Coming up with a lunch box your child will actually be excited to open, day after day, can feel like a real challenge. A few simple tricks and the right tools can turn the same old sandwich routine into something kids look forward to. Here are some creative lunch box ideas to keep things fresh, fun and appealing for back to school.
Bento Buddies
Have some fun with eggs or rice using bento-style moulds. Shape hard-boiled eggs or rice into fun characters and designs using Japanese-style egg and rice shapers, widely available online from bento supply shops.
When still hot, freshly hard-boiled eggs can be pressed into shape using these moulds. As the egg cools, it holds the outline of the mould, so you end up with a fun little shaped egg ready to pack. The same idea works with moulded rice, paired with peas, tiny vegetable dice or thin meat slices to build simple characters or shapes.
Add some fruit on the side and you’ve got a balanced, playful lunch that kids will enjoy digging into.
Recommended Reading: 100 Healthy Lunch Box Ideas Your Kids Will Love.
Sweet Sandwich Sides
What could make a simple sandwich more exciting than a fun presentation of the fruit or crackers alongside it? A butterfly bag is an easy way to dress up grapes and crackers.
To create your own butterfly bag:
- Take a wooden clothespin and pinch it open with your hand.
- The end that opens becomes the butterfly’s head.
- Choose which side will be the face and glue on small googly eyes.
- Take a chenille stem, bend it in half, curl each end and glue it to the back of the head to make antennae.
- Fill a small sealable bag half full with crackers on one side and grapes on the other, leaving a little room in the middle.
- Crimp the middle of the bag with your clothespin butterfly to create two “wings” — one of crackers, one of grapes.
If your lunch box has partitions, try adding fun patterned paper cupcake liners around the sides for extra interest. Cutting fruit or cheese into shapes with cookie cutters is another easy way to add a bit of personality to lunches.
Keep Your Cool
Of course, your lunch box creations need to stay fresh. Use an insulated lunch bag with a small cooling block or ice pack to keep everything at a safe, appealing temperature until lunchtime.
Surefire Salads
With a good insulated lunch box and a cooling block on hand, salads are a great option too. A simple tuna and pasta salad works well, and adding some finely chopped sweet peppers brings extra colour and a boost of vitamin C.
You could also use raw vegetables to build a flower or pinwheel shape:
- Cut thin oval wedges of carrot, cucumber and celery, plus some short strips of red or yellow pepper.
- Wash five to seven small leaves of tender butter lettuce or baby romaine and pat dry.
- Arrange the lettuce and pepper slices at the bottom of the lunch container in a circular pattern.
- Layer the carrot, celery and cucumber slices on top until you have a multi-layered pinwheel or flower.
- Top with a cherry tomato half or a fresh pea.
- For extra fun, add a small pot of a healthy dip or sauce on the side.
Recommended Reading: 10 Healthy Salad Recipes for on the go kids.
Soup Is On
If your child loves soup at home, there’s no reason to leave it out of their school lunch. A good insulated food jar keeps soup warm right through to lunchtime, and jars that come with an attached “spork” make even chunky soups, like a hearty minestrone, easy to manage.
Recommended Reading: 16 Splendid Soup Recipes Kids will Love
We hope these creative lunch box ideas help keep lunchtime boredom at bay and inspire a little fun in your daily routine. A shaped egg or a pinwheel salad might just become the highlight of your child’s school day.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I keep lunch box food fresh and safe until lunchtime?
Use an insulated lunch bag along with a small ice pack or cooling block. This helps keep salads, sandwiches and dairy items at a safe temperature, and an insulated food jar will keep soup warm until lunchtime.
What are some quick creative lunch box ideas for kids?
Simple changes make a big difference — try shaping hard-boiled eggs or rice with bento moulds, packing fruit and crackers in a fun butterfly bag, cutting fruit or cheese into shapes with cookie cutters, or arranging vegetables into a pinwheel pattern.
How can I make lunch boxes more appealing for fussy eaters?
Presentation goes a long way. Cutting food into fun shapes, using colourful cupcake liners for sides, or arranging vegetables into patterns can make familiar foods feel new and interesting.
Can I pack salads or warm soup safely in a lunch box?
Yes, as long as you have the right equipment. A good insulated lunch box with a cooling block keeps salads fresh, while an insulated food jar keeps soup hot until it’s time to eat.
Related Articles
- 100 Healthy Lunch Box Ideas Your Kids Will Love
- 10 Healthy Salad Recipes for On-the-Go Kids
- 16 Splendid Soup Recipes Kids Will Love
Looking For More Lunch Box Inspiration?
Save this article for the next time you’re stuck for lunch box ideas, and browse our other family food articles for more easy, kid-approved recipes and tips.
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