How to pack a nutritious school lunch in a few easy steps
- Packing a school lunch can be a daunting and monotonous task, but these tips and suggestions will make the process easier.
- In each lunch, aim to include a protein, whole grain, fruit, vegetable, healthy fat, and a drink.
- Pack lunches in appropriate containers that will keep them from getting smashed while also maintaining the correct temperature.
- We recommend bento boxes from Bentgo, OmieBox, and LunchBots, as well as good old paper bags, an insulated lunch tote, a good thermos, and reusable containers.
- Don't forget - your ultimate goal is to feed your child, so don't aim for perfection every day.
Squeaky clean shoes, new school supplies, a fresh start, a fall crisp in the air, and … packed lunches. If the thought of packing a nutritious lunch for your kids every single day gives you anxiety, breathe a sigh of relief because we're here to help.
Packing a school lunch may seem simple - pack what your kid likes to eat - but any parent will quickly tell you that it's not that simple.
We've rounded up a bunch of great school lunch ideas, tips on how to pack a lunch, and recommendations for great lunch boxes and food containers you can use.
Tips and tricks on how to pack a school lunch
- Give yourself some grace. Don't beat yourself up if you don't pack the most nutritious meal every single day. You fed your child and that's what matters. Sometimes their lunch will be perfectly balanced, and sometimes they'll come home having eaten nothing but the bag of chips you packed. Sometimes I make my 1-year-old daughter a delicious meal, and all she eats is ketchup. It happens.
- Follow your child's cues and communicate with them about their lunches. If they always eat grapes at home, but they never get eaten when you send them to school, there's bound to be a good reason why!
- Try to pack a little more than you think your kid will eat. It's better to waste a small amount of food than for your child to not have enough. As a high school teacher, I used to have hungry athletes who would finish their packed lunch by second period. If your kids are very active and/or they continually come home with their lunch completely gone, that's a good indicator that you need to start packing more.
- Pack a variety of options so your child has choices, and make them things that you know your child will eat. A packed school lunch isn't the place to try out olives for the first time.
- Label lunch boxes and water bottles in case they get left behind somewhere.
- Know your child's school restrictions. If your child attends a nut-free school, take this restriction seriously - nut allergies can be extremely severe and even life-threatening. Always check labels of food you're going to send to school. You'd be surprised how many products contain nuts. For PB&J sandwiches and other foods that typically include nuts, sun butter is a good alternative.
- Opt for school-provided lunch. If it's too overwhelming to pack a lunch every day, get your child excited about the options offered by the school. Sit down each week to look over the menu and have them choose one day a week to buy lunch. This is also a great way to get some inspiration for your own packed lunches.
- Keep an eye out for safety. If you're packing a lunch for a child under four, be sure to avoid common choking hazards.
The bottom line with packing your kid's lunch is that you want to pack something nutritious that will fuel them to have energy and do their best in school. If you know that your child will only eat mac and cheese and that anything else you pack will get thrown away, then mac and cheese it is!
Try to include the following in your child's lunch each day:
- Protein
- Whole grain
- Fruit
- Veggie
- Healthy fat
- Water or other non-sugary drink
- Napkins or wet ones
- Something fun or sweet (this doesn't have to be every day!)
Simple school lunch ideas:
- A whole-grain wrap filled with avocado, grilled chicken, and cheese; strawberries; cucumbers; ranch
- Natural peanut butter and jelly on whole-grain bread, apple slices, freeze-dried banana slices, yogurt
- Whole-grain crackers, cheese slices, sugar snap peas, peanuts (or sunflower seeds for a nut-free school), raspberries, a piece of chocolate
- Hummus, sliced bell pepper, cuties, a hard-boiled egg, popcorn
- Leftover cheesy tuna casserole, kiwi, cherry tomatoes, a cookie
Think beyond the sandwich and don't be afraid to keep it simple! You don't need to go crazy searching for creative or cute lunch ideas. If you want to add something fun for younger kids, try using cookie cutters to cut up sandwiches, veggies, or fruit. A nice note from you with some encouragement or a quick joke is always a good touch, too.