Kid-Approved Simple Cold Lunch Ideas

Am I the only one who can sometimes feel like it’s Bill Murray’s Ground Hog Day when making school lunches? If you’re like me, we can get in a rut when it comes to trying to decide what to put in our kiddo’s lunch boxes that they will actually like. I’m so happy you stopped by because my girls and I did some brainstorming, and we compiled a list of cute and simple cold lunch ideas to help give you a little more inspiration when it comes to packing up your baby’s food for school.

For the sake of cuteness and ideas for how to launch your kiddos back into the school routine, we thought it would be fun to create a lunch box tablescape party. This is a new and trendy idea you can use to get everyone reacquainted and excited for the new year. Feel free to make yummy cupcakes as the centerpiece that resemble apples, and include gummy worms sticking out with a pretzel stick stem. 🍎 Bon appetite!

This post is all about simple cold lunch ideas. It contains affiliate links, meaning, I might receive a small commission, but at no cost to you.

Before You Read…

Please pardon my very dry humor as you peruse through these quick and easy school lunch ideas. I LOVE coming up with names for food, and people, in the most random ways. My girls humor me with a chuckle and an eyebrow raise, and my sisters are usually on the floor LOLing. So as you peek at each lunch box title, feel free to let me know in the comments if you are at all inspired to “name” YOUR lunch box compilations with a little bit of cuteness, mixed with a tiny bit of crazy. 😜

Shining Stars Turkey Swirl B. Berry Chips Lunch Idea

• Turkey and Cheese Tortilla Pin Wheels
• Colby Jack Cheese Stars Cut-Outs
• Black Berries
• Carrot Chips

Popeye’s Olive (Oil) Cheesy Crunch Squeeze

Back to School Lunch

• Mini Rice Cakes
• Peanut Butter
• Celery Sticks
• Cheese Sticks
• Apple, Strawberry, Spinach Squeezy
• Black Olives (or green olives)

Triple P’s Vegetarian Back to School Lunches

If you or your kiddo prefers to eat a vegetarian diet, feel free to try this pita bread and peanut butter protein ball lunch box.

• Pita Bread
• Hummus Topped with Paprika
• Peanut Butter Protein Balls- (click here for the recipe)
• Red, Yellow, and Green Peppers
• Black Berries
• Strawberries

Other vegetarian protein sources that you might want to consider are chickpeas, bean salad (click here for the recipe), quinoa salad (click here for the recipe), peas, and/or nuts.

Ants on a Log Meet Mr. Goldfish’s Kid Lunch Ideas

This is one of those cool kid lunch ideas for school that is best friends with the back-to-school lunches for picky eaters. Sorry! I had coffee today, so my silly humor continues. 🤪

Just about every kid loves M&Ms, but they can be loaded with sugar. You can add a tiny handful of the M&M minis to the top of your little one’s celery and peanut butter sticks and make them feel like they have a special treat in their lunches. After all, the cool kids eat them ALL the time, and the picky eaters LOVE them. 😉

• Ants on a Log- Celery, Peanut Butter, M&Ms (you can also use raisins or chocolate chips on top)
• Beef Jerky
• Star Cheese Cut-Outs
• Carrot Chips
• Grapes
• Goldfish

Hat’s Off to the Yogurt Granola Pepper-Straw Cup 😜

• Plain Greek Yogurt with Maple Syrup (you can also use dairy-free yogurt as an alternative)
• Almond Granola Crunch
• Green, Orange, and Red Peppers
• Strawberries
• Cheez-Its (feel free to use gluten-free or dairy-free type crackers if need be)

Snap, Crackle, Pop Ain’t Got Nothin’ on these Cheesy Quesadilla Cutie’s

The best back-to-school lunches usually include a source of protein, fiber, healthy fats, fruit, and veggies. Packing your kiddos with nutritious food will help keep their bellies full longer and their brains ready to learn.

• Cheesy Quesadilla (use dairy and/or gluten-free ingredients if need be)
• Guacamole (a great healthy source of fat)
• Salsa
• Clementine Cutie Oranges
• Sugar Snap Peas

More Cold Lunch Ideas/Tips for School 💡

• PBJ- You can also use almond butter or sun butter for a similar “peanut butter” consistency.
• Sub Sandwich- Stuff with their favorite meats, cheeses, and veggies- think SUBWAY!
• Pita Bread Sandwich- You can use the minis and create a few tiny sandwich options.
• Club Sandwich- Don’t forget a side of tangy Italian dressing.
• Stuffed Croissant Sandwiches- Place his/her favorite protein inside, and bon appetite!
• Sandwich Wraps- Add turkey, ham, salami, cheese, and lettuce, and place a small cup of their favorite salad dressing on the side for dipping.
• Lunch Meat Roll-Up- A keto version of a “wrap” where you can add a carrot stick or pickle inside.
• Chicken Salad/Sandwiches- Place inside a buttery croissant with a dash of paprika and dill on top.
• Tuna Salad/Sandwiches- You can also scoop out the cucumber seeds to create a “boat” and scoop in the tuna salad for a keto-friendly meal.
• Cobb Salad- Make a homemade ranch dressing with clean ingredients to go with this yummy salad.
• Taco Salad- Leave the tortilla chips off to the side so they don’t get soggy.
• Mediterranean Salad- You can add chicken breast for some extra protein.
• Cold Broccoli and Bacon Salad- The prefect salad for your bacon lover.
• Egg Salad- Pipe out the egg salad using a decorative piping tip.
• Pasta Salad- Use pasta with fun colors for a splash of fun.
• Chickpea Salad- The perfect option for the sweetheart who doesn’t LOVE meat.
• Quinoa Salad- Click here for a SUPER delish quinoa salad recipe.
• Cole Slaw- Top with a sprinkle of paprika to jazz it up.
• Bean Taco Dip with Tortilla Chips- Layer refried beans, taco seasoning, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, and shredded cheese in a clear container so your kiddo can see the fun fiesta layers.
• Sushi- Don’t forget the sauce for dipping.
• Banana Bread- Click here for our favorite HEALTHY banana bread recipe.
• Morning Glory Muffins- Click here for our favorite muffins recipe.
• Zucchini Bread- Feel free to include an extra slice so your sweet one can give a piece to his/her teacher.
• Hard Boiled Eggs- Cut the tops into zig-zag shapes for a “cracked” egg look= Cuteness!
• Hummus- Sprinkle some paprika on top to make it look a little more fancy.
• Nuts- Provide an assortment of nuts for a colorful collection.
• Cherry Tomatoes- Cut in half and shape them into a heart. Secure with a toothpick.
• Cucumber Slices- Use a tiny star-shaped cookie cutter and cut the cucumber disks into star shapes, or cut out the middle seeds with the cookie cutter and have a star peeking out from the center.

More Posts You Might Want to Check Out

Peanut Butter Vanilla Protein Balls

Tri-Color Quinoa Salad Recipe

Best Gluten Free Morning Glory Muffin Recipe

Click the Pic to Shop CUTE Lunchboxes

Click the Pic to Shop FUN Lunchbox Caddy’s

Click the Pic Shop CUTE Water Bottles and Stickers

Conclusion

Having a great variety of simple cold lunch ideas will help give your kiddos something yummy and nutritious to look forward to and give you a fun selection of foods to choose from. Cheers to coming out of the Ground Hog Day, same-old-food-options routine and into a refreshing variety of quick and easy school lunch ideas. Blessings!