The Ultimate School Lunch List Index! From hot lunches to cold lunches to options for the pickiest of eaters – here is The Ultimate School Lunch List Index to help make your school lunches a little easier. Whether packing lunch for one student or three – this ultimate school lunch list should streamline your process. Because school lunch should be easier n’est pas?!…
School Lunch List
Yes this could be a printable (and should…go ahead…print this school lunch list and tape it inside your pantry door). It’s kind of like a blueprint for ideas on what to pack in your kids’ school lunches. As I’ve shared with you before, my son HATES sandwiches (always has) so I created this ultimate school lunch list to figure out how to provide healthy food options he’ll actually eat.
It takes the pressure off to think…school lunch doesn’t have to be in between two slices of bread. Buffet style, bento box, pick-n-choose, thermos…are all healthy options. So instead of having a sandwich boomerang back from school lunch…choose which presentation style works best for your kids. Some kids prefer textures, colours, separating foods…which detail level you might think is picky and annoying…but top level…you just need your child to eat well to fuel his/her body for the day. If it means you have to put things in separate containers. Just do it.
Bulk Make School Lunch
My post on how to MAKE AND FREEZE SCHOOL LUNCHES was a HUGE hit. Even my instastories on the step-by-step of how I did them (and thank you for the dms!). Yes, my son hates sandwiches…but I have two other kids who happily eat sandwiches, wraps, buns…and these two eaters happen to be teens who need grab n’ go options. Why do I make my teens lunch? Yes, they are capable of doing so. However, they often don’t and it bugs me that they buy a cappuccino and call that lunch. So I take 15 minutes out of my Sunday night, bulk make a bunch of sandwiches – freeze them – and ease my mind that at least they have the choice to take a sandwich or buy that cappuccino (and quite honestly, they usually take the sandwich).
And yes, these are the most basic of sandwiches…no tomato, lettuce, avocado (because they don’t freeze well). But a basic meat sandwich can be a solid addition to a side salad, cut fruit, yogurt, or slices of cheese.
Make your Thermos your friend
I love it when last night’s dinner can be today’s school lunch. Instead of cleaning up dinner – I simply put the left overs in thermos’ for the kids. It’s quick and easy. And as a family of 5, I generally double cook anyway (it’s a habit because if you are cooking one batch of chicken you might as well cook two).
Spaghetti and meatballs is the biggest favourite in our house. I know, with certainty, that if I make it for dinner, all three kids will happily take it for lunch the next day.
This is such an awesome resource for making healthy lunches! I have to bookmark this. Thank you!
I don’t have kiddos but this looks like a great list! I will have to bookmark it to give myself new lunch ideas haha.
Super awesome lunch ideas! My three kids are all adventurous eaters and prefer a wide variety of options, so I have to keep things exciting. This index is a huge help.
These are great ideas! I am always in need of new ideas to fill up lunch boxes, so this is definitely appreciated.
Nice post and these are a great lunch lists of food that we can give for our schoolers, thanks for sharing with us.
Thinking of lunches is already hard as it is… now school lunches: whoa, I don’t have enough ideas! Love your list that you compiled.
As a homeschooler, you’d think I’d be on top of my meals. Yet, we often get so busy that I forget it is lunch time and have nothing planned for us to eat. This is a perfect help.
Thank you for this. We are running out of meal ideas so I think this is perfect!
School lunches should be easier, but they are not! 🙂 Your list makes everything more clear and it’s easy to understand what a lunch box needs to contain!
These are really great ideas. I hope when my babe is older I can make her more healthy meals for school and snacking. I like these ideas!
School lunches can be so hard to pack, I love all these ideas! Thank you for sharing.
Healthy lunches are so much better when they come from home. This list is seriously perfect!
This is such a great idea. Sending them off with all the nutrients you need makes all the difference.
I need to get better about sending my kids with hot items in their lunch. I wonder what they would like.
Thanks for the helpful tips and ideas!
GREAT IDEAS!!! thank you !!
Thanks for all the different lunch ideas. There are a number of options that I would not have thought of.
So many great lunch idea! Thank you for sharing with us! Very helpful!
This is great , there are a few things on this list that I had never thought of , another post Ill be bookmarking .
Thankyou for this list. I recently had my 3yr old grandson go to Daycare and making lunches is always a little frustrating!
this is perfect! thank you so much for sharing this. I am always making my girls the same things its time to change it up
This is a great list but when I went to school I ate the same thing every day from age 7-17 which was ham and cheese with mayo and I loved it.