8 Wholesome Lunch-Box Ideas for Adults or Kids
on Jun 09, 2016, Updated Sep 17, 2024
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You are going to love these creative 8 Wholesome Lunch-Box Ideas for Adults and Kids alike, that go way beyond your typical deli sandwich! Lunch really can be easy and healthy!
I’m sure you have heard the phrase, “If you are prepared, you shall not fear.” That is the name of the game when it comes to healthy, tasty, on-the-go lunch options. I’ve been working on prepping ingredients, lunches, and meals for the freezer, and it has been such an awesome thing to have done and ready to use!
I’m getting into a great make-ahead groove, and having more make-ahead lunch box options has been a game-changer for mornings.
Table of Contents
🍴Go Here for Even More Easy Make-Ahead Lunch Ideas for Kids!
Why You’ll Love These Lunch-Box Ideas
- Planning for lunches as you plan for dinners will be a sanity-saver
- It helps you be intentional so your family will eat healthier foods
- So crazy easy and will save you time and energy
- And these simple lunchbox ideas might even save you money on your grocery bill
How to Make These Wholesome Lunch-Box Ideas
- Easy Pasta Salad (leftover pasta + chopped zucchini/red onion/tomato/bell peppers/ham + salad dressing (roasted garlic, creamy Italian, and classic vinaigrette are awesome in this)
- Cashews + dark chocolate chips
- Kiwi + blueberries
- Hummus
- Celery/carrots/bell peppers/broccoli
- Crackers
- Dried fruit – mango, pineapple, blueberries, apricots – with dark chocolate
- Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Curry + brown rice (my favorite leftovers!)
- Dark chocolate
- Broccoli, radishes, tomatoes
- Red and green grapes
- Salami + provolone
- Crackers
- Radishes, cucumber, carrots, black olives
- Raspberries
- Apple and Peanut Butter “Sandwiches”
- Blueberries
- Cashews + almonds + pecans + dark chocolate chips
- Boiled eggs
- Carrots + celery
- Egg Salad
- Crackers
- Black olives, celery, carrots, broccoli, radishes, bell peppers
- Dried blueberries, apricots, pineapple + dark chocolate + almonds
- Cooked Quinoa + Roasted Veggies + Chicken Breast (great with optional dressing on top, and I love the roasted garlic on this)
- Red and green grapes
- Pecans + almonds + dates + dark chocolate chips
- Green Salad (all the veggies + optional ham, cheese, or boiled egg)
- Crackers
- Blueberries + raspberries
- Dark chocolate
Lunchbox FAQs
I like to fill my grownup lunchboxes with simple, real food that can be prepped ahead of time and stored in the fridge. I want a meal to include ample protein, fat, and carbs. I also always include fruits and vegetables, perfect lunchbox additions.
NOOOOO! Skipping meals is never a good idea. Often skipping a meal will make you hungry, so you will binge eat and not make healthy food choices. I am a huge fan of eating well-balanced meals and healthy snacks throughout the day. Eating this way will boost your metabolism and keep you from crashing.
Involve the picky eater in the food fun! Let them help decide on foods to put into lunchboxes and prepare their foods in visually appealing ways, like making a fruit pizza.
Expert Tips
- Meal plan so you know what to prep ahead for lunch-box meals. This helps you streamline your grocery shopping and preparation process.
- Look for good-quality, leak-proof containers. Separate compartments or stackable containers will help keep foods fresh and the fridge organized when lunches are prepped ahead.
- Be creative with leftovers from dinner and purposely cook one or two meals during the week that will make good lunch-box foods.
- To keep foods from getting soggy, put liquid toppings, such as salad dressings or salsa for chips, in a separate small container to top them when eating.
How To Make Meal Prep Easier
I like to prep lunches while making dinner and am already using my knife and cutting board. You can also do a big meal prep session or prep a little as you go—whatever is easiest for you! Check out all of my meal prep tips here.
The Best Way to Store and Carry Lunch To Go
You must get some lunchboxes you love! These Easy Lunchboxes are great for my kids and me. They help you portion everything out easily, plus they make clean-up and transporting simple.
Freezable lunch bags are also a really great option if you know you are going to be out for a while and want to bring a packed lunch. I use these year-round when I need to keep lunches cold.
What To Have For Lunch Instead Of Sandwiches
Getting stuck in the sandwich rut for lunch is easy, but the sky is the limit when lunch is involved. Don’t overcomplicate it.
Here are a few ideas: You can enjoy some type of salad, whether it be pasta salad, a green salad topped with protein, or quinoa salad. You can replace a traditional sandwich with a wrap. I like to mix it and use lettuce as a wrap or naan bread.
More Lunch-Box Ideas to Consider
Lunch Ideas for Kids
Easy Make-Ahead Lunch Ideas for Kids
Sandwich Recipes
Hawaiian Roll Sliders
Sandwich Recipes
Bagel Sandwich
Sandwich Recipes
Monte Cristo Sandwiches
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Great recipes
it really nice i love it
Thank you for these creative ideas!
Very helpful. Thank you
What kind of crackers are those?
Sweet Potato Thins!
Tasty and simple thank you.
Where are the recipes?
These all look so delicious and creative! I somehow forgot about the apple-peanut butter sandwich. I’m going to go make that for my kids’ after school snack. I think the challenge for packing lunch (for myself or kids) is to have a nice variety in textures, flavors and appearance, but still have each element go together. My kids like a nice assortment in their lunches (they love to eat!), so your ideas are especially spot-on. Thanks!
Okay, this will sound ridiculous, but WHERE did you get the containers!? I can never find them in stores!!!
I have purchased these by rubbermaid from my local supermarket (shoprite) during previous sales. Also target and walmart should carry them as well. You caan check Glad as well. I may have gotten some that are that brand as well
The containers are my EasyLunchboxes 🙂 More info on my website here: https://www.easylunchboxes.com/
Wow was stuck for ideas about what to put in my packed lunches to make them interesting & appetising, but not any more. Thanks
Some tasty options there- you are so creative!