Thank you to Applegate for sponsoring this post!
When I was growing up, I took the same thing in my lunch box nearly every day: a peanut butter sandwich, an apple, and either a Fruit Roll-Up or a packaged snack cake (probably a Ho-Ho).
Though my kids are definitely open to a wider (and healthier!) variety of foods than I was, there are staples that make regular appearances in their lunch boxes too: PBJs, raisins, applesauce, whole grain crackers. I also like to pack Applegate deli meats, including my younger son’s favorite (Black Forest Ham), my older son’s favorite (Roasted Turkey), and my favorite (Genoa Salami). I love that Applegate’s meat comes from animals raised humanely without antibiotics and hormones, because that’s important to me.
What about kids who don’t dig sandwiches? Here are three ideas for using deli meat:
- DIY Lunchable: Cut meat and cheese into small squares and pack along with crackers and some yummy sides like pretzels and fruit.
- Kebabs: Use a popsicle stick or toothpick to skewer pieces of meat and cheese, and you can also include lettuce and cherry or grape tomatoes.
- Roll-Ups: Roll up slices of deli meat by itself, with a slice of cheese, or around a string cheese.
Want more lunch box ideas? I received so many stellar suggestions from you that I compiled them into ONE MAMMOTH LIST below.
| Get More: All My Top Posts About Packing Lunches |
100 Lunch Box Ideas
Protein-Rich Foods
- Turkey, roast beef, or ham rolled up
- Turkey, roast beef, or ham cut into squares for a DIY “Lunchable”
- Deli meat slices in lettuce wraps
- Cheese cubes or string cheese
- Hummus & pita
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Sushi
- Salami & cheese rolled up together
- Cottage cheese with fruit
- Yogurt
- Chicken salad with whole grain crackers
- Egg salad sandwiches
- Mini-quesadilla
- Tuna sandwiches
- Taco fixings (flour tortilla + cheese + tomatoes + meat + guacamole)
- Burritos
- Egg Frittatas
- Nuts
- Leftover pork or rotisserie chicken
- Sun Butter on a tortilla
- Individual nut butter packets
- Cold pizza
- Peanut Butter “Burritos” (peanut butter on a tortilla, topped with fruit and rolled like a burrito)
- Black bean dip
- Chicken nuggets
- Grilled cheese
- Quinoa salad
Grains
- Mini bagels
- Pita pockets
- Whole grain crackers
- Cold soba noodle salad
- Cold pasta salad (bowtie pasta + veggies + Italian dressing)
- Mini pancakes spread with nut butter
- Mini pizzas (English muffin + pepperoni + cheese)
- Rice cakes
- French toast
Items for Thermos
- Spaghetti
- Chicken or Vegetable soup
- Refried beans
- Mini meatballs
- Homemade mac & cheese
- Lentils
- Chili
- Rice & beans
- Pesto pasta
- Lasagna
- Ravioli or Tortellini
- Stir Fry
- Oatmeal
Fruit
- Grapes (fresh or frozen)
- Strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries
- Mandarin oranges
- Sliced oranges
- Pears (fresh or canned)
- Melon like cantaloupe & watermelon
- Frozen smoothies in squeeze pouches
- Applesauce pouches
- Dried fruit such as raisins
- Apple & peanut butter sandwiches
- Frozen fruit (thawed by lunchtime)
- Freeze-dried fruit
- Fruit leather
Veggies
- Celery with peanut butter and raisins
- Rainbow carrots
- Sweet bell peppers
- Black olives
- Edamame
- Snap Peas
- Grape Tomatoes
- Sweet Potatoes
- Pickles
- Side Salad
- Frozen peas
- Cucumbers & hummus
Savory Snacks
- Pita chips
- Chips & salsa
- Pretzels
- Seaweed snacks
- Popcorn
- Trail mix
- Jerky
- Sunflower or pumpkin seeds
- Blue corn chips
- Individual cups of guacamole
- Rice crackers
Sweets
- No-bake peanut butter energy balls
- Fortune cookie
- Homemade muffins
- Waffles with cream cheese
- Small piece of chocolate
- Granola bars
- Yogurt-cream cheese dip for fruit
- Banana chips
- Boxes of chocolate or vanilla milk
- Yogurt covered raisins
- Graham crackers
- Homemade pudding
Fun Extras
- Note
- Joke
- Sticker
- Note written on a paper napkin
- Cloth napkin so they feel fancy
- Silly drawing
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Disclosures: I am a member of the Applegate Sandwich Board advisory group and am compensated for my time. All opinions are my own!
These are such great ideas! I always run in to a problem with my daughter though. She is dairy free and doesn’t eat meat. She just doesn’t like it, which I am fine with. Any other suggestions since those two issues make a lot of options not viable.
Hi Leisa–Protein sources could be hard-boiled eggs, edamame, leftover baked/grilled tofu sticks (a friend of mine packs that for her vegetarian son and he loves it), hummus/pita, nut butters (if school permits nuts/peanuts) or sunbutter, refried beans and non-dairy cheese on a quesadilla, non-dairy milk and non-dairy yogurt, and pasta (grains have protein as well). Here’s a resource I found that may help too: http://www.godairyfree.org/news/dairy-free-lunch-box-recipes
I mean, I am forwarding this to every mom I know! Awesome list Sally!!!!
Thank you Sara!
I agree, awesome list! Thank you so much!!!
Thanks Keri! Hope it’s helpful to you.
What an awesome list, it should be every mom’s go-to guide 🙂
Thanks Lauren!
Where did you find the containers you pack the lunch in? Would you mind sharing a link where I can but them? I’m having a hard time finding some that all three compartments seal to keep all the food fresh. If they don’t all three seal separately, the crackers get soggy.
Amy–they are EasyLunchboxes! I love them. http://www.easylunchboxes.com/
Great list and I love the pictures!
Thanks Sarah!
These are such a great list. It is very helpful and I will follow these ideas to make my lunches.
Amazing post! The ideas shared in this post are creative and awesome.
this is a really helpful post for a mom like me who is always confused what should I prepare for my child. Thanks a lot and keep up the good work
Hi Sally…these are great suggestions! I love the variety that you’ve listed to satisfy even the most fussy of eaters and so many healthy options! I love it so much that I’ve included your link and list in a blog post of my own 🙂