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 download with over 50 different main course ideas, along with fruit, veggie, snack and condiment lists.
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
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 – Bento-Style Lunch Box for… | $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… | $10.99 | 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… | $9.99 | 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:
Preview | Product | Price | |
---|---|---|---|
156PCS Animal Food Picks for Kids,… | $5.48 | Buy on Amazon | |
Tribe Glare Sandwich Maker… | Buy on Amazon | ||
Wilton 710-7236 Mini Candy Eyeballs, 24… | $5.22 | Buy on Amazon | |
Recreo Sandwich Cutter Bento Box… | $27.55 | Buy on Amazon |
Lunch box menu
Be sure to check out this post about how I use a lunch box menu to make this job so much easier!
That’s it! Let me know any other favorite ideas in the comments.
Thanks for reading, and happy lunch packing!
-Laura
Pin 5 non-sandwich lunch ideas for school:
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