21 Toddler Lunch Box Ideas for Quick, Healthy Meals

Making these healthy, delicious meals with your child doesn’t have to be stressful. These 21 toddler lunch box ideas will get you inspired and excited about meal prep so you can stop worrying about that oh-so-common agonizing question: “What am I going to cook now?”

All these recipes are tasty, easy to make, easy to pack and easy for your toddler to eat.

1. Pita and veggie hummus box 

Pack two pieces of pita bread, carrot, cucumber and celery sticks and a container with hummus. Your toddler will love dipping their food in the protein-rich spread. Also, add mixed berries as a side.

2. Chicken waffle and fruit lunch 

Either buy or make a waffle at home and cut it into quarters. Then, slice up a chicken breast and pack it in the lunch box. And don’t forget your toddler’s favorite fruit cut into cubes!

3. Easy pea pesto salad 

If your toddler can already eat with a fork, this is the perfect refreshing lunch for them. Coat whole wheat penne pasta in pesto and throw in fresh snap peas. You can also add a few cubes of cheese.

4. Peanut butter and fruit sandwiches 

Spread peanut butter on a slice of whole wheat bread and include a small container with fruit. But before you pack this lunch, don’t forget to check with your child’s school if nuts are allowed in lunch boxes. There are many other sandwich recipes to try if allergies are an issue.

5. Vegetable mini quiche bites 

Whip up your favorite quiche filling and bake it in muffin cups. Then, add a few slices of tofu on the side, as well as a few orange slices.

6. Chicken wrap 

Roll veggies and sliced or shredded chicken breast in a tortilla for this low-effort wrap recipe. Slice it into smaller sections for a fun yet nutritious lunch.

7. Cheese, deli turkey and veggie box 

Another great lunch box combination is cheese cubes, deli turkey slices and steamed vegetables. Vary which cheeses and veggies you include in your child’s lunch box to keep things interesting throughout the week.

8. Fun veggie-packed cold noodle salad 

Even if your toddler can’t eat spaghetti with a fork, they can eat this cold noodle salad recipe with their hands relatively mess-free. Cold soba noodles, steamed carrots and broccoli and your child’s favorite protein make for a delicious lunch.

9. Meatball, broccoli and cheese box 

Do you have leftover meatballs from a home-cooked meal? Cut them into quarters and pack them with steamed broccoli and shredded cheese. You can also include plain spaghetti.

10. Black bean and corn quesadilla 

Place mashed-up black beans and shredded cheese in a tortilla and fold it in half. Bake until the cheese has melted, then pack one with a side of sweet corn. And the best part? You can make a dozen of these veggie quesadillas in advance, freeze them and thaw them throughout the week.

11. Tuna and olive sandwich bites 

Not every child will go for this tuna salad, but since it’s rich in healthy fats, it’s worth introducing it to your little one. Mash canned tuna with a dollop of mayo and cut-up olives. Spread that on soft bread and cut it into four triangles.

12. Baked chickpea balls with hummus 

Bake falafels, cut them into quarters and pack them into a lunch box with a container of hummus on the side. They’ll love this filling and delicious lunch!

13. Ham and cheese pinwheels with berries 

Here’s a pretty simple (and delicious) ham and cheese pinwheel recipe: Roll the ingredients in a puff pastry, bake it, cut into pieces and serve with mixed berries.

Grab it now on Instacart:

Tostitos Scoops Tortilla Chips

Muir Glen USDA Certified Organic Medium Salsa

Lay's Classic Mix Variety Pack

Mott's Fruit Snacks, Assorted

Mrs. Fields Cookies, Rainbow Chocolate Chip

Nature Valley Trail Mix Bars, Chewy, Fruit & Nut

Wheat Thins Snacks, Sundried Tomato & Basil

Fisher Lightly Salted Mixed Nuts

Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers, Original

Fresh Bananas

14. Yogurt fruit cups with banana muffins 

Pack a low-sugar yogurt cup with home-baked banana muffins on the side. If your child wants, you can also add nuts and more fruit to the lunch box.

