Kids' Lunch Box Ideas for School: Healthy, Fun, and Easy With Stuck On You
Are you a parent or caregiver playing the daily lunch box lottery? Wondering if today's the day your sandwich masterpiece returns uneaten?
We get it; packing a healthy lunch box that comes back empty is the ultimate parenting win. That's where we come in!
Stuck On You lunch boxes aren't ordinary lunch boxes; they're your allies in getting your kids to enjoy nutritious meals at school. Let's find out how.
Healthy and Delicious School Lunch Box Ideas
A mix of colours, familiar favourites with a healthy spin, and manageable portion sizes will make these kids' lunch box ideas for school a hit!
- Veggie-packed wraps: Fill a whole grain wrap with colourful veggies like grated carrot, cucumber, and capsicum, and add a slice of lean chicken or turkey breast.
- Mini quiches: These are great for using up leftovers. Mix eggs with low-fat milk, and add some diced ham, cheese, and whatever veggies you have on hand, then bake in a muffin tin.
- Mini pizzas: Cut round whole-grain bread rolls in half as mini pizza bases. Top them with tomato sauce, cheese, and your child's favourite veggies and protein.
- Chicken and spinach scrolls: Spread shredded cooked chicken (or barbecued supermarket chicken) over a sheet of store-bought puff pastry. Layer on some blanched spinach, then lightly sprinkle with cheese. Roll the pastry into a log, slice it into scrolls, and bake until golden.
- Rice paper rolls: Fill with shredded chicken or tofu, lettuce, cucumber, and carrot.
- Pasta salad: Whole grain pasta mixed with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and tuna, dressed lightly with olive oil and lemon juice.
- Healthy fried rice: Stir-fry brown rice with carrots, peas, corn, capsicum, chicken or tofu. Make a sauce using low-sodium soy sauce, a touch of sesame oil, and a hint of honey for sweetness.
These easy kids’ lunch box meals offer a variety of
- Vegetables for vitamins.
- Grains for complex carbohydrates and fibre.
- Dairy for calcium.
- Meat for protein and iron.
- Tofu for plant-based protein and essential amino acids.
At Stuck On You, we make our lunch boxes in the bento box style. Our large bento lunch boxes have six roomy compartments, while our mini bento lunch boxes have four. So, you can pack any of the above lunch suggestions in a few compartments and fill the remaining with snacks.
Some wholesome, yummy snacks that contain healthy fats, fibre, calcium, protein, natural sugars, and various vitamins and minerals include
- Carrot and cucumber sticks with hummus or Greek yoghurt dip.
- Whole grain rice crackers with cubes of cheese.
- Dried fruits and nuts.
- Sliced apples, pears, and bananas with almond butter for dipping.
- Grapes and mixed berries.
- Greek yoghurt with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of granola.
Now, let's explore some lunch ideas specifically suited to bento-style lunch boxes.
Get Creative With Bento Lunch Boxes
The compartments in a bento lunch box allow you to pack a nutritionally balanced lunch that includes all the necessary food groups. The variety of flavours and colours also makes eating lunch fun for kids and can entice them to try new foods.
Here are some ideas for bento box lunches for kids.
- Rainbow veggie box: Fill each compartment with a different coloured vegetable, like cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, yellow capsicums, cucumber slices, purple cabbage, and a dip like hummus or Greek yoghurt.
- DIY tacos: Pack taco-seasoned ground meat, shredded cheese, lettuce, diced tomatoes, and mini tortillas for your kids to assemble into tacos.
- Nachos: Add tinned black beans to taco-seasoned ground meat in one compartment, and then plain nacho chips, tomato salsa, guacamole, and Greek yoghurt with lime juice and coriander (or mint) in the others.
- Cheese and fruit platter: Combine various cubed cheeses, whole grain crackers, sliced turkey or ham, grapes, berries, and sliced apples.
- Sushi surprise: Slice sushi rolls filled with avocado, cucumber, and chicken or tuna. Add some edamame on the side.
- Breakfast for lunch: Mini pancakes, sliced bananas, fresh berries, a small serving of maple syrup, and a sprinkle of granola.
Personalise Your Child's Lunchtime With Stuck On You
There are so many benefits to personalising your child’s lunch box!
- Ownership: A lunch box with their name on it fosters a sense of pride and responsibility.
- Easy identification: Helps kids easily identify their lunch boxes, reducing the chance of mix-ups or losses at school.
- Excitement for meals: A lunch box that reflects your child's interests and personality makes mealtimes more engaging and fun.
- Encourages independence: Can motivate children to take charge of their meals and belongings.
Stuck On You's lunch boxes are super customisable; just follow these simple steps:
- Enter your child's name.
- Select the lunch box colour.
- Pick a design: animals, mermaids, flowers, rainbows, vehicles, and more!
- Choose a font for your child's name.
- Add to cart, proceed to payment, and your child's personalised lunch box will be on its way!
FAQs
What Can I Pack for My Kid's Lunch Other Than Sandwiches?
Consider alternatives like pasta salads, rice bowls, mini quiches, wraps filled with chicken and veggies, yogurt parfaits (layers of granola and fresh fruits on yoghurt) and cheese and cracker platters.
Are Bento Lunch Boxes Good for Kids?
Bento lunch boxes are fantastic for kids! They encourage a balanced diet by making it easy to include a variety of food groups in controlled portions. The compartments also help present food in an appealing way, motivating kids to try different foods.
How Can I Personalise My Kid's Lunch Box?
Try these DIY solutions:
- Waterproof stickers or decals.
- Waterproof name labels.
- Attach homemade or store-bought charms to the zipper or handle.
- Decorate with washi tape- an adhesive tape made from Japanese paper in various colours, patterns, and designs.
For a more high-quality personalised option, you can easily customise a Stuck On You lunch box. Choose from a range of colours, fonts, and fun motifs your kids will love.
Make Lunchtime the Highlight of Their School Day With Stuck On You
We hope our kids' lunch box ideas for school will help you prepare healthy, fun lunches your little ones will enjoy.
Remember, our bento lunch boxes make this easy, thanks to their separate compartments. So browse our range and start designing your child's personalised bento lunch box today!
Be sure to also check out our cooler bags and drink bottles so all your kids' school lunch needs are covered.
If you have questions about our products, please don't hesitate to contact us by filling out this online form. Our friendly team will be in touch with you shortly!