Healthy Kids Lunch Recipes

This one-pan pasta that combines lean chicken breast and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal is garlicky, lemony and best served with a little Parm on top. I call it "Mom's Skillet Pasta" and she called it "Devon's Favorite Pasta." Either way it's a quick and easy weeknight dinner we created together and scribbled on a little recipe card more than a decade ago, and it remains in my weekly dinner rotation to this day. It's a simple dinner the whole family will love.

Skip the roasting in this butternut squash soup recipe and let your slow cooker do the work instead. Just load up all the ingredients into the crock pot, set it and forget it for an easy, healthy dinner or packable lunches.

This quick Asian salmon recipe uses the sauce for both glazing the salmon and tossing with the broccoli. Serve over rice noodles or brown rice tossed with sesame oil and scallions.

In a vegan riff on green goddess dressing, cashews provide a creamy base with tons of flavor from herbs and apple-cider vinegar. Drizzle it all over this bowl of quinoa and roasted vegetables to make a satisfying vegan dinner or easy packable lunch that is ready in just 30 minutes.

Sliced Brussels sprouts and mushrooms cook quickly and cling to the pasta in our fall version of pasta primavera. Look for presliced mushrooms to cut prep time. Serve with a tossed salad.

Spaghetti squash stuffed with ground turkey taco filling, pico de gallo and chopped avocado is a fun alternative on family taco night. This recipe is sure to please the kids (omit the spices if your children are sensitive to spices) and perfect for a family dinner.

Russet potatoes turn tender and soft in minutes in a pressure cooker, so you can make this comforting soup quickly on busy weeknights. Garnish with the classic potato soup fixings--bacon, scallions and melted Cheddar cheese.

This easy sheet-pan recipe brings together many fall favorites into a hearty dinner.

Skip the dipping and add crispy grilled cheese croutons right into your soup instead. Don't have a panini press? Make the grilled cheese for the croutons in a skillet or in a waffle maker instead. Opt for San Marzano tomatoes if you can. They have a much richer flavor and they tend to be lower in sodium.

Quesadillas make a quick and easy sandwich alternative. Even though they are often served hot, quesadillas also taste good cold or at room temperature. That makes them an ideal addition to this flavor-packed bento box, a collection of foods that you can meal-prep on the weekend for easy lunches at work or school.

Cook extra pasta with dinner and set it aside to make an easy pasta salad you can pack for lunch the following day. Add beans, leftover chicken, deli turkey or tuna for extra protein.

Greek yogurt provides the filling protein base for this colorful lunch box, but the remaining ingredients are very flexible to accommodate your child's tastes. You can replace the cereal or granola with dried fruit, and swap steamed vegetables for the cherry tomatoes and cucumber.

A sushi-like wrap of veggies and ranch dressing packaged in a tortilla makes an appealing lunch that kids will love. The choice of vegetables in the filling is flexible, depending on your child's preferences and what you have on hand.

Pita wedges and crudité with hummus make a satisfyingly simple lunch box. We round out this Mediterranean-inspired snack lunch with cheese and fruit. If your child likes olives, sprinkle some into the veggie dippers.

Recite your ABC's while you enjoy this kid-friendly soup that you can feel good about serving--it's packed with healthy vegetables. If you can't find alphabet noodles, any small pasta (like orzo) will work.

An easy Mexican-inspired soup combines the flavors of lean beef, sweet peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Serve it topped with crunchy tortilla chips and a dollop of sour cream.

The classic lunch of tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich gets an upgrade with roasted tomatoes and fresh herbs in the soup, and a warm grilled sandwich with two kinds of cheese.

Barbecue-flavored chicken with peppers is baked on a premade pizza crust and topped with cheese for a quick and easy meal with lots of flavor.

By consciously hosing no-salt-added and salt-free ingredients, we've kept the sodium low in this hearty, meatless chili recipe.

This tomato soup recipe is full of flavor and perfect to warm you up on a cold day. Pair it with Grilled Cheese Croutons and be reminded of your childhood lunches!

Mexican-inspired chicken tostadas are always a hit. Instead of full-fat cheese and fried tortillas, this recipe calls for light queso, toasted tortillas, and fat-free Greek yogurt.

Sunflower kernels lend crunch and vanilla yogurt adds pleasant tang to this fresh-tasting healthy snack.

Vegetarian tostadas, topped with savory black beans, lettuce, and guacamole, make a perfect quick lunch that kids will love.

To save on carbohydrates, skip the bun in this easy pork sandwich recipe. To make this potluck-style dish suitable to diabetic food plans, mound the slow-cooked pork shoulder with a spoonful of broccoli slaw.

The summertime fair-food favorite is lightened up with a baked cornbread coating and is served on a stick.

Crisp pita rounds serve as the base for these quick and tasty chicken taco pizzas.

This may be your new favorite way to eat a Philly Cheesesteak. Enjoy the mouthwatering beef, cheese, peppers, and onions all wrappe dup in a whole-wheat tortilla. This recipe can be eaten immediately or made ahead to enjoy later.

These spiced apple bars are delicious when served shortly after baking. They're also perfect for breakfast or an on-the-go snack.