Our Top Healthy Kids Lunch Ideas for School

August 27, 2019
No lunch trades here! Pack a healthier lunchbox for school with these healthy lunch and snack ideas kids will actually want to eat.
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Turkey & Cheese Pinwheels Bento Lunch

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Bite-size pinwheels of turkey, cheese and lettuce make an appealing centerpiece of this bento box. Crisp celery sticks and juicy blueberries are tasty accompaniment, while popcorn, mixed with chocolate chips, makes a satisfying snack or dessert. Plus, this healthy lunch is so easy to pack and can even be made the night before.

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Taco Salad Bento Lunch for Kids

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No more half-eaten lunches--this taco-inspired bento box lunch is a healthy and portable meal your kid will love.

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Pepperoni Pizza Roll-Up Bento Lunch

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Kids love pizza and this bento box lunch gives them all the 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!

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Breakfast-for-Lunch Bento for Kids

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This bento box idea is full of your kid's breakfast favorites, even waffles. This lunch is packed with healthy foods you will feel good about serving and kids will actually be excited to eat--no more half-eaten lunches!

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Strawberry & Cream Cheese Sandwich

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Sliced strawberries and reduced-fat cream cheese come together in a sandwich for this quick and healthy lunchbox treat.

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Pizza Roll-Up Bento Lunch

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This easy pizza-inspired roll-up is a kid-pleaser. Make crunchy vegetables more appealing by selecting colorful varieties like orange and purple cauliflower--and don't forget the dip! Keep 'em smiling with watermelon cut into fun shapes with cookie cutters.

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BBQ Chicken Sandwich

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Toss leftover cooked chicken with barbecue sauce and crunchy carrots for a quick and healthy lunch.

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Quick Kebabs

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Kids and adults alike will appreciate this skewered snack.

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Rainbow Bento Lunch for Kids

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This bento box idea makes lunch fun. With its colorful carrots and swirled yogurt, this packable lunch is a healthy meal kids will actually want to eat--no more half-eaten lunches.

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Ham Pinwheels

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Ready in just 5 minutes, this cute ham-and-cheese appetizer or snack is as much fun to make as it is to eat. Top with your favorite fresh herb, such as dill or basil, for a pretty presentation.

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Cornmeal-Crusted Chicken Nuggets with Blackberry Mustard

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Tossing chicken tenders with cornmeal gives these chicken nuggets great crunch without deep-frying. Blackberries (or raspberries, if you prefer) combined with whole-grain mustard make for a sweet-and-savory dipping sauce. Serve with: Steamed broccoli and carrots.

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Egg Salad

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Try this easy egg salad on your favorite multigrain bread or on top of lightly dressed salad greens.

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Deconstructed Cobb Salad Bento Lunch for Kids

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This kid-friendly twist on classic Cobb salad gives children the choice to eat all the healthy ingredients--veggies, turkey, eggs, bacon and avocado--together or separately. Packing it all in a bento box makes it easy to tote to school and keeps all the ingredients from touching, a plus for picky eaters.

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Homemade Ranch Dressing with Veggies

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Make a big batch of homemade ranch dressing to keep on hand for dipping crisp, raw vegetables anytime for a healthy snack both kids and adults will enjoy.

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Garlic Hummus

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This classic hummus recipe couldn't be easier--just toss a few ingredients in the food processor and whir away! Aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) makes this healthy dip extra smooth and creamy. Serve with veggie chips, pita chips or crudités.

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No-Nut Butter

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If you have a nut allergy or need to pack nut-free lunches, try this easy recipe for homemade no-nut butter. For the best flavor, don't skip toasting the seeds.

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Chipotle Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowl

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This chipotle-flavored burrito bowl recipe is even better than takeout and just as fast. Loading it with vegetables and using quinoa in place of rice adds nutrition for a healthy dinner.

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Muffin-Tin Quiches with Smoked Cheddar & Potato

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Potatoes, cheese and greens make this mini quiche recipe delicious and satisfying. Bake up a batch over the weekend and you'll have breakfast available in a hurry for the rest of the week.

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Pressure-Cooker Mac & Cheese

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Make a healthier version of classic macaroni and cheese with this recipe that adds broccoli for a nutritional boost and an easy way to eat more vegetables. Using an electric pressure cooker, such as the InstantPot, gets dinner on the table in just 30 minutes.

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Owl Yogurt Bowl

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Bananas, blueberries and nuts make a fun topping on this yogurt bowl that looks like an owl for a healthy breakfast or snack your kids will actually want to eat.

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Maple-Cinnamon Applesauce

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Turn fresh fall apples into delicious maple-and-cinnamon-spiked homemade applesauce with this easy recipe.

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Sweet Potato Chips

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Make perfectly crunchy veggie chips at home with this healthy recipe. Use a mandoline to slice the sweet potatoes extra-thin for the optimum crunch!

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Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

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This vibrant orange hummus recipe couldn't be easier--just toss a few ingredients in the food processor and whir away! Roasted red peppers make this healthy dip extra flavorful. Serve with veggie chips, pita chips or crudités.

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Zesty Bean Dip & Chips

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Stirring salsa into versatile canned refried beans makes a quick and healthy bean dip. It also works well as a sandwich spread with your favorite vegetables and a sprinkle of cheese.

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Seeded Whole-Grain Quick Bread

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Bake this healthy, seedy loaf on Sunday and you can enjoy it all week--if it doesn't disappear first. This quick bread recipe is the perfect vehicle for both sweet and savory toppings, so try it as avocado toast one day and with honey the next. Store it tightly wrapped, as all the seeds make it a little more apt to dry out than typical whole-wheat breads.

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Protein Power Snack

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For a protein-packed snack to keep you feeling full, grab a hard-boiled egg and fun-to-eat edamame.

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Strawberry & Yogurt Parfait

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This healthy yogurt parfait recipe combines fresh fruit, Greek yogurt and crunchy granola for an easy breakfast. Pack the parfait in a mason jar for a healthy breakfast on the go.

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Guacamole with Bell Pepper Dippers

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Skip tortilla chips and get a healthy dose of vitamin C when you use bell pepper as a dipper for guacamole in this quick snack recipe.

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Raspberry Yogurt with Dark Chocolate

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Make your own flavored yogurt with fresh fruit and a touch of honey to cut down on added sugars. This healthy snack recipe is flavored with raspberries, but you can use any berries you have on hand.

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Cheddar & Broccoli Quiche

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This healthy quiche recipe is perfect for entertaining--the quiche can be made ahead and is just as flavorful served warm or at room temperature. Filled with broccoli, fresh rosemary, Cheddar cheese and caramelized onions, this healthy quiche with a whole-grain crust is perfect for breakfast or brunch, or served with a light salad for lunch.

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Cherry Cream Cheese

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Make your own flavored cream cheese by stirring in fresh, in-season cherries. We like the flavor of black cherries, but any kind will work. Spread this on your morning bagel or sandwich it between graham crackers for a cherry cheesecake-inspired snack.

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Sesame Carrots

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Toasted sesame seeds add taste and eye appeal to a cheery plate of crunchy carrots.

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Turkey Rollups

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Satisfy your salty, crunchy and savory cravings in one punch with this quick snack.

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Silly Alligator Spinach Wrap

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There's nothing wrong with having a little fun while you eat! Use a green spinach wrap to make this chicken and avocado wrap look like an alligator for a fun lunch to pack for your kids' school lunch. (Just remember to warn them about the toothpicks holding the alligator's eyes in place.)

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Eggcetera

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Paprika adds zing to hard-boiled eggs.