Healthy Foods to Pack in Your Kids Lunches

As a parent, you want your kids to consume healthy foods at school to keep their brain functioning at peak performance. But how do you decide what to pack if you’ve got a picky eater?

One trick is to pack small amounts of different foods to test which items your child likes without wasting large quantities. For the first couple of weeks, consider adding a fun little checklist (with a crayon or other small writing implement) in the lunchbox to get feedback on new items. Depending on their age, you could use a 1-10 rating system, thumbs up or down, emojis of smiles, frowns, or neutral faces to choose from for each item. This will encourage your child to try new things while helping them feel involved in deciding what flavors and textures they enjoy.

This is also a good time to invest in a temperature-separating lunchbox or bento box, ice packs, and thermos, all of which can help your student safely sample hot and cold foods.

We’ve put together a list of nutritious hot, cold, and room-temperature foods to get you started. Try mixing and matching until your student finds some favorites on each list.

HOT FOODS

Use a thermos or heat-retaining containers to keep these items warm until lunch:

• Turkey patties
• Whole-grain pasta with tomato sauce, alfredo, or pesto
• Refried beans (serve with tortillas or tortilla chips)
• Brown rice or couscous
• Veggie patties
• Low-fat chicken nuggets
• Ground turkey meatballs
• Boneless chicken (add to pasta, stir fry, or cold salad)
• Zucchini or squash noodles
• Mashed sweet potatoes
• Black beans
• Oatmeal
• Soups or stews

COLD FOODS

Use a cold pack with these items to keep them fresh until lunch:

• Hummus
• Lean turkey, chicken, or roast beef
• Fresh fruits
• Finger veggies (carrots, celery, snap peas, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower)
• Low-fat cottage cheese
• Greek or other low-fat yogurts
• Low-fat cheese (sticks, slices, or cubes)
• Tuna
• Olives or pickles
• Salsa
• Edamame
• Smoked salmon
• Baby spinach (for salad or on sandwiches)

ROOM-TEMPERATURE FOODS

These foods can be kept at room temperature unless otherwise indicated on the packaging:

• Raisins or other dehydrated fruit (with no sugar added)
• Whole-grain crackers
• Low-sodium beef jerky or other dried meat
• Tortillas
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Unsweetened applesauce
• Peanut butter or other nut butters
• Whole-grain cereal
• Veggie chips
• Pretzels

More Tips for Healthy Foods:

1. Don’t have an ice pack? Freeze yogurt tubes or use frozen fruit in a zipper bag.

2. Check your school’s rules about nut-based products, which are popular allergens.

3. Save the stinky foods, like sardines or warm salmon, for at-home meals.

4. Use lemon juice to prevent apple and avocado slices from browning.

5. Encourage your kids to bring home any remaining food so you can see what—and how much—they’re not eating to adjust accordingly.

6. Avoid foods with caffeine, preservatives, added sugars, and food dyes.

7. Keep them hydrated with water or fruit juice diluted with water or seltzer.

Remember, the foods you pack help fuel your student’s brain and body throughout the day. Proper nutrition can support memory, focus, and processing speed, like adequate sleep. When in doubt, choose whole foods low in fat and sugar but high in protein and nutrients. It could help make this the best year yet for your student!