Healthy Lunch Box Ideas for Back to School
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It’s back to school time and you’re probably searching for some healthy lunch box ideas for your kid(s).
I am actually going to homeschool my daughter this year but I still have to plan and pack lunches since I am working from home and we do have some activities that will have us out around lunchtime a few days during the week.
If your child will be around other kids then be sure to also check out my post on boosting your immune system to help guard against all those cold viruses that they will surely be exposed to and bring home to you. 🙂 I do many of these myself to help since I also work with kids.
Anyway, back to healthy lunch box ideas. I have rounded up a bunch of school lunch box ideas to suit different dietary preferences full of healthy ingredients.
These also happen to be great for adults as well. I pack the same thing for my daughter and me, just larger portions for myself. So this roundup should help you will al your healthy lunch needs.
I want to share a few of my own ideas as well just below. I always send my daughter with water, a few snacks, and the main part. She loves pasta so I often do Annie’s Mac & Cheese but sometimes I will make pasta with tomato sauce and sausages and send that. She also loves PB&J so I send one made with sunflower butter instead since nut butter is not allowed at school.
For the sides and snacks, I mix some pre-packaged items with homemade or fresh produce. She loves roasted seaweed and Lara bars. I usually make roasted veggies at some point in the week and send those. She also loves coleslaw so I send that often.
Healthy Lunch Box Ideas
Hundreds of healthy lunch box ideas for school lunches or adults. This lunch box roundup includes some gluten free, nut free, vegan, vegetarian options, and all are healthy using real foods.
10 More Healthy Lunch Ideas for Kids (for the School Lunch Box or Home)
Check out these 10 healthy school lunch ideas for kids.
All The Lunches — What Lisa Cooks
This site has HUNDREDS of healthy school lunch ideas so you will be sure to find many ideas for your family.
6 Allergy-Friendly School Lunch Ideas and Giveaway
Here are 6 great lunch box ideas for those with more restrictive diets.
21 Pinwheel Sandwiches for School Lunch ⋆ Exploring Domesticity
I love this roundup of a variety of sandwich ideas since we could all use help there. I get bored with sandwiches very quickly so this list is great.
Easy School Lunch Ideas
Here are some more great healthy lunch box and afterschool snack ideas.
Grown-Up Lunchables [healthy + affordable] • Healthy Helper
I love this idea for a healthier version of Lunchables. I know my daughter will love these since she always begs me to buy these when we are at the grocery store.
40 Gluten Free Lunch Box Ideas With Crunchmaster
Here are some simple mix and match ideas to make your own healthy gluten free lunch box.
10 Healthy Simple School Lunches from Trader Joe's
How about these healthy lunch ideas from Trader Joe's! I love that store and these look so good and different.
5 Healthy Lunches You Can Make in 5 Minutes (each) - Easy Real Food
You gotta love these 5 minute lunches! Anything to save time works for me.
16 lunch box ideas you can freeze in advance
I love these make ahead freezable lunch ideas for quick packing.
6 Sandwich-on-a-Stick Lunch Box Ideas | Easy & Healthy Packed Lunches
Sandwich in a stick is such a cute idea for kids healthy lunch boxes. Check out these great ideas.
Non-sandwich School Lunch Ideas
And for all the kids who hate sandwiches (that was me) here are some great lunch box ideas.
Nontoxic Lunch Box Products to Help Make Packing Lunches Simple
If you’re new here, then you may not know that I avoid plastic as much as I can. Luckily, there are now so many great plastic-free options for packing lunches.
If you’re not sure why you should avoid plastic then read this post. It is actually most important for children to avoid plastic since their developing bodies are more affected by the chemicals used to make plastics. And no, BPA free plastic is not any better despite what we’ve been told.
Healthy Lunch Box Products
These are my favorite nontoxic products for packing lunches.
Thermos Funtainer 10 Ounce Food Jar, Pink
I love these insulated jars for food that needs to stay warm like pasta or even chicken nuggets. I just add a paper towel around the nuggets so they don't get as soggy.
LunchBots Rounds 4oz Stainless Steel Non-insulated Leak-Proof Snack Container
These small containers are great for small things that could leak like coleslaw, applesauce, yogurt, and berries.
Stainless Steel Bento Lunch Box EXTRA LARGE.
This bento box is big enough to hold a sandwich and 2 sides.
NomBox Leak Proof Stainless Steel Bento Lunch Box Container with Silicone Lid | BUNDLE With BONUS Dipping Sauce Container (2 Items)
This is another great option if you don't need sections.
LunchBots 1.5oz Leak Proof Dips Condiment Containers - Set of 3 (1.5 oz)
These are my favorite for sauces and dips since they don't leak.
Bee's Wrap Assorted 3 Pack, Eco Friendly Reusable Beeswax Food Wraps
This is my favorite alternative to plastic wrap.
Stasher 100% Silicone Reusable Food Bag, Snack Storage Size, 4.5-inch (9.9-ounce), Aqua
These are the best alternative to Ziploc bags. I have a ton of these and they come in different sizes and colors.
Takeya 51221 Actives Insulated Stainless Steel Bottle w/Straw Lid, 24oz Blush
This is my favorite water bottle for kids because it's free of plastic, insulated, leak proof, and lasts a long time. It comes in different colors and sizes.
FORK AND SPOON SET
It's so hard to find plastic free utensils that actually last and aren't too big for small hands. These are great.
Check out my other food related posts:
- Easy Low Carb Lunch Ideas
- How I Feed My Family Clean Food on a Budget
- Chocolate Matcha Latte
- Easy & Healthy Cheap Dessert Recipes
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