35 Simple, Delicious School Lunch Ideas That Your Kids Will Actually Eat

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly

The beauty of this school lunch is that it's more assembly than actual cooking. Grab a pita, pair it with a cup of tomato or pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese and their favorite toppings et voilà—you have a build-your-own pizza kit. You could also throw in some tiny chopped bell pepper, sliced olives or fresh basil; who knows, your kids may unlock a new favorite combo.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pot, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, vegetarian

Sure, your kid is an Annie's loyalist. But that's only because they haven't tasted this gem yet, which is made with cream cheese and cheddar for an extra decadent consistency. "The trick is to boil the pasta in milk; the natural starches in the pasta help thicken the sauce," explains former PureWow senior food editor Katherine Gillen. Pour a serving into a Thermos or other insulated tumbler to keep it warm until lunchtime.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, vegan, <30 minutes

Peanut butter may not be allowed at school, so mix things up with almond butter or Sun Butter. It'll add protein and healthy fats to this easy school lunch, while bananas provide energy-boosting carbs. You'll wind up with a satisfying, healthy lunch that tastes like dessert (but definitely isn’t).

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser

These nuggets beat the frozen kind by a mile. Pack this school lunch with sides of ketchup and honey mustard, and your kid won't even notice the quinoa in the mix. But you'll relish in knowing they're getting an extra boost of protein and fiber in their diet.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, make ahead, vegetarian

A rich and savory egg custard that really struts its stuff at room temperature, quiche is always yummy but not always good for you. The exception? Ali Maffucci’s healthy update, which boasts a carrot-potato filling.

• Time Commitment: 7 hours and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, make ahead, high protein

Succulent pork shoulder and creamy avocado are a mouthwatering match, only made better by a tangy crema topping. Feel free to riff on this idea—perhaps swapping the cilantro and tomatoes for corn and tortilla strips—to suit your kid's palate.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients

You could fill these tiny tarts with just about anything...and believe me when I say I have. My kids like them with strawberry jam, but I also love a PB&J-inspired take with Sun Butter. (You could also try Nutella and marshmallow creme for a more dessert-y take.) Puff pastry makes this a quick and easy treat you can whip up on Sunday, store in a resealable container, and serve throughout the week.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes

They're a timeless classic for a reason. All you need are store-bought bagels (or English muffins), pre-shredded mozz and your kid's favorite sauce. "The less fancy you get, the better these will taste," asserts Gillen. "But feel free to go all out with toppings."

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, make ahead, gluten free, <10 ingredients

Just about every kid has thrown spaghetti on the floor. Fortunately, these compact pasta pies are mess-proof (and taste even better cold than the O.G.).

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients

Technically, these are everything bagel dogs, but when I make them for my kids, I omit the seasoning. Sometimes I'll sprinkle Parm or shredded Asiago on top before baking, but they love them just as much plain. Try the warm tumbler trick to store these, so they stay (somewhat) warm until lunch.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, <10 ingredients

Homemade and ready in less than 30 minutes? I used to roll my eyes at DIY versions of packaged foods (they always seemed so tedious), but this recipe is legit. I'm planning a riff this week using Brami's Cubetti pasta for added protein and fiber—and because that little squishy cube shape is irresistible to my kids (win!).

• Time Commitment: 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, vegan

If a PB&J sandwich is the only thing your kid wants to eat, this can be an easy way to branch out. Test out this quick and easy quesadilla from Monique Volz for something that's different, yet familiar enough to become an instant favorite.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, no cook

The salty, peppery trio of Italian deli meats in these pinwheel sammies pairs so well with the mildly sweet taste of provolone that kids won’t even be tempted to pick out the kale. (Maybe.)

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, vegetarian

Let’s be honest: Everyone enjoys a cold pizza snack. That said, this school lunch idea will look and taste infinitely better if you cook up some of these cuties instead of throwing in a soggy slice from last night’s delivery.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, make ahead

There's no limit to what can go in these exciting assortments, but I recommend including some kind of spread (like hummus or guacamole), something crunchy (like pretzels or rice cakes), fresh produce and some sort of treat (like granola or mini cookies). Your kids' school mates will be so jealous.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, make ahead

If you use a store-bought rotisserie chicken, this lunch comes together in mere minutes. You may need to adjust the Buffalo sauce for young ones who are sensitive to spice—and sub in ranch dressing for blue cheese if they're not into its tanginess—but the effort-to-reward ratio makes it hard to beat.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, make ahead, high protein, <10 ingredients

