How to Pack a Healthy School Lunch

As a busy parent, packing lunch can get tedious. But with a few easy habits—a little prep, a handy checklist of what to include in your kids’ midday meal, and a stash of reusable containers—you’ll be a lunch-packing pro in no time.

Tips for Healthy School Lunches

Streamlining lunch prep is all about a little planning ahead. Here are four of our best tips for making the process feel less stressful—especially when you’re trying to get everyone out the door.

• Prep on Sunday. We promise: A few minutes today are a lot easier than on a hectic Monday morning. We’re talking simple stuff—spoon hummus into its container, boil eggs, portion snacks into smaller bags, or slice carrots, peppers, and other veggies so they’re ready to go. The idea is to get organized now so weekday mornings are more of a grab-and-go situation instead of a scramble to cook breakfast and assemble lunch at the same time. Feeling ambitious? Go ahead and pack lunches while you clean up the kitchen.  
• Get the family involved. You have the final say on what goes into a daily meal, but including a few preferences (as appropriate) will make kids more excited to eat—especially when it comes to pleasing picky eaters. Before doing your shopping, ask which fruit they’d like this week (remembering that apple sauce or fruit bars are good shelf-stable options), or if there’s a particular sandwich, cheese puff, or crunchy snack that sounds good. Older kids can help pack their own lunches, too!
• Keep things simple. Children appreciate a good routine, so let’s embrace it. While it might be fun to change things up sometimes, sticking to foods you know work (and are simple to prepare or grab and go) is the easiest way to go. This approach means less stress for you, and you can embrace creativity during the family meals instead.
• Know (and follow) the rules. Every school has different requirements when it comes to what you can and can’t send. Be sure to review the policies before the start of the school year and brainstorm ideas for potential meals plus low-sugar and allergen-friendly snacks so you’re never at a loss for what to pack.

What to Pack for School Lunch

Leftovers are an easy way to go when you have them, but you can also build a healthy school lunch around sandwiches, dips, and of course, protein that’ll keep kids full until dinner. Don’t forget a snack or two!

Protein

Making sure your child has enough fuel to sail through their day—whether that day involves nap time or a final exam—is a top priority. Fill those tummies with protein-rich ingredients they’ll devour.

• Hard boiled eggs: With 6 grams of protein per egg, versatile boiled eggs make a great addition to school lunches. Get our guide to a perfectly boiled egg.
• Bean dips: We’ll talk more about dips in the next section, but bean dips are a great way to add more protein to a lunch spread. Try black beans, white beans, or pinto beans.
• Cheese: From cheese sticks to wedges of cheddar or Gruyère, cheese provides some protein to round out a meal. Just add crackers for a satisfying snack!
• Meat Sticks: Thrive Market Grass-Fed Beef Sticks and CHOMPS Grass-Fed Beef Stick deliver protein in every bite—enough to help keep kids and teens full.

Sandwiches

Sandwiches are one of the most popular lunch items around! Snag these combos for inspiration.

• Nut butter and jelly: If your school doesn’t have restrictions for nut allergies, go wild combining peanut, cashew, or almond butters with your favorite fruit spread. If you can’t send nuts to school, swap in sunflower seed butter for the same vibe!
• Tuna and pesto: Mixing canned tuna with mayo is a reliable combo, but have you tried pesto? The herbaceous sauce is a fresh addition to fish—spoon it into a wrap and roll it up for an easy sandwich alternative.
• Ham, mustard, and cheese: Eat like a Parisian—if only for an afternoon. Spread a thin layer of Dijon over a baguette (or regular mustard, if your little ones are sensitive to spice), then add a layer of thinly sliced prosciutto and a few slices of gruyere cheese.
• Veggie: Need vegetarian lunches for school? Build the ultimate veggie sandwich. Use hummus or mashed avocado as a base, then layer on thinly sliced veggies like zucchini, lettuce, tomato, or cucumber. If dairy is in your diet, an herbed goat cheese spread is easy to make ahead and will last all week.

Dips and Dippers

Dippers like carrot and celery sticks are easy for kid-sized fingers and go well with dips like hummus or herbed yogurt. Some lunch boxes come with a circular insert just for the occasion, or you can purchase separate round containers to include.

Dippers

• Carrots
• Celery
• Peppers
• Cucumbers
• Crackers
• Pita chips or pita crackers
• Pita bread

Dips

• Hummus
• Black bean dip
• Muhammara (red pepper dip)
• Greek-style yogurt

Other Snacks

• Something sweet: Make your own crispy rice treats to pack throughout the week, or keep it simple with small fruits like blueberries, sliced strawberries, or half of a banana. Dried fruit like mango is an easy and leak-free option to pack. Some schools don’t allow grapes (even when cut) because they can be a choking hazard, so be sure to check before packing them. 
• Roasted veggies: If you’re making roasted cauliflower or broccoli for dinner, cook a little extra to use in lunches throughout the week.
• Crunchies: Today’s options are nothing like what you had growing up. Now, they’re made with beans, pea protein, veggies, and other nourishing ingredients that offer a little extra nutrition to go with the crunch.
• Nuts: Grab a bag of trail mix and use it in lunches all week. If you get ambitious, it’s easy to make your own: almonds, cashews, raisins, pumpkin seeds, and even a handful of chocolate chips make a dynamite combo.

Healthy Lunch Snacks for School

Our virtual shelves are stocked with everything you need to pack a healthy school lunch. Here are some of the snacks at the top of our members’ grocery lists. 

