Back to school mode is in full swing around here! I’ve rounded up some of my most helpful school lunch resources for every age- from allergy-friendly ideas to daycare-appropriate ideas and everything in between. Packing lunches does not need to be stressful or overly time consuming! I’m here to help lighten the load!

School Lunch Ideas

Toddler and Pre-School Lunch Ideas

31 Preschool Lunch Ideas– Little ones have their own additional concerns when it comes to lunch packing- namely making sure foods are prepared and offered in shapes and textures that are safe for their developmental stage. This post is chock full of preschool-friendly lunch ideas! 

32 Toddler Lunch Ideas You’ll Love– Linking another toddler-friendly resource here for ideas that will be safe and nutritious for your toddler going to school! 

Daycare Snack and Lunch Ideas Your Toddler will Love– If you’re packing for daycare, this post has some daycare-age specific ideas for lunches that will be safe and easy for kids to enjoy. 

Elementary and Middle School Lunch Ideas

Protein-packed lunches (with no deli meat)– Here are a few, non-sandwich ideas for packing lunches for older kids that still pack a protein punch! 

Balanced Lunch Ideas for 4+– Here’s an article I wrote for one of my favorite kid food brands, Once Upon a Farm. It includes several tips and tricks for packing healthy lunches as well as several examples of what healthy lunches look like!

Back to School Lunch Packing Kit– This resource has info and links for tons of helpful tips and ideas to pack lunches for every age kid! 

Help your older child pack their own lunch with this helpful guide where they can choose and decide their own meal components!

Allergy Friendly School Lunch Ideas

40 Nut-free school lunches and snacks – If you’re dealing with a nut allergy or are making lunches and snacks for kids who go to nut-free campuses, this post will help tremendously! There are so many clever nut-free products on the market these days that are both nutritious and safe for allergy concerns, as well as brands that are actually entirely dedicated to be top-9 allergen-free! 

33 Egg-free breakfasts, snacks, and lunches– This post contains meal and snack information for those who need to be on an egg-free diet! From breakfast to packaged snacks to packed lunches, egg-free options abound! Some of these ideas may be a little better suited for home (i.e. smoothies), but there are tons of packable options to build egg-free lunches as well! 

Dozens of Nut-Free Snacks for Kindergarteners– Throwing this snack post on the list, too, in case you;’re needing a boost in the nut-free snack category for this age! 

Lunch Packing Tips to Help Mom Stay Sane

Now you can see that there are endless ideas of what you can pack in your kids’ lunches. It might even be a little overwhelming. And, you might feel pressure to put together Pinterest-perfect, beautiful looking lunches.

Here are a few things to keep in mind if you’re feeling a little stressed or overwhelmed.

1. It is OKAY if your kid wants the same thing for lunch every day. Yes, there are a ton of different foods you can try, but if they are happy and their bellies full, then I would not stress too much about it. (As long as their lunch is on the healthier side!)
2. Always pack at least one item that you know your kid likes and will eat. It’s okay to include less loved foods at lunch sometimes. Just make sure there is something they like in there so you know (for sure) they can at least eat that one thing.
3. If your kids are on the younger side, make sure they can open any bags or packages on their own. My friend is a preschool principal. She says the number one issue she sees at lunch time is that parents pack things without realizing their little one needs help opening it. Practice at home before packing it up for them.
4. Keep a list of favorites for each kid. Sometimes your mind goes blank and you forget what your kids’ favorites are. Keep a list somewhere – I do this with my lunch packing menu printable – to remind you of lunches they like. School breaks tend to erase my memory of these kinds of things! I love to go back to my lists to remind myself what to buy.
5. Get your kids involved! By the time they are in middle school/high school they can be responsible for packing their own lunch. Younger kids can also help you by assembling sandwiches, putting foods into the lunch box, rinsing off fruit, etc.
6. Grab the right gear. Having lunchboxes and other lunch gear that is age-appropriate, the right size, and easy for kids to handle can go a long way in simplifying your lunch packing! 
7. Get strategic- you can still pack some finicky foods (like soft foods or those that brown easily) with a little bit of extra strategy. For example, I have some tips on how to pack avocado in a lunchbox without it ending up a mushy mess. I also cracked the code on how to pack apples without them browning by lunchtime! 

Kid not eating lunch at school?

You’re not alone! I did a deep dive into why this happens and what we can do help!