Cute, colorful and packed with chicken and veggies, these Mexican-inspired pinwheels are held together by one of the most kid-friendly ingredients in your kitchen: cream cheese.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, make ahead

Brunch for lunch is practically a guaranteed hit, especially when you make these tiny pancakes. Pour pancake batter into a squeeze bottle and dot a bunch of quarter-sized blobs on your skillet, then top with a few mini chocolate chips. They're surprisingly easy to make, and they taste just as good at room temp as they do fresh off the stovetop.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, high protein, special occasion-worthy

Fluffy focaccia, breaded chicken, sweet sun-dried tomatoes, salty feta and homemade pesto. The ingredients speak for themselves, but let it be known that this school lunch idea is anything but boring. You could also substitute mayo and a slice of mozzarella or provolone instead of the pesto, sun-dried tomatoes and feta.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, high protein, <30 minutes, one pan

Frittatas are a force to be reckoned with when it comes to making the most of leftovers (in this case, meatballs). No matter the mix-in, they're reliably delicious without reheating, so they're just right for school lunches.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, vegetarian

Forget hot dogs. This cute substitute is more nutritious and requires no reheating. Top them with sesame seeds for extra crunch and serve with green goddess dressing (or ketchup, if they insist).

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser

Their favorite dinner, simplified and fork-free. The Parm is worked right into the breadcrumb coating, so they won't be grossed out by a layer of plasticky cheese when they open their lunch box.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, <30 minutes, high protein

Toss your kid’s favorite protein into this Asian-inspired, make-ahead lunch. Customize it to your heart's content—the best part is the silky sesame sauce that clings to cold noodles like a charm anyway.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser

These bites are stuffed with cheese and refried black beans, so they're extra satiating. The secret to their tiny size is using wonton wrappers in place of tortillas.

• Time Commitment: 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes

Apples offer crunch, sweetness and acidity to these pint-sized wraps, a major improvement on the turkey-on-white sandwich that's been haunting cafeterias for decades.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly

Rub the apple slices with a fresh lemon wedge to keep them from browning before school even starts. If your kid doesn't like bacon, swap in deli turkey or ham.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, make ahead, kid-friendly

Finger foods are a big win when it comes to school lunches, and boy, do I have good news: Your kid’s favorite of them all just got way less messy. And the pepperoni and mozzarella combo? Just as delicious as ever.

• Time Commitment: 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: no cook, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly

These crunchy, creamy celery sticks slathered in peanut butter are timeless for a reason. "You could swap in almond butter or another nut—or nutless—butter, and dried cranberries or cherries can replace the raisins," Gillen suggests. "Or, go wild with carrot sticks, hummus and pine nuts for an entirely new take."

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, vegetarian, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser

They love spuds, they love ranch dressing—por qué no los dos? Make a batch of this picnic favorite on Sunday night to dole out all week long. That way, the spuds have plenty of time to soak up all the dressing's tangy flavor overnight. (And psst: You can always leave out the herbs if you kid recoils at the sight of anything green.)

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, make ahead, <10 ingredients, vegetarian

Didn't think you could turn their favorite soup into a muffin, huh? Broccoli and cheddar cheese make for filling whole grain muffins that are nutritious, savory and totally scrumptious.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, vegetarian, make ahead

Pasta is an easy, pleasing school lunch idea, but orzo is the unsung hero of the bunch. The delicate, rice-shaped pasta allows the other ingredients to take centerstage. In this case, I'm talking about zucchini, tomato, feta and basil.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, make ahead, <10 ingredients

Skip the rosemary and make a double batch to serve at dinner, then pack up the leftovers as a side for lunch the next day. Sweet potato fries tend to hold up better than traditional spuds on day two.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser

Parenting 101: Hide veggies in their meals every chance you get. Here, broccoli florets are blended with pine nuts, basil and other essentials until smooth to create the pesto. Skip the olives if you think their briny flavor will be a dealbreaker. Prepare for every parent at school to ask you for the recipe.

• TIme Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten-free, crowd pleaser, kid-friendly

This bite-sized, gluten-free twist on every kid’s favorite comfort food delivers all the cheesy goodness without taking up too much lunch box real estate.

• TIme Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, make ahead

As a Florida native, pastelitos and Tampa-style cubanos hold a special place in my heart. This six-ingredient riff on the classic guava paste-and-cream-cheese-filled treat is so easy to make, is delicious at room temperature and way better than any store-bought toaster pastry.