The New Primal Snack Mates Sticks, Turkey

The perfect, portable snack, these turkey sticks are infused with sea salt and honey for craveable flavor.

Caliwater Cactus Water, Watermelon

If it takes a little convincing to keep your little one hydrated, try these pouches made with lemon juice and prickly pear cactus. The watermelon flavor will have them sipping in no time, and you’ll be happy that it’s sweetened with blue agave and monk fruit extract—no cane sugar here. 

Simple Mills Fine Ground Sea Salt Almond Flour Crackers

Made with almond flour (and perfectly addicting), these crackers are ideal for rounding out lunch. Each bite is also paleo, vegan, vegetarian, and Certified Gluten-Free.

Thrive Market Organic Thompson Seedless Raisins

For little fingers, nothing beats the ease of grabbing sweet raisins—but they’re great for the whole family, too. This snack is made from organic white grapes and no artificial chemicals.

Kiki Milk Organic Single-Serve Plant-Based Milk, Chocolate

For kids with sensitive stomachs, this plant-based blend is perfect. Bonus: It’s packed with other goodies like blueberries and spinach.

Thrive Market Organic Fruit Circles, Favorites Fun Pack

To make these forever kid favorites, we use tree-ripened mangoes, tangy acai, and summer berries picked fresh from the orchard. Fruit is pureed and blended, then gently dried with just heat and fresh air for chewy bites in three fun flavors.

Annie’s Organic Cheddar Bunny Crackers

If there’s a kid that doesn’t devour any snack pack of these crackers, we haven’t met them. Every nibble is baked with real organic cheese and organic wheat flour—no preservatives or artificial colors involved.

KIND Kids Chewy Chocolate Chip Bars

These soft, sweet snack bars are great for giving your kids a mid-afternoon boost. They’ll love the chocolate chips, and you’ll love that they’re not made with any preservatives, dyes, or artificial flavors.

Blake’s Seed Based Crispy Treats, Original

These school-safe snacks are free of the top 9 allergens and made in a facility that’s certified nut- and gluten-free. Blake’s uses sunflower, flax, and pumpkin seeds for a better twist on a classic treat. 

Thrive Market Sweet Potato Chips

We never said chips are all bad—especially when they’re made with sweet potatoes and kettle-cooked in coconut oil for a better kind of crunch. 

Pipcorn Twists, Cinnamon Sugar

Made with upcycled heirloom corn flour and seasoned with cinnamon and sugar, these light and crispy bites add a sweet treat to any lunchbox. 

Poppi Strawberry Lemon

For a soda you and your older kid can both feel good about, Poppi has all the options. They make their low-sugar sips with unfiltered apple cider vinegar and prebiotics from agave inulin.

How to Make Lunchtime More Fun

Take a cue from Japanese bento boxes and give them something to smile about when they unpack their midday meal. 

Create fun fruit and veggie shapes.

Shape sticky rice into cute characters.

Add notes and fun accessories for final touches.

Sustainable Packaging: Lunch Box Ideas for School

Not all schools have refrigeration options, so keep that in mind when you’re packing healthy school lunches in the morning. For example, if you’re thinking of sending a cup of last night’s soup, be sure you have the right container handy. Also, many younger kids aren’t ready for a full-size sandwich, and appreciate the variety that comes with filling up the smaller compartments within a larger bento box. Check out some of the reusable lunch gear our members swear by.

w&p Porter Bento Box, Charcoal

Chic for kids and adults alike, this BPA-free bento box has a removable tray on top of the bottom section to fit a generous-sized meal. It’s lightweight, durable, and fits easily into their backpack (or your work bag). 

“These are absolutely a must buy if you’re looking for a sealing lunch box. I was able to store food cooked in a good quantity of olive oil in the bottom without any leaks.”
—Logan, California 

Bee’s Wrap Reusable Beeswax Food Wraps, Lunch Pack

Make their lunch more sustainable by using natural wraps as an alternative to plastic. Made with organic cotton and coated with beeswax, these washable and reusable pieces easily wrap around sandwiches, snacks, fruit, and more.

“I love these – I haven’t bought plastic bags in years and I pack my daughter’s lunch every day using these. They last a long time, are cute, and help us reduce our plastic waste on a daily basis.”
—Shannon, Alabama

Stasher Reusable Silicone Sandwich Bag, Clear

Ready to use and reuse again and again, Stasher bags will help you kick your plastic bag habit for good. These dishwasher- and microwave-safe bags are made of platinum silicone, and can store everything from snacks to school supplies. 

“The wide standing bottom of these make them so much more useful for our family. We use daily for packing fruit in lunches, storing cheese, and leftovers.”
—Patti, Michigan 

Thrive Market Cloth Napkins

Made with 100% organic cotton fibers ethically sourced from trusted partners who value fair business practices, these napkins make an easy, reusable swap for single-use paper napkins. Our set comes with four to pack in lunches throughout the week. 

“The fabric quality is on point!! They wash up great. I use them for my everyday napkins. But they are definitely nice enough to be used for nice dinners as well! Very happy with my product!”
—Chelsea, California

Thrive Market Silicone Straw Set

Instead of packing a disposable plastic straw for kids’ drinks, send them with a silicone straw that comes in its own cute carrying case. The soft, flexible material won’t hurt sensitive teeth (unlike glass or metal straws), and it’s easy 

“I love this product. It’s nice and bendable, so I don’t have to worry about kids hurting their mouths and super easy to clean.”
—Alyssa, Illinois