Lunch Snacks
The easiest way to ensure the kids have enough to eat at lunch is to add on a snack or two to the main meal. This can be as simple as tucking in a piece of fruit or a veggie pouch, or adding a snack bar on the side. This helps to hit more food groups and can be a nice safety net if you aren’t sure if the kids will eat the main part of the lunch. Below you’ll find 50 ideas for what you include as a lunch snack. Each option works at home or packed for daycare, preschool, or school. Use this to help you come up with ideas for filling that lunch box and to limit the amount of minutes you spend staring into the fridge wondering what on earth to pack! (You may also like Cold Lunch Ideas for Kids, Packed Lunch Ideas, Vegetarian Lunch Ideas, and Hot Lunch Ideas.
Fruits
These are some of my go-to ideas for fruits for lunch snacks. Sign up for our email updates to get tips and ideas sent to your inbox.
Canned fruit in 100% juice Freeze-dried fruit Applesauce Avocado, diced (or as guacamole) Bananas Blueberries Clementines (dice up as needed) Melon, diced Strawberries Raspberries
TIP: Check out my Master List of Fruits for Kids for all of my ideas.
Vegetables
These veggies are really easy options to add to a kids lunch box or baby lunch box as a lunch snack.
Bell peppers, thinly sliced Carrots, shredded (1+ yr) or very, very thinly sliced (2+ yr) Cucumbers, thinly sliced Cherry tomatoes, quartered or halved lengthwise Peas (frozen and warmed up) Snap peas, sliced thinly if needed
And try these easy recipes: TIP: Find all of my best vegetables recipes for kids, too.
Proteins
If the main part of the lunch isn’t rich in protein, one of these ideas can be a nice add-on lunch snack option to ensure the meal is filling.
Drinkable yogurt Beans (such as chickpeas or edamame) Cheese stick or slice Chicken, shredded Cottage cheese Eggs Nut or seed butter (as a dip) Snack bar (such as Larabar) Turkey (low-sodium deli meat)
And try these simple recipes: TIP: Learn more about kids and protein.
Carbohydrates
Whole grains and carbs are a helpful way to ensure we’re full enough after a meal. Here are some easy options for lunch snacks to include in kids lunches.
Animal crackers Cereal bars Cereal for kids (dry) Cheese crackers Granola bars Toddler Muffins Puffs Snap Pea Crisps Toast Whole grain crackers
And try these simple recipes:
Desserts
Add a dessert in the meal as a yummy lunch snack with these easy options. And try these yummy recipes:
Cold Lunch Ideas Bento Box Lunches Wraps for Kids Lunch Ideas for One Year Olds
Comment below with feedback and find all of my favorite store-bought snacks here.
15 Easy Lunch Ideas for 1 Year Olds
15 Toddler Lunch Ideas (for Daycare, Preschool, and More)
Quick & Easy Vegetables for Lunch Recipes
30 Favorite Kids Lunches
This post was first published on June 15, 2021.
