Easy School Lunchbox Ideas - My Fussy Eater

Looking for some lunchbox inspiration? Check out our collection of easy school lunchbox ideas to make packed lunches your kids will actually eat!

Images show a range of different lunchboxes, all with different lunch ideas added.

Packing lunches for children can get a little monotonous. There’s nothing wrong with a simple ham or cheese sandwich but it’s also nice to mix it up some days.

We’ve put together a collection of delicious lunchbox recipes that will be a huge hit with the kids.

With a variety of options for either hot lunches, including filling pasta as well as cold lunches and snacks too, there’s bound to be something for everyone.

Send your little and not so little ones to school with one of these fun lunch ideas knowing that they will have something tasty to look forward to that will keep them alert and ready for anything that the school day throws at them!

Chicken & Cheese Lunchbox Muffins

These savoury muffins are a brilliant way of using up leftover chicken from your Sunday roast. So easy to make and perfect for lunchboxes for kids.

Sausage & Cheese Pasta – Hot Lunch Idea

A simple sausage and cheese pasta recipe that’s perfect for hot school lunches

Puff Pastry Cheese Twists

Delicious puff pastry cheese twists made with just four simple ingredients. A brilliant alternative to sandwiches for lunchboxes.

Pizza Lunchbox Muffins

These Pizza Lunchbox Muffins are a brilliant alternative for kids who don’t like sandwiches or if you just want to pack something a bit different into their lunch box.

They freeze really well too, so make up a batch every few months and store in the freezer so that you always have something easy and on hand to send to school.

Two Pizza lunchbox muffins presented in a blue silicone divided lunchbox and served with sliced cucumber and red pepper, and some mini chocolate rice cakes and biscuit.

Chicken Sausage Rolls

These Chicken Sausage Rolls are really easy to make and they are a little bit healthier than your standard sausage roll making them perfect for sending into school for a packed lunch!

With only five ingredients you can whip these up in only half an hour too!

Two chicken sausage rolls presented in a stainless steel divided lunch tin accompanied with fresh strawberries in one section,cucumber and carrot sticks in another, and mini bread sticks and Babybel cheese.

Mini Egg Lunchbox Bites

For kids that do not like bread, these Mini Egg Lunchbox Bites are a great option for their lunch boxes.

They are packed full of protein too so will keep kids full until the end of the school day.

Five mini egg lunchbox bites, presented in a blue silicone Bento style lunchbox.
served with a mini yogurt,fresh veggies and berries, with a small flapjack and jammy biscuit.

Ham & Cheese Muffins

Some of our followers make these Ham & Cheese Muffins on a near weekly basis for popping into their kids school lunches!

They can be eaten hot or cold and they can be frozen too so are ideal for batch cooking and meal prep!

Two cheese and ham muffins, served in a bright pink plastic divided lunchbox along side fresh veggies and berries, and a mini jammy biscuit treat.

Leftover Bolognese Muffins

Use up your leftover bolognese sauce to make these Leftover Bolognese Muffins to pack into school lunch boxes!

They will defrost at room temperature in a couple of hours so you can pop them into the lunch box straight from the freezer in the morning and they will be defrosted in time for lunch!

two left over bolognese muffins presented in a clear plastic divided lunch box, served with fresh,chopped veggies and strawberries.

Nut Free Pesto Pasta For Lunchboxes

Most schools have a nut free policy so pesto pasta can be off the menu! But my Nut Free Pesto Pasta CAN be taken into school and provides a really filling lunch for kids.

This nut free pesto recipe is really easy to make at home and the kids will love it!

Nut free pesto pasta served in a clear plastic dived lunchbox along with fresh cucumber slices and two strawberries, and three mini rice cakes.

Sausage & Veg Skewers

These fun and colourful lunchbox skewers are great for kids to take into school or nursery!

Perfect for busy mornings, they can be put together in just five minutes and you can even make them vegetarian friendly by using veggie sausages instead.

Sausage & veg skewers served in a tin divided lunchbox.
Skewers held together with colorful Pick Sticks. Skewers are presented with fresh berries,mini bread sticks and a portion of cheese.

Cheese & Tomato Pasta – Hot Lunch

If you want to send a hot packed lunch to school then this simple Cheese and Tomato Pasta is a great option.

Send in this pasta in a food flask over the winter months for a warm and tasty packed lunch idea.

Cheese and tomato pasta topped with grated cheddar cheese served in a metal food flask with a bright pink lid.

Creamy Chicken Noodles – Hot Lunch

A simple but delicious creamy noodle dish with chicken and vegetables. Perfect for kids who enjoy curry flavours but still mild enough for little taste buds.

Great for sending to school in a food thermos!

Creamy chicken noodles served in a metal food flask, food flask has a light blue lid.

Lunchables Packed Lunch Idea

Those pre-pacakaged lunchables are always a favourite with the kids but they can be really expensive!

Make your own at home and customise them using cheese and meats that you know your children will like. A great sandwich packed lunch idea.

Lunchables presented in a sectioned lunchbox, in one section there is shaped ham and cheese slices, cheese crackers in another, and the last section filled with chopped and sliced fresh veggies, and mini chocolate chip cookies.

Creamy Basil Tortellini – Hot Packed Lunch Idea

Creamy basil tortellini served in a food flask with grated cheese on top. Food flask has a bright pink lid.

So quick to whip up in less than 10 minutes and perfect for a warm and filling lunch at school or nursery.

Another great winter packed lunch option.

Crustless Sandwich – Easy School Lunchbox Idea

If your kids don’t like their crusts, then try my Crustless Sandwich for their lunchbox instead!

Serve with lots of fresh fruit and chopped veggies in a bento style lunch box for a really simple but fun lunch for kids.

Crustless sandwiches presented in a Bento style lunch tin along side lots of fresh chopped veggies and fruit.

Chicken Nuggets

Yes, you read the right! You can easily send chicken nuggets to school for their packed lunch. Follow my tips to ensure they stay warm and don’t go soggy.

You can even send them in with a serving of their favourite dip in these Leakproof Pick & Dip Pots!

Warm Chicken nuggets served in a food flask. Food flask has a light blue lid.

Pizza Pinwheels

If your kids love pizza, then these Pizza Pinwheels will go down an absolute storm in their school lunchbox!

They only take 6 minutes to cook and can also be frozen so great for batch cooking.

Two pizza pinwheels presented in a sectioned lunchbox,served with fresh chopped veggies and rice crackers.

How To Freeze Sandwiches For Lunchboxes

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with sending sandwiches to school every day if you know that’s what your child will eat!

But if you are tight on time first thing in the mornings and the thought of making another school lunchbox sends you into a spin, get ahead and batch make their sandwiches for the week!