Healthy School Lunch Recipes Your Kids Will Love to Eat

By: Denise Tausig, SparkPeople Blogger
8/24/2010 4:00 PM : 22 comments : 45,559 Views

See More: recipes, healthy recipes, kids, lunch, school, sparkmoms,

Need some ideas for packing healthy school lunches? We've rounded up some healthy and delicious recipes that your kids will love.

Peanut Butter Banana Wrap

Turkey & Cheese Roll-ups

Cold Pasta Salad

Rockin Peanut Butter Fruity Sandwich

Sunbutter Raisin Granola ~ Peanut Free!

Glitter Grapes

Creamy Fruit Dip

Lesley's Cold Spaghetti Salad

Coach Nicole's Chewy Oat & Nut Granola Bars

Smoothies (freeze the night before in a thermos)

For more school lunch ideas, please view these articles from our Healthy Kids & Families Lifestyle Center:

Which of these recipes will you be trying? What is your child's favorite school lunch or snack?

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Comments

LUCSMOMMY

22

Nut free here in all schools as well. Odd to see it suggested.

I generally give my son the same things I have: salad, soup in a thermos, leftovers like sliced meats with raw fruits and veggies, etc.

When I was little, my mom used to put boiling water in a thermos and hot dogs, cut in half to fit ;) - 1/22/2013 11:25:19 AM
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POLLYJEAN

21

Most of these suggestions are more suited to the younger kids. I have a daughter in high school and we are always looking for good lunch ideas that can stay in her locker and still be edible at lunch time. The goal is to keep her out of the cafeteria line ups. - 8/26/2010 10:59:47 AM
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SISTERDEAR

20

Can't wait to try the Glitter Grapes! - 8/26/2010 1:33:37 AM
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JIBBIE49

19

Coach Nicole's G. bars sound good.
My children always ate lunches at school as I didn't pack them, because if I bought the food for the lunches they ALWAYS ate it before it got to the lunch buckets. I even tried LOCKING the stuff in a chest to keep them out of it, but didn't work. - 8/26/2010 1:13:58 AM
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MENHALLS

18

It's practically impossible to send peanut butter out of the house anymore. It really irritates me to see it as a suggestion for school lunches because of the no-nut policy most schools have.

Personally, I grew up on PB & J sandwiches, so I get the appeal. Are there any schools left that allow nuts? Pea butter is an option I guess but is way too expensive. We just save pb for home. - 8/25/2010 11:04:37 PM
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JENN110303

17

Great ideas!! My daughter is back to school next week and she loves being told what she is eating is healthy or good for her! - 8/25/2010 9:58:54 PM
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MOM2ACAT

16

I don't have kids, but some of these sound like lunches I would like too. - 8/25/2010 4:20:16 PM
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TWO_SPARROWS

15

My kids pack their own lunches because what I make isn't "cool" enough. I'm putting these in MY lunchbox! :o) - 8/25/2010 10:23:24 AM
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CBRENNAN2

14

Great recipes. Can't wait to try some. - 8/25/2010 10:07:50 AM
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ROSIE777

13

Great recipes love them all. I will be trying some out this week. - 8/25/2010 9:27:12 AM
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MRSJESSE

12

We have a child in our school who is so allergic to peanuts that she can't even have someone breathe near her if they have eaten peanuts within the hour. - 8/25/2010 8:08:35 AM
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LAURANCE

11

I wonder if some schools are "peanut-free" because of allergies. Maybe they're afraid kids will share or swap their lunches, and a child with peanut allergy will have a reaction. Anybody know? - 8/25/2010 7:08:55 AM
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SHASUN

10

These recipes sound so good I plan on preparing them for my own lunch/meal. Recipes that are healthy, nutritious, tasty, and family-friendly are always a welcome addition to my file. - 8/25/2010 6:51:15 AM
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BIBIMOI

9

You write that a lot of schools don't want peanut butter any more.
Why? What's wrong with peanut butter? - 8/25/2010 5:11:08 AM
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ALYCIA_JOELLE

8

For those worried about peanut butter. It can easily be replaced with pea butter. It tastes virtually identically but is nut free and so allowed at schools. I've used it before and I love it. It is a little more expensive, but a good substitute.
If you do use it I suggest writing a note the first couple times saying it's pea butter, as I know of a teacher who threw out the sandwhich a kid had with pea butter because they thought it was peanut butter. :) - 8/25/2010 12:42:28 AM
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GIGALENA

7

A lot of schools wont let you bring peanut butter to school any more. - 8/24/2010 8:53:43 PM
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OREGONPEACH3

6

I'm going to try the peanut butter banana wrap but as a snack not as a meal. - 8/24/2010 6:52:30 PM
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SEKMET23

5

I like the granola one. Does anyone have any suggestions to replace the almonds in the oat bars? I think my sons would like them, but all the schools here are entirely nut free. - 8/24/2010 6:22:20 PM
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BETHMOMOF2

4

Coach Nicole's oat bars look wonderful. I'm going to make them asap! - 8/24/2010 5:31:33 PM
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BUNOLA_DEENISE

3

I will use for my lunch too :) - 8/24/2010 4:55:12 PM
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SWEATONCEADAY

2

these recipes look great. most schools in our area though are peanut/nut free so i need to look for even more recipes. - 8/24/2010 4:39:24 PM
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