5 non-sandwich lunch ideas for school

Sandwiches are great. But if you have a kid who doesn’t like them, or if you just want to mix things up every now and then, this is for you.

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Packing using bento boxes

I follow the same routine for lunch packing every day. I use a bento box, and I always try to pack something from each of these 5 categories. (Sometimes I do skip a category here or there.)

Main course: I try to include something with protein, dairy, carbohydrates, or all 3.
Fruit: Usually something chopped up, and then I give the rest to the kids for breakfast.
Veggie: Usually raw veggies or some kind of salad
Snack: Crackers, pretzels, granola bar, crunchy mixes, etc.
Treat/condiment: In the little section in the middle of the box I either put some kind of dipping sauce, or a little treat like chocolate chips.

You can also click here to see my full lunch packing menu– a free download with over 50 different main course ideas, along with fruit, veggie, snack and condiment lists.

Lunch packing cheat sheet: A menu of school lunchbox ideas, including sandwiches, wraps, non-sandwich lunch ideas, and sides: fruits, vegetables and snacks

Alright, let’s get to it!

5 non-sandwich lunch ideas:

Lunch 1: Homemade pizza lunchables

Main course: Homemade pizza lunchables

For the pizza crusts, we use naan bread dippers. Then I add some pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese to 2 other compartments. My kids love making their own mini pizzas.

Fruit: Strawberries and blueberries

Snack: Rice crisps

Lunch 2: Overnight oats

5 examples of non-sandwich lunch ideas I've packed my kids this month in their bento lunchboxes. Plus a list you can download of 50+ school lunch ideas for the year, including sides.

Main course: Overnight oats

I make a big batch of overnight oats the night before, and then add some fresh blueberries on top in the morning.

Veggie: Baby carrots and mini cucumbers

Snack: Chex mix, crackers, and salami

Treat: Mini golden Oreos

Lunch 3: Crackers, cheese, and salami

Main course: Cheese and crackers

I used a cupcake liner to separate these crackers from the genoa salami slices. You could also include cheese slices to eat with the crackers. My daughter just happens to prefer cheese sticks.

Fruit: Mango

Veggie: Caprese salad

To make the caprese salad, I chop up some cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil. Then I add a little salt and olive oil.

Snack: Goldfish crackers

Treat/dip: Yogurt-covered raisins

Lunch 4: Pizza roll-ups

Main course: Pizza roll-ups

To make these, I use refrigerated pizza dough. I roll it out into a rectangle, spread pizza sauce and cheese, and then roll it up.

Then I cut the roll into pieces, and bake them swirl-side up.

My kids eat these warm or cold. (I usually only pack cold lunches.)

Fruit: Strawberries

Veggie: Caprese salad

Snack: Popcorners

Treat: MMs

Lunch 5: Chips and bean dip

Main course: Chips and bean dip

I filled the large compartment of the Bentgo with tortilla chips, and then assembled a layered dip in a different compartment:

The layers:

Refried beans mixed with taco seasoning.
Sour cream
Shredded cheddar cheese
Lettuce

You can also add chopped tomatoes, olives, peppers, etc.

Fruit: Strawberries

Veggie: Caprese salad

Treat/dip: Mini golden Oreos

My favorite lunch packing tools

Here are a few of my favorite lunch packing products:

Bento boxes

We love the Bentgo Kids lunch boxes. They have not leaked at all for us, and I pack dips and sauces all the time.

However, I have heard from some people that they might leak if you try to pack a really watery fruit, like watermelon or applesauce. In that case, I would add a piece of Saran Wrap on top of that particular compartment.

Preview	Product	Price
	Bentgo Kids Prints Leak-Proof,…	$29.99	Buy on Amazon
	Bentgo Kids Bento-Style 5-Compartment…	$27.99	Buy on Amazon

The Bentgo Kids are recommended for kids age 3-7. After that, I would consider switching them to the Bentgo Pop or the Bentgo Modern, which can both hold larger portion sizes.

Preview	Product	Price
	Bentgo Pop – Leak-Proof Lunch Box &…	$29.99	Buy on Amazon
	Bentgo Modern – Leak-Resistant Bento…	$34.99	Buy on Amazon

Insulated lunch bags

We got these Bentology lunchboxes, and they fit the Bentgos perfectly. There’s a tiny bit of extra space to add an ice pack and some silverware.

Preview	Product	Price
	Bentology Lunch Box for Girls-Kids…	$14.99	Buy on Amazon
	Bentology Lunch Box for Girls – Kids…	$14.99	Buy on Amazon

Ice packs

Along with the insulated bags, these have kept the kids’ lunches nice and cold until lunchtime.

Preview	Product	Price
	Cool Coolers by Fit & Fresh 4 Pack XL…	$11.99	Buy on Amazon

Water bottles

We have these water bottles for the kids. They’re not totally indestructible, but they hold up for at least a year or two of daily use, and are inexpensive. They’ve been a good option for us.

Preview	Product	Price
	EYQ 32 oz Water Bottle with Times…		Buy on Amazon

Other fun stuff

Here are a few other things we have that are not necessary, but have made lunch packing (and eating!) a little more fun for us:

Product	Price
156PCS Animal Food Picks for Kids Bento…	$5.98	Buy on Amazon
Tribe Glare Decruster Sandwich mold…		Buy on Amazon
Wilton 710-7236 Mini Candy Eyeballs, 24…	$7.07	Buy on Amazon
Recreo Sandwich Cutter Bento Box…		Buy on Amazon