20 Delicious and Healthy Lunch Box Ideas for Kids That Aren’t Sandwiches!
Kids all around the world are heading back to school or even starting for the first time this week and I know for many parents the thought of resuming “packed lunch duties” fills them with dread!
Trying to balance what your picky eating child wants for lunch with what you think will be nutritious and filling is not always easy.
I know my kids love nothing more than a simple ham or cheese sandwich but I’m always trying to widen our lunch box repertoire.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with the humble sandwich a couple of times a week but when you’re trying to introduce more variety into your family’s diet, it’s good to have some other options on hand too.
So here’s 20 of my favourite healthy and filling recipe ideas to liven up your child’s lunch box this new school year!
20 OF THE BEST “NON-SANDWICH” LUNCHBOX IDEAS
20 Delicious and Healthy Lunch Box Ideas for Kids That Aren’t Sandwiches!
Leftover Bolognese Muffins
Turn leftover bolognese sauce into delicious savoury muffins, perfect to pop into school lunchboxes for kids
Nut Free Pesto Pasta for Lunchboxes
An easy pesto recipe that’s nut free. Perfect for packed lunches to send to school or nursery for kids!
Salad Cups for Kids
A fun way to serve salad to kids and a great way for fussy eaters to get exposure to new foods.
Airfryer Chicken & Cheese Pinwheels
Cheesy Chicken Pinwheels. A quick lunch for kids cooked in the airfryer with just four simple ingredients.
How To Pack Chicken Nuggets in a Lunchbox
How To Keep Chicken Nuggets Warm In A Packed Lunch For Kids.
Creamy Chicken Noodles - Hot Lunch Recipe
Chicken, vegetables and noodles in a creamy mild curry sauce. Perfect to whip up in less than 10 minutes to add to food flasks for school lunches
Cheese & Tomato Pasta - Hot Lunch Recipe
A simple but tasty Cheese & Tomato Pasta, perfect to add to food flasks for a hot lunch for kids at school or nursery.
Feta & Spinach Lunchbox Muffins
Delicious savoury muffins packed with flavoursome ingredients like feta, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. Perfect to batch cook and pop into lunch boxes for school and work!
Salmon, Cream Cheese & Spinach Pinwheels
Really easy to make and packed with nutritious ingredients, these Salmon Pinwheels make an excellent lunch for kids either at home or packed into a lunchbox!
Creamy Basil Tortellini - Hot Lunch Recipe
Tortellini in a creamy basil sauce. A quick hot lunch recipe idea for kids to take to school or nursery.
Pizza Lunchbox Savoury Muffins
Easy one-bowl Savoury Pizza Muffins, perfect for the kids’ lunch boxes or as an afternoon snack!
Grandpa Pig's Tomato Frittata Fingers
Grandpa Pig’s easy and tasty Tomato Frittata Fingers made with delicious tomatoes from Peppa’s Vegetable Garden
Hidden Veggie Sausage Rolls
Delicious kid friendly sausage rolls packed with carrot and courgette. Everyone will love these Hidden Veggie Sausage Rolls!
Avocado & Strawberry Macaroni Pasta Salad
A delicious combination of avocado and strawberry makes this macaroni salad recipe the perfect summer meal and great for kids!
Pizza Pasta Salad
A delicious and super easy pizza flavoured pasta salad recipe. Ready in less than 15 minutes and perfect for lunch boxes, picnics and BBQ’s this summer!
Lunchbox Spanish Omelette
Looking for lunchbox ideas beyond sandwiches? Try this Spanish Omelette packed full of veggies. It’s delicious hot or cold!
Macaroni Cheese Lunchbox Muffins
These Mac n Cheese Muffins (with peas!) are the perfect addition to a kids’ lunchbox
Veggie Pizza Roll Ups
Super easy to make and packed with mixed vegetables, these Veggie Pizza Puff Pastry Roll Ups are sure to go down a treat with the whole family!
Melty Ham & Cheese Mini Wraps
These Ham & Cheese Wraps and folded up like mini burritos and dry fried quickly to make them melting on the inside but soft and warm on the outside. So delicious and perfect for lunch at home or a packed lunch at school!
Spinach & Cheese Savoury Lunchbox Muffins
Delicious savoury muffins packed full of vegetables like spinach and peppers; perfect for a family lunch or a kids afternoon snack!
Broccoli & Cheese Frittata Fingers
These frittata fingers make the best finger food for baby led weaning and toddlers!
Sausage & Tomato Skewers - Lunchbox Ideas
These Sausage & Cherry Tomato Skewers make a fun lunch idea for kids, perfect to pop into lunch boxes for school or work!
Vegetable Rice Salad - Lunchbox Idea
This quick and easy Vegetable Rice Salad makes a delicious and healthy lunch box idea for kids heading back to school!
Sweet Potato Frittata Slices
For a delicious, filling and healthy lunch try these Sweet Potato Frittata Slices. Super easy to make and perfect for the whole family!
Chicken & Avocado Mayo Wrap
A delicious and healthy lunch time recipe; Chicken & Avocado Mayo Wrap. Perfect for kids and adults too!
Tortilla Sausage Rolls - Cooking with Kids
An easy and fun way to make sausage rolls with kids with just four simple ingredients.
Broccoli & Goats Cheese Muffins
Delicious and mild Broccoli & Goats Cheese Muffins, perfect for kids’ lunchboxes or to take out and about as a snack!
Pesto Parmesan Chicken Meatballs
Delicious chicken meatballs made with just 5 simple ingredients and flavoured with basil pesto and parmesan. Perfect for a finger food dinner for kids or even mixed into spaghetti and sauce.
If you try any of these recipes, please do leave me a comment below. You can also share your pictures with me on on Instagram. I always love to see your creations!
Other Recipe Collections You Might Enjoy:
20 of The Best Gluten Free Snacks For Kids – 20 Delicious Homemade Gluten Free Snacks for Kids!
15 of The Best Finger Food Dinners For Kids – Our top 15 dinner recipes that can be served as finger food or eaten with your hands! Brilliant for picky eaters to create a more fun dinnertime experience.
Harriet says
Thanks for posting this! I always struggle for inspiration and end up packing the same food week in week out so am looking forward to mixing things up a bit.