Easiest Packed Lunch Ideas For Kids And Adults

Packed Lunch Ideas

Deciding what to pack for lunch can feel like such a challenge, especially when we have to do it day in and day out. But with a few easy kids lunch ideas, you can take some of the work out of it because you’ll never have to start from scratch again. The ideas in this post will give you basic categories and options to start with when making packed lunches for kids, so you can always have a firm base to then build on with what you have in the house and the foods your kids prefer. These ideas work for toddler lunches for daycare, preschool snacks and lunches, kindergarten lunches, and school lunch ideas, too. And you can use them for yourself, too. (My Lemon Yogurt Muffins, Meal Prep Lunch Ideas, Homemade Lunchables, and Ham and Cheese Pinwheels as easy options, too.)

Healthy Packed Lunch Ideas

My aim here is to offer a range of ideas that include a mix of food groups. And to give you visuals so you can have that reference. But I also hope that you adjust these for your own family and think of them as starting points. My view on a “healthy” lunch is that it offers kids and adults a chance to fuel their bodies, enjoy a mix of flavors and textures, and to eat a mix of food groups that will keep us full until the next time we get to eat. That will look a little different for everyone. Add water or milk to these lunch ideas as you like, and always adjust portions according to the unique hunger of your family members. Use a kids lunch box, kids bento box, or a baby lunch box.

Sandwich Lunches

Sandwiches are a go-to lunch since they’re so easy, but remember there are lots of options for fillings and types of breads. Consider filling options including turkey, ham, cheese, hummus, peanut butter or sunflower seed butter and jam, sliced hard-cooked eggs or egg salad, cream cheese and jam, butter and jam, tuna or salmon salad, or grilled chicken or baked chicken tenders.

Wraps for Packed Lunches

Try these easy wraps for kids as an easy packed lunch idea or meal when you want to change up the usual sandwich options. They’re quick, full of nutrition, and have lots of kid-friendly flavor. Plus: you can customize them as needed for food allergies for the chewing ability of your child!

Pasta Lunches

Warm pasta can be sent in a thermos for lunch or you can go with a cold or room temperature pasta salad. Either option can be made ahead of time and warmed up or packed as needed. You can use protein pasta, bean-based pasta, or traditional pasta to vary the nutrition, too.

Breakfast-for-Lunch Ideas

Packing breakfast foods for lunch is both fun and easy, and it’s a great way to use up leftovers you may have in the fridge. Ideas for this one include pancakes, waffles (sweet waffles or savory waffles), muffins for kids, breakfast burritos, hard-cooked eggs and bread, a mini bagel sandwich, and egg muffins.

Snack Lunches

This type of lunch is one of the easiest since you can use up whatever random mix of foods you have in the house. Think of it like a cheese plate and go from there. I aim to include a fruit and a veggie and a protein and/or a fat to ensure the foods are filling enough. Ideas include:

Cheese, crackers, bell pepper strips, and oranges. Thinly sliced salami or turkey with rice cakes, applesauce, and sliced cucumbers. Dry cereal, yogurt, berries, and matchstick-sliced carrots.

It really works with anything you have!

Muffin Lunch Ideas

Bake a batch of muffins on the weekend and then use them for lunches throughout the week. Consider them the “main dish” and add simple sides to round out the meal. These Pumpkin Muffins are made with a base of oats, so they are very filling and nutritious.

Leftovers Lunch

Whether you have leftover chicken and sweet potato bowls, pasta, baked chicken nuggets, baked chicken meatballs, or another food, you can pack it cold or warm in a thermos according to what your family prefers. Add a simple lunch snack to go with it and you’re done. We love these Pizza Bites packed in a thermos for kids.

Vegetarian Packed Lunch Ideas

It’s both easy and affordable to rely on vegetarian lunch ideas, and one of our favorites is to use hummus in all sorts of ways. We love it as a dip with crackers and veggies, as a sandwich filling (even in a DIY Uncrustable), or in a roll-up. It has plenty of vegetarian protein, and you can use homemade hummus or store-bought. Other favorite vegetarian lunch ideas include rice and beans, Sandwich Roll Ups, Alphabet Soup, Fruit-on-the-Bottom Yogurt with granola, and Pizza Quesadillas.

Packed Lunch Ideas for Work

Any of the ideas here can be used to make a lunch for work, whether to eat while working at home or in an office. There are more work lunch ideas, and you can also check out my How to Meal Prep for Lunch story for more tips, too.

Packed Lunches for School

Each of these ideas works for daycare, preschool, or kindergarten lunches, so you can pack any of them in a kids lunch box and send off for their day.

How to Store Packed Lunches

To keep packed lunches safe, I recommend packing in an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack if the lunch won’t be kept in a fridge.

Best Tips for Success

Do your best with portions and include a mix of food groups to help the kids stay full until their next chance to eat. Pack the food in a lunch box in an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack to keep it safe and cool until lunchtime. Add milk or a kids water bottle as needed. Adjust any of these for allergies and include Peanut-Free Snacks as needed.

I’d love to hear your feedback on this post, so please comment below to share!