20 Easy School Lunch Ideas That Your Kids Will Love
They’re easy to pack and easy to eat.
Kick off the school year right with some easy school lunch ideas your kids will actually look forward to eating. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches will always be a classic, but switching things up with a chicken Caesar wrap can make lunchtime something to get excited about. Pair these easy lunch recipes with sweet sides like homemade applesauce or a tasty dessert, and you'll have a happy kid on your hands.
With four kids of her own, Ree Drummond has prepared her fair share of lunches over the years, so it's safe to say that she's a bit of a pro when it comes to packing a lunch that kids, teenagers, or even picky eaters will love. She even makes the humble tuna sandwich extra flavorful and filling (her secret is hard-boiled eggs and lots of crunchy mix-ins). Her sandwich recipes are always a hit!
When it comes to something sweet, you’ll find nostalgic favorites and bake sale treats like iced oatmeal cookies and homemade Dunkaroos that you can make ahead and just tuck inside their lunchbox for a surprise. You'll have lunch packed and everyone out the door in no time! Then, once school lets out, you’ll want to save our easy recipes for after-school snacks and kid-friendly dinners that the whole family will love.
Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps
One way to get your kids to eat salad is to tuck it into a wrap with chicken and a creamy dressing. It’s handheld and easy to tote, plus you can switch up the wrap flavor, too.
Get Ree’s Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps recipe.
Strawberry White Chocolate Granola Bars
Make them feel extra special with a homemade granola bar to snack on instead of the store-bought kind. A drizzle of white chocolate makes these bars feel just a little indulgent.
Homemade Applesauce
Back-to-school season is also apple season! After a trip to your local apple orchard, try making this childhood favorite. You can doctor it up with warm spices like cinnamon or even a bit of maple syrup.
Get Ree's Homemade Applesauce recipe.
Homemade Chicken and Noodles
To Ree, this is pure comfort food from her own childhood. It's the perfect cozy lunch to add to your kid's thermos when it starts to get chilly outside or they feel a little under the weather.
Get Ree’s Homemade Chicken and Noodles recipe.
Tuna Salad
Ree’s tuna salad is anything but boring! She mixes in hard-boiled eggs for extra richness along with plenty of crunchy mix-ins like sweet pickles, bell pepper, and red onion. There’s a touch of jalapeño, too, but you can leave that out.
Get Ree’s Tuna Salad recipe.
Homemade Dunkaroos
This adorable treat was popular back in the '90s, but the homemade version will have your kids jumping for joy. The mini animal-shaped cookies and marshmallow fluff frosting are so much fun to eat.
Get the Homemade Dunkaroos recipe.
Beet Hummus
It's healthy, flavorful, and oh-so colorful! Pair this hummus with veggie sticks or pita chips for a pop of brightness in your kid's lunchbox. It would also make for a tasty spread on a hummus and veggie wrap.
Get the Beet Hummus recipe.
Tomato Sandwich
Use up the rest of your summer tomatoes with this simple sandwich idea. It only takes 5 minutes to whip up!
Get the Tomato Sandwich recipe.
Tea Sandwiches
Even kids who turn their noses up at crusts can't resist tea sandwiches. They're little, cute, and completely customizable for picky eaters. Honestly, anything bite-sized tends to magically disappear by lunchtime.
Get the Tea Sandwiches recipe.
Football Cereal Treats
You don’t need a big game to score points with your kids. These football-shaped cereal treats are a guaranteed lunchtime touchdown. Plus, they'll make your kid the most popular player at the cafeteria table!
Get Ree's Football Cereal Treats recipe.
Bow Tie Pasta Salad
Pasta salad is a sneaky way to get a few extra veggies into lunchboxes. Bow ties are fun, easy to eat, and somehow more exciting than regular noodles. Kids approve, every single time.
Get the Bow Tie Pasta Salad recipe.
Ham Sandwich with Quick Pickles
Even the simplest ham sandwich feels special when you add homemade quick pickles. It takes about five extra minutes, but suddenly you're not just making lunch, you're Mom of the Year.
Get Ree's Ham Sandwich with Quick Pickles recipe.
Chicken Salad Sandwich
A chicken salad sandwich is so comforting, and Ree's version is the best around! No kid will be able to resist.
Get Ree's Chicken Salad Sandwich recipe.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
When in doubt, chocolate chip cookies solve everything. Slip one or two into the lunchbox for a sweet and chewy midday surprise.
Get Ree's Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.
Chicken Pasta Salad
This recipe combines two lunchtime favorites: pasta salad and chicken salad. The sweet grapes and crunchy celery really make this creamy dish pop.
Get the Chicken Pasta Salad recipe.
Buffalo Chicken Wraps
Hungry teenagers will appreciate this buffalo chicken recipe. The spicy flavor of hot sauce is balanced out by crunchy veggies and ranch dressing.
Get Ree's Buffalo Chicken Wraps recipe.
Cowboy Cookies
If you're a fan of chocolate chip cookies, these cowboy ones are sure to become your new favorite. They're moist, chewy, and loaded with chocolate chips, nuts, coconut flakes, and oats.
Get the Cowboy Cookies recipe.
Make-Ahead Sandwich Rolls
There are two different types of sandwich rolls to choose from with this recipe: turkey-ham with chipotle mayo or Reuben rolls with Thousand Island dressing. Then again, you can always make both!
Get Ree's Make-Ahead Sandwich Rolls recipe.
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
It doesn't get easier than this mac and cheese made entirely in the Instant Pot. You don't even need to boil a separate pot of pasta water.
Get Ree's Instant Pot Mac and Cheese recipe.
Iced Oatmeal Cookies
From school bake sales to lunchboxes, these nostalgic cookies are always a hit, especially when covered in that classic, sweet icing.
Get the Iced Oatmeal Cookies recipe.
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