6 Healthy Lunch Ideas Nutritionists Actually Pack for Their Kids

By Sarah Garone

August 29, 2024

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With school back on, if you’re a parent, you may be in need of some school-lunch inspo. You need something easy and healthy, and your kids want something that tastes great. Good news: To get the creative juices flowing, we asked registered dietitian moms to share real-life healthy lunch ideas, meals they regularly pack in their own kids’ lunch boxes. Here are six nutritious, kid-friendly, and delightfully easy options they suggest.

1. DIY Greek Yogurt Parfaits

“As much as I would like to make Pinterest-worthy lunchbox meals for my daughter, I simply don’t have the time to do this and accomplish all of my other commitments,” says Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN.

When schedules are hectic (i.e., always), Manaker suggests a simple yet fun school lunch. “At least once a week, my daughter gets a Greek yogurt, some low-sugar granola, fresh berries, and chocolate chips. I send all of the ingredients with an empty plastic cup and a spoon. At lunchtime, she makes herself a parfait that she’s excited to eat and that nourishes her body for the rest of the day.”

2. Mediterranean Lentil Pasta Salad

This one does double-duty: Make a Mediterranean lentil pasta salad for dinner, and then pack it in your kid’s lunch box the next day, suggests dietitian Elysia Cartlidge.

“Along with the lentils and pasta, I add in cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, and sliced olives,” says Cartlidge. “Sometimes I make my own dressing, and other times I’ll use a store-bought Mediterranean dressing, depending on how much time I have.”

We recommend using chickpea pasta, which is surprisingly nutritious, and steaming lentils du puy, which retain their shape better than regular brown lentils. To streamline, use Trader Joe’s steamed lentils in the refrigerated section, or buy them canned.

“It stays fresh until lunch, and my kids always devour it,” Cartlidge says, noting that it also makes for easy clean-up since the whole dish is prepared in one bowl. For extra sweetness and bonus nutrients, she recommends adding a side of fresh fruit, like sliced mango or strawberries.

3. Sunflower Butter Sandwich

With childhood food allergies on the rise, the once-standard PBJ has fallen out of fashion — or is outright prohibited at some schools. But that doesn’t mean its sweet-savory flavor combination is out of reach.

Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, a mom of three, offers an alternative. “One of the lunches that I often pack for my kids is a sunflower butter sandwich with grapes,” she says. “The allergen-friendly sandwich is easy because I know it will be safe for them to take, whether they’re eating at summer camp, school, or at their after-school program.”

Besides its classic taste, this option has nutritional advantages, too. “The grapes provide energy and hydration to help kids power through their day,” she adds. “My kids love their refreshing juiciness and I love that I can just rinse and pack them — no prep necessary.”

4. DIY Bento Boxes

Nineties kids, now grown-ups themselves, remember the allure of Lunchables, so it’s no surprise dietitians recommend a more nutritious, homemade version.

“My approach to school lunches is to empower my kiddos to make it themselves, with a little support from mama if needed,” says Dani Lebovitz, MS, RDN, and mom of three. Lebovitz encourages her kids to choose their own mix of ready-to-go ingredients from the fridge and pantry, which she says teaches them the life skill of building their own healthy meals based on their individual preferences.

Of course, it’s a good idea to offer some structure and rules. For instance, you could encourage kids to choose a vegetable from the crisper drawer (carrot sticks or sugar snap peas), a fruit (apple slices or blueberries), a main (tuna salad or chickpea salad), and something extra, if needed (think energy balls, yogurt, or granola bars).

5. Turkey and Cheese Sandwich (with Some Fun Extras)

It might not win any awards for uniqueness, but there’s nothing wrong with a good, old-fashioned turkey and cheese sandwich in your child’s lunchbox. Amanda Blechman, RD, CDN, Director of Scientific Affairs at Danone North America, says turkey and cheese on whole wheat is a favorite for her daughter. Its combination of protein and fiber will keep your kid full.

In the rest of her daughter’s lunchbox, Blechman gets creative. “I fill in other foods that provide a variety of flavors and textures, which is more satisfying for your tastebuds,” she says. This might look like Hippeas organic chickpea puffs or a container of raspberries with a few chocolate chips tossed in.

6. A Whole-Grain Quesadilla

“When it comes to lunch outside of the house, I look for a few key things: Is it accessible, is it palatable, and is it satisfying?” says Yaffi Lvova, RDN and mom of three. A quick lunch that checks all the boxes: a quesadilla made with a whole grain tortilla, accompanied by fruits and vegetables like jicama sticks and orange slices. For more protein, add meat or beans to the quesadilla, and for added nutrients, toss in some wilted baby spinach leaves and sliced bell peppers.