8 Wholesome Lunch-Box Ideas for Adults or Kids

By Melissa

on Jun 09, 2016, Updated Sep 17, 2024

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

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!

8 plastic compartment containers filled with a variety of foods like fruits and vegetables.

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!

6 plastic compartment containers filled with a variety of foods like fruits and vegetables.

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 
5 plastic compartment containers filled with a variety of foods like fruits and vegetables.

How to Make These Wholesome Lunch-Box Ideas

Clear plastic food container with different foods in each of the 3 spaces with fruits, vegetables, and other easy to eat foods.
  • 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
Clear plastic food container with different foods in each of the 3 spaces with fruits, vegetables, and other easy to eat foods.
  • Hummus
  • Celery/carrots/bell peppers/broccoli
  • Crackers
  • Dried fruit – mango, pineapple, blueberries, apricots – with dark chocolate
Clear plastic food container with different foods in each of the 3 spaces with fruits, vegetables, and other easy to eat foods.
  • Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Curry + brown rice (my favorite leftovers!)
  • Dark chocolate
  • Broccoli, radishes, tomatoes
  • Red and green grapes
Clear plastic food container with different foods in each of the 3 spaces with fruits, vegetables, and other easy to eat foods.
  • Salami + provolone
  • Crackers
  • Radishes, cucumber, carrots, black olives
  • Raspberries
Clear plastic food container with different foods in each of the 3 spaces with fruits, vegetables, and other easy to eat foods.
  • Apple and Peanut Butter “Sandwiches”
  • Blueberries
  • Cashews + almonds + pecans + dark chocolate chips
  • Boiled eggs
  • Carrots + celery
Clear plastic food container with different foods in each of the 3 spaces with fruits, vegetables, and other easy to eat foods.
  • Egg Salad
  • Crackers
  • Black olives, celery, carrots, broccoli, radishes, bell peppers
  • Dried blueberries, apricots, pineapple + dark chocolate + almonds
Clear plastic food container with different foods in each of the 3 spaces with fruits, vegetables, and other easy to eat foods.
Clear plastic food container with different foods in each of the 3 spaces with fruits, vegetables, and other easy to eat foods.
  • Green Salad (all the veggies + optional ham, cheese, or boiled egg)
  • Crackers
  • Blueberries + raspberries
  • Dark chocolate

Lunchbox FAQs

What’s the key to a great lunch on the go?

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.

If I’m trying to lose weight should I skip lunch?

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.

How can I make lunch box meals appealing to picky eaters, especially children?

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.

five take away prepped lunches in tupperware with chocolate milk on the side.

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.
Clear plastic food container with different foods in each of the 3 spaces with fruits, vegetables, and other easy to eat foods.

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

Did you try this recipe? Share on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!

About Melissa

Read More About Me

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

27 Comments

  1. Thara says:

    This is a great post. Here are some more ideas.
    Cupcakes
    Sally Lunn buns
    Tarts
    Muffins
    Sandwiches
    Mug cake
    Mini sausage roll

    Reply
  2. crystal says:

    do you have a recipe for the butternut and red lentil dish????

    Reply
  3. Munchkin says:

    I can’t believe children will eat all of the vegetables you suggest. I have a grandchild that will eat any of the foods you suggest. More suggestions please.

    Reply
    1. Melissa says:

      Some kids are more picky than others, that’s for sure! My suggestion would be to keep trying different things. Sometimes kids will decide they like something after trying it multiple times. Good luck!

    2. Kimberly A Gilbert says:

      My grandkids eat all vegies over meat. Bags of peppers, cherry tomatoes and carrots are there favorite, right off the garden vine sometime.

  4. Maria says:

    Do you know how many calories each lunch has?

    Reply
    1. Melissa says:

      I don’t since portion size tends to vary a lot, you could use an app like Myfitnesspal to calculate what you put in your lunchbox though!

  5. Joanne Iovine says:

    Love your adult lunchbox ideas! I’m going to prepare some for my daughter – mother of 3 and a teacher. She’s always last on her to do list. Thanks for your ideas!

    Reply
    1. Melissa says:

      That’s so kind of you to think of here, some of these would be so great for that!

  6. Joseline Vanbeulen says:

    I love all this recipe book healthy food its good for our body’s

    Reply
  7. Amber aguirre says:

    If you prep these before the week..how do u keep the apples from getting brown?

    Reply
    1. Melissa says:

      I dip them in fruit fresh or wait until the morning of to deal with apples or bananas!