School Lunches Kids Can Make

Packing school lunches can take up a good chunk of time the night before. The solution? Have your kids do it themselves! (With a little help from you, of course.) In doing so, kids will come to appreciate what they eat for lunch and will become more invested and aware of what constitutes a balanced meal. The following five lunch ideas are simple enough that kids can either help significantly or take the reins as they become more comfortable—and excited—about answering the question, “What’s for lunch?”

Wraps are a wonderful way for kids to get involved in the lunch-making process because they can choose their own fillings based on what you have in the refrigerator or what you scheme up together before a trip to the grocery store. Wraps are a nice change from the more typical sandwich, plus they’re super portable. There are very few components to mess or fuss with: a tortilla, a few ingredients for a filling and aluminum foil, plastic wrap or a small lunch container. That’s it.

Wraps can be sweet or savory. For growing kids, try letting them make a few smaller wraps instead of a single larger one. Our favorite combinations: peanut butter, honey and banana; ham and cheddar cheese; turkey, Swiss cheese and lettuce; baked tofu and peanut sauce. As a parent, laying out the fillings can be a great time to discuss (or sneak in) some vegetables kids usually might not think to eat on their own. A few great examples: shredded cabbage, baby spinach and thinly sliced bell peppers.

The word “bento” originated in Japan, and today bento boxes are a popular lunch traditionally containing meat, a little rice and a vegetable—all partitioned into sections in a portable lunchbox. They’ve become popular outside of Japan for their simplicity, visual allure and balanced nature. As most parents know, when kids are interested and invested in what they’re eating they'll likely eat it versus nibbling, trading or simply tossing it.

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Modern boxes contain sections that might include sliced fruits or seasonal berries, bread cutouts with bean spreads, small sandwich roll-ups, pulled chicken or pork, sliced cheeses or hardboiled eggs. It’s a nice excuse to clean out the crisper, and kids quickly become aware of what it takes to create a balanced meal—a win-win for everyone!

Cold noodle salads are a great way to use up leftover pasta or soba noodles. Simply lay out possible mix-ins, and kids can fold together their own nutritious creations before the day kicks into first gear. Cold noodles are a really refreshing break from the lunchbox rut, and they encourage parents and kids alike to experiment with different ingredients that a sandwich usually wouldn’t invite. In addition, once you get ahold of some good plastic or metal containers, cold noodle salads travel well, as they don’t require reheating or other fussing.

Buckwheat soba noodles are a great pick for cold noodle salads. While they are made of buckwheat, the flavor is quite mild, and the texture is much like regular pasta noodles, so they’re an easy way to sneak whole-grain nutrition into your child’s day. Beyond the noodles, themselves, you can pre-slice vegetables or leftover meats the kids can add in. If you have pesto, that’s nice folded in toward the end … as is a little olive oil and some fresh herbs. Before you know it, you’ll be doubling the batch so your lunch is taken care of, too.

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In makeup, pita sandwiches don’t stray too far from traditional sandwiches: They have a top and a bottom layer and are filled with something substantial. The nice thing about pita is that kids can easily (and quickly) make a sandwich for lunch by simply jamming a few choice ingredients into the pita and calling it a day. There doesn’t need to be much spreading or layered construction—pitas are meant to be a bit of a jumble.

Mini pitas can be a fun twist and allow for a few different filling options. If you’re looking to incorporate more whole-grain nutrition_,_ look for whole-wheat pita—it’s likely kids will never notice the difference. As for fillings, traditional egg salad or tuna salad are relatively quick and simple enough to throw together that kids will be able to help with them. Sliced deli meats and cheese are always big hits; smoked salmon and cream cheese is a deluxe option; and, for vegetarians, try a quick tofu spread with blended tofu, tahini, and a touch of soy sauce or honey.

Salad medleys are, in truth, what we call “clean out the fridge” lunches. It’s not realistic for many families to set out and make three different salads to pack in kids' lunches each day. But when we’re talking about converting leftovers to something that seems a bit more special? Absolutely!

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It’s fun to try and move beyond the more typical, standard green salad. Incorporate grain salads that include a little soft cheese and seasonal vegetables. Or, how about pasta salad, potato salad or simple roasted vegetables? Feel free, too, to get away from the idea that a salad has to contain many different ingredients. A simple dish of sliced cucumbers with rice wine vinegar is perfect on a warm day, and a salad of shredded carrots with a little olive oil and golden raisins is a colorful, delicious way to work in some midday nutrition. Salad medleys are a great time for kids and adults alike to stretch their creative limbs in the kitchen. Rice cakes or baked tortilla chips are nice to pack to help kids scoop up their salad—or just to have a little something for munching.