy. Yes, that is right. Make sure you pack the quiche with ice packs, too. ~Amy
I know this post is a little old. But I was wondering about sending blended up smoothies in lunch? Any tips or tricks on sending those along in school lunch? Thanks! :)
HA NEVER MIND! I found my own answer when I read the article again, slowly LOL :)
I have been freezing pancakes and when I defrost they are cracking and very dry. What am I doing wrong and what can I do to fix. I put in toaster to warm, but they are dry and cracking prior to this. They were good when first cooked. Also the potatoes in my stew got all mushy and not palatable for me. What can I do to correct this?
Hi Monica. The pancakes will retain their moisture better if most of the air is removed from the bags in which they are frozen. As far as the stew goes, potatoes along with most veggies, do tend to change texture when frozen. There is not really any way around it.
I’ve been trying to make some of the grilled sandwiches that are recommended in your book and freeze but they always come out mushy. Recently, I had a LOT of trouble with the Grilled Caprese Pita. Any recommendations?
For those it’s important to let them cool off completely before you freeze them or put them in any type of airtight container (even in the fridge).
This is also good for retiring Dads. Lol My Dad bought himself a retirement home on 10 acres, far away from any stores. With his strict diet of fast food burgers, I am up for a battle. Lol Bulk shopping, food saver and mason jars with food saver attachment, will make me a winner. Thank you!
Tips for freezing the soup? Can I reuse lids or need a new one each time? Also I have the cookbook with the recipe for your potato and tomato soups, about how many jelly jars do you use to freeze on batch?
Thanks!
Hi Sherri. I do re-use my lids for freezing. You can also use the plastic lids if you prefer. I usually get about a dozen jars from the bisque recipe.
I was curious if I could freeze fresh grated cheese? I would like to stop using the store bought but I like to find deals and would grate it ahead of time! Was not sure how the texture would be after thawing.
Hi there. You can. This will help: http://www.thekitchn.com/can-you-should-you-do-you-free-117893.
You’re a genius. You’re a heaven-sent gift from God for this working mama of 2 toddlers. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the work you have done–what an amazing blog! I will not only return to reference, but also tell everyone I know ;) May God bless you as you continue to bless others dear sister!!
Okay, where can i buy those sylicone baking cups that doesn’t require online purchasing, cause i see how they work perfect for basically dry food items.
Hi Chrystal. You can find them at Target, World Market, and many other stores. :)
I have found them at Dollar Tree!
Thank you for some helpful ideas – I have been wanting to get those reusable silicone freezer pop molds to cut down on the processed options.
When you pack the soups, do they eat them cold? (I know at my kids school they have no way of heating up foods, so can only bring cold lunches). I tried doing it in a thermos before but it didn’t stay at a food safe temp, even with following the strict directions on the thermos.
This might help, Dawn: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/11/26/how-to-use-thermos-food-jars/.
Do you have a deep freezer? I don’t have enough space to freeze all my make ahead items and have space for my meat (I buy bulk). When you do make food like muffins and waffles do you only make one batch a week/bi weekly/month? I love how prepared and organized you are to be able to pack such nutritious lunches and snacks for your girls everyday!!!
Hi there. Lisa does have an extra freezer for storing her frozen items. Her cooking and freezing schedule varies quite a bit. I double recipes and freeze regularly. It is just easier for me that way.
Still quite a lot of sugar in some of these, though, we are advised now just 2 helpings of fruit and four of vegetables.
This year when canning peaches, I decided to can a slew of single servings in jelly jars to use in my childrens’ lunches. They. Love. Them. And I love the convenience of sending something premade (by me) and healthy. They get them on Fridays when school serves store bought pizza and I send homemade pizza, peaches and peas. We love our alliteration ;-)
Hi. Thanks for your great ideas. Can you help me out though? I need to pack double or triple what you’ve got in the pictures for each of my children. This is so much work! Especially to incorporate variety. And I have a chronic illness that means I’m in bed for half of each day with low energy levels the rest of the time. Any suggestions would be great.
Hi Sharon. Cooking in large batches and freezing as much as possible is one way to approach it. How old are your children? Are they able to pitch in?
I have a question about freezing soup in the jelly jars. If I do this, and take it to work with me, is the jar microwave safe?
