Here’s another installment in my School Lunch Roundup series! I’ve been sharing my kids’ lunches on Facebook and Instagram as usual, but since not everyone is on social media, here are the latest ones all in one spot. I know some readers love to sit down and look at these pictures with their kids so they can point out what they want (and, more importantly, what they’ll actually eat!). So I hope these ideas help. :)
If you’re new here, be sure to check out these resources as well:
- School Lunch Photo Gallery
- Lunch Box Review
- Recipe Index by Name or Recipe Search by Photo
- My first cookbook and new cookbook – both have more lunch box ideas and recipes
My Favorite On-the-go Wipes: Handzies
Before we dive into the pics, I want to quickly tell you about a “clean” product that’ll give your kids’ hands a good cleaning before (and after) they eat all these lovely lunches! Handzies, pictured below, were created by a mom who wanted to be able to clean hands on the go without the use of alcohol, BZK, and triclosan. So she created Handzies wipes which are made of pure castile (olive oil-based) soap and tea tree and tangerine oils.
The individual packets can easily be thrown into your kid’s lunch or kept in your purse in case of a hand washing emergency. I even used them to clean the keys on a used piano we bought! I love how gentle they are and how much cleaner they leave your hands feeling compared to natural hand sanitizers. These are great for when someone’s hands need a good wipe but a sink just isn’t nearby. :)
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Real Food School Lunch Ideas
- Hummus, cheddar, and lettuce wraps
- Corn Muffins (from my Fast & Fabulous cookbook)
- Fruit salad
- Whole-wheat pretzels
- Organic ham, cheese, and lettuce sandwich (with a little mayo and a unicorn toothpick)
- Raspberry lemon muffin (from my Fast & Fabulous cookbook)
- Apples
- Grape tomatoes
- My older and hungrier daughter also took a yogurt on the side
- Peanut butter and honey sandwich (with a pinwheel toothpick)
- Cucumbers
- Purple carrots
- Blood oranges
- Deviled eggs (from my Fast & Fabulous cookbook)
- White bean salad (a version of the recipe from my Fast & Fabulous cookbook)
- Apples
- Crackers
- Cheese
- Mimi pumpkin muffins (not shown)
- Chicken salad with spinach and a slice of cheese on whole-wheat pitas
- Apples
- White bean mixture
- Leftover chili for one lunch and black bean soup for another
- Cheese and sour cream to go on top of the chili or soup
- Whole-grain corn muffin
- Spinach salad topped with apples, sunflower seeds, and citrus dressing
- An orange on the side for my oldest
- Leftover veggie and bean burritos (from my Fast & Fabulous cookbook)
- Toppings
- Whole-grain corn muffin
- Applesauce
- Leftover slow cooker steak chili (from my Fast & Fabulous cookbook)
- Toppings for chili
- Whole-grain corn muffin (from my Fast & Fabulous cookbook)
- Kale Caesar salad
- Whole wheat cinnamon raisin scones (from my Fast & Fabulous cookbook)
- Plain yogurt mixed with a little homemade berry sauce and topped with blueberries
- Apples
- Homemade granola (from my first cookbook)
- Homemade tomato bisque with whole-wheat noodles
- Banana nut muffin (older daughter got two)
- Apple and peanut butter sandwich
- Cheese cubes
- Snickerdoodle cookies
- Whole-grain crackers
- Homemade Smoked Salmon Dip (from my Fast & Fabulous cookbook)
- Cucumbers
- Apples
- Peanut butter and honey wrap
- Egg salad sandwiches (from my Fast & Fabulous cookbook)
- Carrots
- Crackers
- Smoked salmon spread (from my Fast & Fabulous cookbook)
- Peanut butter and honey on a whole-wheat wrap
- Ham and cheese cubes
- Grapes
- Bell peppers
- Homemade onion dip
- Leftover biscuit on the side for my oldest
- Sour cream and onion chicken salad
- Spinach
- Leftover biscuits
- Deviled eggs
- Apples
- Homemade tomato bisque (made previously and defrosted) with whole-grain noodles
- Mini muffins (corn and pumpkin, also defrosted)
- Leftover enchilada filling (sweet potato, black bean, corn, and cheese) over salad greens
- An extra regular-sized muffin for my oldest
- Whole-grain crackers
- Egg salad with bacon (from my Fast & Fabulous cookbook)
- Sugar snap peas
- Hummus
- Nut-free trail mix
- Pumpkin muffin on the side for my oldest
- Breaded pork chops
- Fresh ranch dressing  (from my Fast & Fabulous cookbook)
- Bib lettuce and grated cheddar cheese
- Whole-grain pumpkin muffin
- Carrots
- Grilled Caprese paninis (from my first cookbook)
- Spinach salad
- Popcorn
- Melon and apples
- Leftover quinoa cakes
- Spinach salad (with Parmesan, sunflower seeds, and olive oil)
- Carrots
- Whole-wheat egg noodles
- Pumpkin muffin (defrosting)
- Leftover pork and cheese quesadillas
- Sour cream and pico de gallo for dipping
- Apples
- RX bar
- Layered white bean salad (from my Fast & Fabulous cookbook)
- Veggie cream cheese (from my Fast & Fabulous cookbook)
- Whole-grain crackers
- Nut-free trail mix
- Oranges
- Cucumbers
- Dark chocolate
- Chips
- Salsa
- Deviled eggs
- Homemade peanut butter powerballs
- Salad with green apples, Parmesan, and pecans
Exactly what are the whole wheat pretzels? I’ve never, ever seen whole wheat pretzels before.
