Healthy Kids Lunch Recipes

Adults and kids alike devour these crunchy pretzel-coated chicken nuggets. What really makes them special is the tart-sweet cranberry dipping sauce. Make some extra sauce to spread on post-holiday turkey sandwiches.

Kids love pizza and this bento box lunch gives them all familiar pizza flavors they love, along with a serving of colorful, healthy vegetables and a fruit dessert. Plus, this healthy lunch is a breeze to pack up!

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.

These mini pizzas are topped with an assortment of veggies, including broccoli, mushrooms and carrots, and are an ideal light lunch or mid-afternoon snack. They're made on whole-wheat pita rounds and are ready in just 25 minutes.

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.

Making your own barbecue sauce, rather than using a commercial sauce, reduces the sodium content in this recipe. The sauce is very easy to prepare.

These stuffed potatoes are a fun variation of loaded baked potatoes. Bursting with chili-flavored chicken, salsa and melted Monterey Jack cheese, they are sure to delight your taste buds.

The kids will love these fun PB&J kebab at your next barbeque!

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.