These lunchbox ideas are a mix of make-ahead, super simple prep and shortcuts with store bought ingredients. Best of all, they’re loved by all four of our kids every time.
Lunchbox Main Dishes
This is what I put in the biggest compartment of our lunchboxes, but you can always fill it with things you might’ve considered sides. It doesn’t really matter, as long as there’s enough calories (including protein) to feel those rascals up for the whole day.
Sandwich Ideas
- Homemade bread with cream cheese and fresh strawberries
- Apple-Cinnamon Bread slathered with butter
- Ciabatta Rolls filled with smoked turkey, olives and cheese
- DIY Jersey Mike’s Subs: Assemble a big sandwich using a loaf of French bread, filling it up with salami, turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomato and so on, then slice a big wedge for each lunchbox
- Pancakes! Use leftover pancakes as the bread for a PB&J. Don’t forget, waffles work too.
- Dice up sandwiches into sixteen pieces (four slices both ways), for sandwich poppers
- Blueberry or Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Bread from Target’s bakery slathered with cream cheese and cut into “fingers”
- Change up the bread: use hoagie rolls, Hawaiian rolls, or homemade rolls
- Layer thinly sliced cucumbers with provolone, cheddar and sprouts
- Add apple butter to your favorite combination of ham, turkey and/or cheese
- Cube everything from the bread to the cheese and make sandwich skewers
Pockets, Cups & Roll Ups
- Pizza Pinwheels: Slather homemade pizza dough with veggie-filled marinara, roll and slice lik cinnamon rolls
- Or fill a lunchbox with pinwheels in other flavors:
- Ham + Cheddar
- Rotisserie Chicken + BBQ
- Turkey + Provolone
- Chicken Tikka Masala Pockets: Flatten biscuit dough straight from the store (or use our homemade bread recipe) and fill with leftovers of our simplified versions of chicken tikka masala in the slow cooker or on the stove top in less than an hour
- Pockets are so versatile you can use them for practically anything:
- Leftover meatloaf becomes a cheeseburger pocket
- Turkey & cheese
- Our Very Pickle-y Egg Salad is perfect inside a pita pocket
- Unroll Crescent Rolls from the store, fill with your favorite combination of chicken, turkey, roast beef, and so on, then bake as directed
Tortillas
- Two small tortillas are the base for our kids’ favorite quesadillas, filled with cheddar cheese, turkey and BBQ sauce
- Layer turkey, cheese and spinach in a tortilla and roll up as a wrap
- Place taco fillings in the center of a tortilla and fold the edges on each of five-six sides. Brush with oil and roast in the oven until crispy everywhere
- Slather peanut butter on one side of a whole-wheat tortilla and sprinkle fresh strawberries on top. Roll up like a wrap.
Bagels
- Homemade bagels can be served straight up, and you can start with a kid-friendly mix here!) Or go very extra with a kit for rainbow bagels. Make someone happy when they open that lunchbox, especially when they get to brag about baking a rainbow by themselves.
- Sliced, diced and toasted bagels make for great dunking, paired with hummus, PB&J or marinara
- Blueberry or cranberry bagels with a thick layer of cream cheese
Breads, Tarts & Quiche
- Sheet Pan Tarts, filled with roasted veggies of your choice
- Miniature Tomato Pies, baked in a muffin pan
- Quiche cups (egg bites) can be served straight up, inside wonton wraps for instant “crust” or nestled inside a flattened biscuit
- Sheet Pan Quiche makes square edges that fit perfectly in a lunchbox
- Yes, Banana Bread can be the main dish!
- Focaccia bread or Focaccia Bread Pizza are in my kids’ Top 10 list of lunches
Lunchbox Sides
- No-Bake Chocolate Fruit & Nut Protein Balls
- Parmesan Cheese Crackers
- Chocolate Chip Oat Cups
- Easy to Peel Hard Boiled Eggs
- Sheet Pan Zucchini Banana Bread
- Chocolate Granola Bars
- Turkey & Cheese Roll Ups
- Chocolate Graham Crackers
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