This summer, we signed Luca up for summer camp and that means packed camp lunches! It’s great practice, because we’ll be packing his lunch for school this fall, too. If you’re in need of some nut-free lunch inspiration, here are some ideas to get you started.
Easy Lunch Ideas for Kids (Nut-Free)
For reference, Luca will be 4 years old on September 25th! These are the easiest kids lunches we’ve found to make so far. To get started, here are the products we use when packing his bento box lunch:
- Bentgo Lunchbox – 5-Compartment Lunch Box – Ideal Portion Sizes for Ages 3 to 7.
- Pack It! freezable lunch bag – you freeze this whole lunch bag – it comes with liners that are built-in freezer packs! I place the Bentgo lunch box in this bag.
- Silicone muffin liners – to keep some of the foods easier to take out of the lunch box compartments – like raisins or nuts, for example!
I like to pack a school lunch in 5-10 minutes, never longer than that. I usually divide this into compartments – Main and Sides – because I find that helps me mentally compartmentalize as well. Here are some ideas on how to pack the lunch box:
“Main” – I always try to choose a protein first and then I build the whole lunch around it
- Ham and cheese (in a tortilla or on bread)
- Turkey and cheese roll-up (in a tortilla or on bread)
- Quesadilla (cheese, black bean, chicken, or ground meat)
- Cream cheese & jelly sandwich
- Sunbutter & jelly (Wowbutter doesn’t have the best ingredients, but it’s the closest in flavor to regular nut butter)
- English muffin pizza
- Tortellini or other pasta salad
- Hot dog cut up or in a bun, sliced into manageable sections
- Blender muffins or muffins of any kind
- Veggie tots (from Inspiralized & Beyond)
- Leftover pizza!
“Sides” – I try to add some vitamins and some more nutrients so the lunch box has more colors:
- Roasted veggies – broccoli, string beans, sweet potatoes, peas/carrots
- Raw veggies – carrots, celery, cucumbers, sliced tomatoes
- Fruits – apple slices, berries, grapes, stone fruits, banana
- Cheese sticks
- Yogurt tubes
- Crackers and cheese slices
- Annie’s chocolate graham bunnies
- Meat sticks/jerky
- Hard boiled eggs
- Granola bars or other nut-free bars
- Pretzels
- Sweet potato fries or potato fries/wedges
- Cereal/O’s
These school lunches are quick, easy to make, and full of nutrients. They would work great for school, kindergarten, or camp. Remember, the key to a successful school lunch is variety and keeping it fun. Get your kids involved in the lunch-making process by letting them choose their favorite ingredients. It’s a great way to encourage them to try new foods and make lunchtime an exciting part of their school day!
I’d love to hear some of your easy kids lunch ideas! Drop a note below. Thank you in advance!
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