40+ Ideas to Save and Fill a School Lunch Box!
Are you looking for fun ways to pack your kids’ lunch boxes with frugal and filling foods? We’ve got you covered with this HUGE list of lunch box ideas for 40+ kids!
Let’s be real…packing a lunch is not something we usually look forward to.
I mean, maybe you’re a mom who enjoys dreaming up cute themed Bento Box lunches, but if not, we’ve got a great list of frugal, filling, fun, and easy lunches that your kids are sure to love!
40+ School Lunch Box Ideas
A big thank you to our many fans for sharing their favorite school lunch ideas on our Facebook page!
Lunch Box Ideas: Sandwiches and Wraps
Sandwiches and wraps are great school lunch items – but these ideas offer a little twist to help you get out of your lunch packing routine.
- Tortilla of choice with turkey, ham, pepperoni, and cheese
- Small ham and cheese sandwiches on Hawaiian rolls
- Homemade uncrustables (you can also buy uncrustables)
- Peanut butter and banana in a tortilla, cut into circles
- Mini bagels and cream cheese
- Chicken Kesari wraps
- Any kind of “wrap” with their favorite meat and cheese
- Nutella on wheat bread
- Pizza wraps (put a little pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings on a tortilla)
- “Subs” on hot dog buns
- Pizza Slider (pizza meat, mozzarella cheese, and a little sauce on small buns)
Hot Lunch Box Ideas
Many people have suggested using a Thermos to keep food hot. Alternatively, if your child can use a microwave, send them a small plate to heat up their lunch at school.
- What’s left! Whatever you had for dinner the night before, reheat it and pack it in a Thermos
- Mini Waffles and Chicken Nuts is a game of chicken and waffles
- Little pancakes! Send syrup, peanut butter, jelly, honey…anything else to dip or spread in!
- Chicken / beef and rice in a Thermos
- Grilled Chicken Sticks (make a double batch for dinner and send leftovers for school lunches)
- Grilled cheese sandwich and soup
- Baked potatoes with cheese, sour cream, and bacon
- Homemade pizza
- Leftover pizza
- Pizza rolls
- Chili or any other favorite soup
- Mac & cheese or spaghetti
- Chicken nuggets or fish sticks
- Small corn dogs or hot dogs
- Taco meat and cheese with a bag of Fritos “taco to go”
Some Lunch Box Ideas for Kids
Our followers came up with lots of clever lunch ideas – perfect for those days when the pantry is short, the leftovers are gone, and you just I won’t make one more sandwich!
- Parfait bowls (honey, oatmeal, fruit, yogurt in a small bowl)
- Homemade lunch
- Hummus and pita bread
- Salami, cheese cubes, pretzels, sliced fruit, and hard-boiled eggs
- Nachos/quesadillas
- Deli meat wrapped in a cheese stick
- Salad mix, grape tomatoes, and shredded chicken
- Pasta salad with extra chicken and vegetables
- Mini muffins with a hard boiled egg and a stick of cheese
- A bag of cereal (they can buy milk in the school lunch line)
- Trail mix and beef jerky
- Yogurt + fruit
- Power bites with yogurt
- Drinkable smoothie or protein shake with pretzels and goldfish
- Apple and/or banana with peanut butter + cheese stick
For more frugal, filling, and fun school lunch ideas, check out the comments on this post. You can also find great ideas here, here, and here!
What are your best frugal, filling, and fun school lunch ideas? Share them below!
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