Hi there. Here is an example but there are others: https://www.uniquesplits.com/sprouted-grain-pretzel-splits-1.html.
Great ideas! I noticed brown tortilla chips with salsa. Are those chips store bought? If so, what brand? Thanks!
Have you seen our page on healthy school snacks? It provides helpful suggestions for snacks you can pack in a lunchbox! Here’s the link: https://cspinet.org/protecting-our-health/nutrition/healthy-school-snacks
Can you tell me what th circle cereal are in the baggy that look like cheerios? Thanks!
Hi. You can find organic 100% whole grain O’s at stores like Earth Fare. Cascadian Farms has some that are typically available at convention grocers, as well.
Hi Lisa, thanks for the great ideas! They look great and nothing beats homemade lunches for health and great variety.
I find it the hardest to keep my son on track with the healthy eating.
And nice tip re the Handzies wipes :)
Is it possible to please share which brand of pretzels are shown. We have purchased the Newman’s Spelt for awhile now, but those in the photos are not the same pretzel shape Newman’s we have purchased.
This is great…thank you! Can I make one small request? When you are packing store bought items, can you please include the brand? For example which brand of crackers, chips, salsa are you buying?
Hi. Thanks for the suggestion. I will share it. :)
Drooling! Thx for great lunch ideas. Great for adults and and kids alike!
I love all these lunch ideas! What a great idea to show them to the kids and ask which ones they would like to eat. (Don’t know why I never thought of this before!)
I am a grandma and would like to know where to get the plastic trays you are putting the lunches in. The size and amount is perfect. Also the small compartments encourages a variety of food items! Love the cupcake containers as well. My daughter in law has your books and gets your emails as well.
Not sure which of the two you are referring to, but we love the ziplock divided rectangle(pictured in the first lunch description). They were discontinued for awhile, but brought back and can be found in Target stores. They come 2 to a package, are leakproof, have easy off lids, last FOREVER when hand washed(multiple years of daily school use) and fit inside a lands end lunch bag.
I had no idea they came back! I had 4 that sadly dropped to 1 when friends took home leftovers. I will be stalking up!!
They’re back! OMG you just made my day! Stopping at Target on the way home.
I was actually looking through the pictures coveting the Ziplocs – my last one finally cracked a few weeks ago but it had to be 10 years old.
Wow! Great roundup! Thank you!!
How do you keep the items and sauces from falling out of the containers in the lunch box? I bought some of the silicone baking cups, but the stuff spills everywhere once I put in my containers?
I’m interested in the answer to this too. We have a few of the different containers shown and I’m thinking that salsa, deviled eggs, applesauce, etc. would make a mess; either before or as it is opened.
I always wonder the same thing! Is it a hot mess when the kids open it at school?
Also, do the apples brown by lunchtime? Do you do something special to them prior to packing them up?
Would love to know!!!
Hi. Lisa uses the extra large silicone baking cups which fill the divided containers to the top. :) And, the ziplock containers really do keep everything separate.
I love these ideas but how do you keep them cold enough to be safe for kids to eat by lunchtime?
The ziplock divided rectangle fits in a Land’s End zippered lunch bag with room to put an ice blanket (sheet type freezer container) on either side of the box. It keeps my kids lunch cold until lunch time (4+ hrs) and then some. Now that it is winter, they are often still cold when they come home.
Are you still able to get these divided lunch containers? I thought they were discontinued? They are our FAVORITE, but they’ve so well loved over the years that they are falling apart. Would love to be able to get new ones! Link?
After years of all of us writing emailing Ziplock begging them to bring back the divided rectangle, they finally listened. The containers are available in Target stores. I stocked up and bought 10 packages, just in case they decide to discontinue them again, LOL Though, when the containers get cracks, I just put packing tape over them to stop leaks and they work just fine.
Do you have recommendations for healthy wrap and pita bread brands? We have 5 kids so brands that come in larger packages would be great too! The ones we buy only have 6 wraps and are $3.49 a package, that doesn’t seem like a lot but we need 3 packages for our family because if you figure mom and dad and the two teen boys!
Do you have a Trader Joe’s in your area? They have good whole wheat pita and tortillas.
WOW!!! These lunches look amazing! How on earth did you get your kids to eat these foods so well???
Hi there. She’s been at it for 7 years now. :) It can take a bit of time and trial and error but eventually, they get there. :)
Where do you get whole wheat pretzels? I have looked at multiple grocery stores and Trader Joe’s but haven’t been able to find any.
I like Newman’s Own Spelt pretzels, whole spelt, no added sugar. I buy them as Whole Foods.
Thank you. I will look for them.
I love when you post school lunches. I don’t have kids, but I am always looking for lunch ideas for myself! These look great.
Oh my gosh, where has this blog been all my life (or at least the past 4 years)?! So many awesome ideas! Thank you!
Such good ideas – I am always looking for easy lunches on the go! x
Izzy –
I do love that you do these posts periodically. I do get inspiration! Going home to make egg salad tonight for tomorrow!