Thank you to GoodCook for sponsoring this Kid Friendly Back To School Lunch Ideas recipe post, and thank YOU for supporting the brands that help make Meal Prep On Fleek possible. All opinions are our own.
These kid-friendly lunch cubes are full of protein, veggies, fruit, and crackers for three satisfying lunches packed with nutrition. Best of all, they’re easy to assemble with no cooking, making meal prep a breeze!
By now, you know that our favorite meal prep 'tool' is the containers we use to put our meals in! But that doesn't stop at us -- it runs right down the family line and applies to the meals we make our kids, too!
That's why I have been loving these lunch cubes from GoodCook! Not only are they the perfect size for the kiddos, but they have two lower compartments for sides or snacks and a removable tray that's perfect for a sandwich or an entrée. The containers can also be used with or without their trays, making them even more versatile for all kinds of lunch options!
The lunch cubes are more than just for meal prep! They can also be used for storing leftovers! They are also microwave and dishwasher safe, making them perfect for reheating and cleaning up!
Now that you know allll of the reasons why we love these containers let's dive into these three no-cook meal ideas for the kiddos!
I will start by saying these lunch ideas are 100% customizable to what you have on hand and what your kids enjoy eating! Since they also require no cooking, it's a great way to get the kids involved in starting to meal prep and/or help in the kitchen! I love bringing the kids to the store and letting them pick the fruits and veggies they like, so they feel like they have a say in their eating.
Kid Friendly Back To School Lunch Ideas Ingredients:
Cube 1
- ½ cup strawberries
- ¼ cup baby carrots
- 1 celery stalk, cut into sticks
- 2 oz. Buffalo turkey
- 2 oz. Cubed pepper jack cheese
- 1 oz. crackers of choice
Cube 2
- ½ cup grapes
- ½ cup gluten-free pretzels
- 1 gluten-free everything bagel
- 2 slices of deli ham
- 1 slice of American cheese
- ⅓ cup baby spinach
Cube 3
- 2 slices of gluten-free bread
- 2 tablespoon nut butter
- 2 tablespoon jelly
- ½ cup cubed melon
- ½ cup cheese crackers
Lunch cube one might be my favorite because it's like a mini snack box vs. a traditional lunch! You can use any fruits and veggies that you'd like, any deli meat/fresh baked chicken/plant-based deli meats and cheese, and your favorite crackers!
Nothing tastes better than a traditional lunch with a sandwich, fruit, and something crunchy like chips or a pretzel. This was what I had for lunch almost every day as a kid! This was also my favorite beach lunch! As above, the same applies to this meal. Swap the fruit and pretzels for things your kids love! The bagel can be subbed with bread, pita, a bagel thin, etc. The deli meat and cheese can easily be switched with vegan alternatives.
Lunch Cube Three - The classic PBJ! I could eat this combo 365 days a year, like almost every kid out there! To accommodate allergies, peanut butter can be subbed with any other nut butter or seed butter and served with fruit that is in season and affordable and your child's favorite crunchy side (ahem - can be carrots, raw broccoli, etc., too!).
Once the lunch cubes are stacked up, this is what they will look like: the snacks on the bottom and the main part on the top!
For days when the kids are home, you can also serve these no-cook kid-friendly lunch ideas on a plate! Or, remake them for yourself because they are that good!
Ingredients
Cube 1
- ½ cup strawberries
- ¼ cup baby carrots
- 1 celery stalk cut into sticks
- 2 oz. Buffalo turkey can sub with turkey of choice
- 2 oz. Cubed pepper jack cheese can sub with cheese of choice
- 1 oz. crackers use your favorite brand
Cube 2
- ½ cup grapes
- ½ cup gluten-free pretzels can sub with regular pretzels if not GF
- 1 gluten-free everything bagel can sub with any flavor bagel or non-GF
- 2 slices deli ham
- 1 slice American cheese any cheese can be used
- ⅓ cup baby spinach
Cube 3
- 2 slices gluten-free bread sub with your favorite bread
- 2 tablespoon nut butter can swap for seed butter
- 2 tablespoon jelly
- ½ cup cubed melon
- ½ cup cheese crackers can sub with crackers of choice
Instructions
- Divide strawberries, baby carrots and celery sticks between bottom compartments of 1 lunch cube. Add turkey slices, pepper jack cheese and seed crackers to the top compartment of lunch cube.
- Divide grapes and pretzels between bottom compartments of a second lunch cube. Assemble ham, cheese and spinach on everything bagel. Slice in half and place in top compartment of lunch cube.
- Divide melon and cheese crackers between bottom compartment of a third lunch cube. Spread nut butter and jelly on bread and slice diagonally into two triangles. Place in top compartment of lunch cube.