Yes, as long as you remove the metal lids. ;)
In the first picture on this page what meat has the windmill toothpick in it??? Ham?
Yes, that is Applegate ham.
I recently purchased silicone muffin “pans” – both the regular and the mini size. They have been great for freezing servings of food for cooking, storing leftovers (broth and tomato paste/sauce), and lunches! Best part is they require no thawing to get the food out and are super easy to clean.
Hello. Eating real, unprocessed food is something I started doing just a few days ago. To be truthful, I began doing it after talking to my sister and we have the belief cancer is being diagnosed more and more due to processed food. That is our opinion only. We lost our mom just a bit over a year ago from ovarian cancer. So, my questions are these: my daughter is 10 and was diagnosed this year with asthma and I had allergy testing done because of it. One of her allergies is wheat. I went to one of our health food grocery stores and bought gluten free flour. I’m assuming this can be used in any recipe that calls for wheat flour? She is also very allergic to peanuts but likes and eats almond butter. So once again, guessing that can be used in the place of peanut butter? She loves smoothies!! So Amazon, here I come :). I love your blog, so thank you!!!!
Costco sells a gluten free flour and we use that in place of all wheat flours. The cost is a lot more reasonable! Yes, we substitute almond butter also – the taste and texture will be different. One of my girls minds and the other doesn’t.
Thank you!! They are opening a Costco next month :). I will look then.
This is completely brilliant! We’ve frozen meals like this for the first time this school year, and it’s been the best “cold” lunch year. My 4th grader loves not being limited to sandwiches if there’s nothing leftover from the previous nights’ dinner. Thanks for sharing your tips.
Thank you! I can’t wait to try these ideas. We’re not on a real food diet but we’ve been trying to reduce the amount of processed/fast food, cook more from scratch and incorprate more vegetables and whole grains. The lunches available in our school cafeteria are terrible! With the schoolyear about to start I was Googling for ideas when I found this page. My favorite is spaghetti since we can just make extra when we’re making dinner.
Make sure you send ice packs with the smoothies. Sending frozen smoothies in an insulated lunchbox is not enough. My daugters’ smoothie leaked all over her lunch. (I bought the same smoothie container as pictured/recommended).
Do you have a trick for keeping the noodles in the chicken noodle soup from turning to mush?
Because my kids have complained about this, I sometimes separate the noodles from the broth in a separate container and they add them back in before eating. :)
Can you post some of your favorite smoothly recipes for the silicon containers, please?
My question how are you. Keeping things hot in glass for school lunch.
Put them in a seperate container and have him/her add the noodles at lunchtime. Its how my Nana always did it.
Love the suggestions. I have also been making healthy smoothies and freezing them. We like the thin bag containers with spouts (like ‘natures little squeeze’ or ‘mini kiwi’). They are as big as our lunch bags so they work to insulate the whole lunch and don’t leak even if the kids are full and don’t finish them. My youngest often finishes his after school and it’s still cold.
Hi What brand of sauce do you use for the Spaghetti Meatballs?
Hi there. There are lots of great options out there but do look for organic. Some brands I really like are Amy’s, Muir Glenn, Newman’s Own Common Good and several others.
Hi. There are endless possibilities. Here are a few: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/09/09/recipe-make-ahead-smoothie-2-ways/ and https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/12/26/green-smoothie-recipe/.
Love this! Thank you.
Instead of chicken noodle soup, I’ve been making quinoa vegetable soup. The saltiness of the veggie broth kind of masks the quinoa taste (if you dont like the taste). Super healthy and kids seem to love it too!
I’m a college student and I pack my own lunches to eat in between classes on busy days. My trick is to just keep things simple–half of an almond butter sandwich, and apple, and raw veggies gets the job done.
PLEASE don’t send glass containers in school lunches. Spills are one thing but injury with broken glass is quite another.
I don’t think she does. She says how she freezes stuff in the glass mason jars,defrosts the contents, then heats it up and transfers it into their thermos for lunch. No glass.
Brilliant idea on the pop tarts. Haven’t had those in years! And I’m a big soup maker. I’ll make 10 servings at a time and freeze them. Living in the So of France I’m spoiled with fresh and diverse tomatoes, and bisque is one of my favourites to make adding fresh basil.