Kid Lunch Ideas

I've made a list of kid lunch ideas and posted it on the fridge and in my cookbook. At our house lunchtime is the hardest to figure out so I find this helps a little to know what to do for lunches. I even had the kids sit down with me and we brainstormed lunch ideas. I especially like to do this before school starts and I'm always in need of kid lunch box ideas.



I've included our lunch ideas list below as well as some of our favorite lunch recipes. Please share your own ideas, recipes or list of your favorite kid lunches for others to read.

Kid Lunch Ideas

These ideas work well served at home or put into a lunch box. Just stock up on plastic containers of various sizes, a kid size thermos, several ice packs and a lunch box and you can turn most healthy meal recipes into kid lunch box ideas.

1. Pasta Noodles sprinkled with parmesan cheese. (add chopped ham or turkey)
2. Peanut butter sandwich
3. Toasted honey sandwich. Place honey in a mini container and include a spreader for putting together at lunchtime.
4. Hot dog or homemade corn dogs
5. Homemade or store bought pizza bites or bagel pizzas
6. Soup in a thermos and breadsticks on side. 
7. Rice with or without shredded chicken
8. Pasta salad
9. Lunch kabob-Ham, pineapple, cheese cubes or something similar
10. Mini quiches
11. Chicken kabob with rice on the side
12. Tuna sandwich in a pita
13. Chicken sandwich-shredded chicken and small bit of mayo
14. Chicken breast with a roll
15. Chicken meatballs
16. Teriyaki chicken chunks
17. Quesdillas
18. Chicken Lo Mein with baby corn
19. Tortilla wraps 
20. Deli meat sandwich or mini subs
21. Mini bagel sandwiches
22. Biscuit sticks with ham and cheese
23. Beefaroni or Spaghettios
24. Fish sticks
25. Homemade or store bought Chicken nuggets
26. Leftovers 
27. Cheese sandwich
28. Stir Fry or Fried Rice
29. Bean, corn, hamburger bake -simply add canned beans, drained, can corn drained and ground hamburger. 
30. Pizza on a stick-sausage chunks, veggie chunks, pepperoni chunks. Serve with a breadstick on the side.
31. Green salad or fruit salad
32. Boiled Eggs or scrambled 
33. Egg Salad sandwich
34. Leftovers
35. Pepperoni sandwich
36. Rice Balls
37. Chicken drumsticks
38. Chili in a thermos
39. Stromboli or calzones 
40. Taco Salad 
41. Sloppy joes with a bun on the side 
42. Mini meat pies
43. Taco ingredients with a tortilla or tortilla chips

Something I've found that has made a difference for lunchtime, is a roomy, reusable lunch box set. I came across Easy Lunch Boxes and I love that the container is washable and reusable. It also comes with a lunchbox that has enough room that I can add an apple or yogurt to the top container.

Kid Lunch Ideas -Vegetables with Lunch

Kid Lunch Ideas and Recipes

Chicken Lo Mein
Serve for dinner and include leftovers in your lunch box.
8 ounces uncooked linguine noodles
chicken breast halves, cubed
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen stir fry vegetables
Cook noodles. While noodles are cooking, cook chicken pieces in a frying pan. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and chicken broth. Stir in frozen vegetables and cook covered on medium. When chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender mix drained noodles into chicken mixture. Serve immediately.

Tortilla Wraps
Flour tortilla
Deli ham, turkey or other meat
Sliced cheese
Vegetables your kids like such as shredded lettuce, shredded carrots, tomato slices
Place deli meat on top of tortilla and add vegetables. Roll up and cut in half. Wrap in plastic wrap or in a plastic container. If desired included mayo or miracle whip on the side.

Biscuit Sticks
2 Cups flour
2 teaspoons Sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 Cup milk
3 teaspoons Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Cream of tartar
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup Chopped ham
1 Cup shredded cheese
In mixer blend flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and cream of tartar. Add shortening and blend. Stir in milk until dough forms a ball. Stir in ham and cheese. Roll or pat dough into a rectangle. Cut into rectangle sticks and bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden.

Meatball Soup
A thermos works great for bringing soup in a lunch box. Before placing soup in thermos pour boiling water in thermos and let it sit for 10 minutes. Pour water out and add soup.

6 oz. ground turkey
large beaten egg
3 tablespoons bread crumbs
parsley
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
6 Cups chicken broth
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1 Cup pasta bowtie
Combine turkey, egg, bread crumbs and parsley and form into meatballs. In saucepan cook broth and add carrots. Bring to a boil and add pasta cook 5 minutes. Lower heat and add meatballs. Simmer until cooked through.  

Ham Salad
1 slice baked ham, diced or chopped
1/4 Cup celery, diced
1/4-1/2 cup mayo
Blend all together and serve with toasted bread or wheat crackers.

Beans and Franks
1 Can baked beans
1 pkg turkey hot dogs, chopped
1 teaspoon mustard
1/4 cup brown sugar, optional
Stir all together and warm up. Place kids portion size in warmed thermos for lunchtime.

Italian Chicken Strips
1 lb. chicken breasts, cut in strips
1/2 cup Italian dressing
1 1/2 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon lime juice
Add ingredients together in a ziploc baggie. Marinate for 1 hour.  Bake or grill. Add to lunch box in the morning.

Picnic Taco Packets

by Lori
(Utah)
For each person have:
1 bag Doritos or Fritos chips
taco meat browned, drained, seasoned
shredded lettuce
grated cheese
ketchup or taco sauce packets (like from the deli or convenience store)
Open the bag of chips. Toss in a scoop of meat, handful of lettuce and grated cheese. Top with ketchup or hot sauce.
Instant taco salad picnic! YUM


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Download it now and try one of our kid friendly packed lunch recipes for tomorrow's lunch.


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