15. Savory veggie-packed muffin cups 

Whisk a few eggs and mix in cut-up veggies, such as grated carrots, diced bell peppers and peas. Then, pour the crustless quiche mixture into individual muffin cups and bake until the eggs are set. Serve with fresh veggies and fruit on the side.

16. Stuffed shells with roasted squash and zucchini 

This fall-inspired lunch box can be eaten warm or cold. Make this stuffed shell recipe and include roasted squash and zucchini slices in the lunch box.

17. Grape, cherry tomato, cucumber and tofu box 

Cut up grapes, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and uncooked tofu and pack it all in your toddler’s lunch box. If you want, you can also include dipping sauce (such as pesto or this tzatziki recipe) for extra flavor.

18. Peanut butter and banana wraps with yogurt 

Spread peanut butter on a flour tortilla and top it with half a cut-up banana. Send a low-sugar yogurt cup, as well as a handful of nuts, in the lunch box as well.

19. Cottage cheese and fruit crackers 

Slice four strawberries and a quarter each of apple and pear. Then, pack a few low-sodium crackers and a container with cottage cheese. Your child can play around with the flavor combinations to their heart’s desire — there are lots of cottage cheese recipes to try!

20. Air fryer nuggets with steamed vegetables 

What toddler doesn’t like nuggets? This treat of a lunch box includes chicken nuggets and steamed vegetables — for example, cauliflower, carrot and zucchini. 

21. Boiled egg, vegetable and fruit box 

Boil and halve one or two eggs, steam your child’s favorite vegetables and serve up a mixed fruit salad. This low-effort lunch is nutritious and delicious. Try out other cooked egg recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

21 Toddler Lunch Box Ideas for Quick, Healthy Meals

Recipe by InstacartCourse: LunchCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• Pita and veggie hummus box

• Chicken waffle and fruit lunch

• Easy pea pesto salad

• Peanut butter and fruit sandwiches

• Vegetable mini quiche bites

• Chicken wrap

• Cheese, deli turkey and veggie box

• Fun veggie-packed cold noodle salad

• Meatball, broccoli and cheese box

• Black bean and corn quesadilla

• Tuna and olive sandwich bites

• Baked chickpea balls with hummus

• Ham and cheese pinwheels with berries

• Yogurt fruit cups with banana muffins

• Savory veggie-packed muffin cups

• Stuffed shells with roasted squash and zucchini

• Grape, cherry tomato, cucumber and tofu box

• Peanut butter and banana wraps with yogurt

• Cottage cheese and fruit crackers

• Air fryer nuggets with steamed vegetables

• Boiled egg, vegetable and fruit box

Directions

• Choose one of the toddler lunch box ideas above.
• Send your child anywhere with a healthy lunch in their lunch box!

How to prepare good lunch boxes for toddlers 

What makes a good lunch box for toddlers? These tips make meal planning easier to prepare your little munchkin’s meals:

Stick to familiar textures

Children can be picky with what textures they like. Introduce new textures during meals you’ll have together, and take the safe approach of packing what you know they will eat for school. This will make planning lunches easier. 

Offer fruits and veggies

Growing toddlers need lots of fruits and veggies every day. Don’t forget to include a variety of produce in their lunch box so they never get bored.

Keep lunches interesting

On that subject, your child is more likely to eat what you pack them if you keep things interesting. Offer different foods every day, cut up their sandwiches into fun shapes and get creative!

Give them the right amount of food

Toddlers are always growing, which can make planning their meals difficult. Use a serving size calculator to make sure they’ll have enough food for lunch.

Save time shopping for lunch box ingredients

Preparing nutritious lunch boxes can be time-consuming. But when you use Instacart to deliver your groceries, you can save hours on your busy days. With just a few clicks, you can get all your fresh lunch box ingredients in under two hours — all without leaving the house! This way, you have more time to do what you love most. It’ll be worth it — eating together as a family can lower stress levels.

Instacart

Author

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