It’s easy to get into a lunch box rut, especially when you’re packing lunches day after day. Over the years, I learned that school lunches didn’t need to be exciting or Pinterest-worthy—they needed to work for my kids.
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When choosing what to pack, I looked for foods that were:
- Enough to fill them up
- Not so much that food was wasted
- Foods they would actually eat
- Easy to eat during a short lunch period
We usually kept things simple with a main dish, fresh fruit or vegetables, and an easy side. If you’ve already figured out the main dish but keep wondering what else to put in the lunch box, this list is for you.
We typically stick to a main dish, fresh fruit and/or veggies and side items.
Save Money on Lunch Box Sides
Individually packaged snacks can be convenient, but they usually cost more. When it makes sense, I buy larger bags or containers and portion the food into reusable lunch containers. It saves money and lets me pack the amount my kids will actually eat.
Our lunch boxes aren’t packed full of fresh fruits and veggies. We have those in every lunch box but we also have sandwiches or tacos, pretzels and other convenience items. I consider the items listed below to be side items. Check out 10 Easy Plant-Based Lunch Box Recipes!
I’m breaking them up into four categories.
Fresh Fruit & Vegetables
Use what your family actually packs, but possibilities include:
- Apple slices
- Grapes
- Berries
- Clementines
- Bananas
- Carrots
- Cucumbers
- Bell pepper strips
- Snap peas
Crunchy & Savory
- Pretzels
- Tortilla chips (especially when I’m sending refried beans.)
- Rice cakes
- Crackers
- Popcorn
Easy Sweet Sides
- Raisins
- Applesauce
- Dried fruit
- Granola
- Granola bars
Homemade Lunch Box Sides
- Banana Bread
- No-Bake Energy Balls
- Baked Oatmeal Bars
- Oatmeal Cups
- Blueberry Muffins
- Granola Bars
- Hummus and veggies
Keep in mind that we have fresh fruit and/or veggies in every lunch. In a pinch we may use apple sauce but it’s normally seasonal produce, right now it is apple slices.
Need More School Lunch Ideas?
Need help putting everything together? Check out How to Pack an Easy Plant-Based Lunch Box for my simple approach to building lunches. Then check out my 7 Simple School Lunch Tips.
What types of side items do you pack in your lunches. I’m always looking for more ideas!
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Thanks for some great ideas! Tho we aren’t GF, my daughter goes to groups where the other kids are – so it’s wonderful to have some ideas for those group snack occasions : )
We’ve really only needed GF for one of my kids. Sometimes it’s easier to do GF for everyone though.