Whether your child is 3 or 13, packing a lunchbox can cause some serious stress. In fact, a 2025 survey found that 44% of parents consider “What are we making for school lunch?” to be a particularly painful question. Considering about 70% of families pack their child’s lunch rather than get school lunch, that’s a lot of parents scratching their heads about constructing combos that are both tasty and nutritious. It’s worth noting that eating lunch is an important way to build healthy eating habits, support your child’s growth, and help keep them attentive and on their A-game at school. Which is why it can be frustrating to find a meal you lovingly created for the lunchbox, left untouched, cold and alone.
“When I feel like we’ve run out of all lunch ideas, I turn to yogurt, granola, and fruit, which is a fun breakfast-for-lunch, or Sandwich Roll-Ups, which use the same ingredients as regular sandwiches but are in a more fun shape,” says Amy Palanjian, creator of Yummy Toddler Food and author of Dinnertime SOS . “My kids also like DIY Lunchables (below) which I also love because they are so easy to assemble using whichever proteins, carbs, and desserts I happen to have on hand.”
Stuck in lunchbox limbo? We’ve got a some tips to help perk up the packing process as well as some yummy lunchbox idea kids will actually eat.
Plan and Pack Lunches Together
You’ve likely heard this one — probably because it works. Studies show that kids are much more likely to eat what they help make, so enlist your child in planning and packing lunches. Encouraging their input will help them feel empowered and (maybe even) excited about digging in. You can invite them to shop at the store with you, too: They can choose items they love, you can point out items you want to include, and together you can come up with a healthy compromise you both feel good about. Once you’ve come up with a few “menus,” you can pack them as a pair or assign lunch-packing responsibilities to your child. Giving them some autonomy and ownership will motivate your child to eat what’s inside their lunchbox.
Use Fun Shapes
Anything is more fun when it’s shaped like a dinosaur, right? Consider using sandwich cutters (like Kids Eat In Color) or even larger cookie cutters on sandwiches. No cutters in your cabinets? Get creative with a knife and slice fruit into flower shapes or whatever strikes you.
Think Smaller and Simpler
When portions are too big, digging in can feel like an intimidating ordeal for kids. Try to pack an amount of food that your child will likely eat. It will save on food costs, too. Also consider including a mix of familiar, simple items you trust they will eat.
Fill a Bento Box
Just like you love an organized drawer, kids love a lunch when it’s divided into fun, bite-sized portions. Using a bento box will also open up a slew of new options, such as pita with dip, cheese, fruit and veggies or rice a build your own tortilla situation with rice, beans, cheese, salsa and a wrap.
Sweeten with Fruit
Rely on fruit to give your child’s lunchbox some sweetness. Slice up some apples, berries or grapes. It’s an easy way to ensure your child gets some produce. (Research shows 32% of children between the ages of 1 and 5 don’t eat fruit every day, despite recommendations to do so.)
Lean into Leftovers
If you had your child’s favorite dinner, consider sending some of it to school the next day. It will save you time and chances are, your kiddo will be happy to eat it again.
Try These Easy Healthy Lunch Ideas
Need some inspo? We rounded up some lunchbox combos we love, but you can always improvise with your favorites, too.
- Turkey and cheese roll-ups on a tortilla wrap, halved grapes, and baby carrots
- Sunflower seed butter and strawberry spread sandwich (cut into fun shapes), a drinkable yogurt, and sections of clementine
- Bow-tie pasta mixed with shelled edamame, kernels of corn, and bite-sized broccoli pieces, topped with Parmesan or mozzarella cheese, and a dash of olive oil
- Greek yogurt (or coconut-based, non-dairy yogurt) with blueberries and granola for topping, baby carrots, and hummus
- Guacamole and slices of whole wheat pita, diced turkey, halved grapes, and baby carrots
- Sliced hard-boiled egg, mozzarella balls, sliced strawberries, and pretzel twists
- Sesame noodles, steamed baby carrots, clementine slices, and vanilla yogurt
- Hummus with pita bread triangles, cucumber sticks, baby carrots, and a string cheese
- Quinoa and black beans with a dash of olive oil, guacamole and tortilla chips, and an applesauce pouch
- Avocado and cucumber sushi roll, shelled edamame, sliced apple, clementine sections
- Cottage cheese with kebabs of watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew melon cubes, and pita chips
- Mini meatballs, fusilli drizzled with olive oil, shredded mozzarella cheese, carrot sticks, and diced watermelon
- Whole grain mini pancakes with vanilla yogurt, sliced strawberries, and maple syrup
- Mini plain bagel topped with cream cheese and thinly sliced cucumber, and an applesauce pouch
