Skip to content

Meal Prep Β· A collection

Back-to-school lunchboxes

Packed lunches kids will eat: sandwiches and wraps, bento boxes, pasta salads, hot lunches in a thermos, and muffins and bites to bake on the weekend. Pick the lunches your kids like, and the rotation planner lays out four weeks of school days without repeats, with a shopping list for each week and a Sunday prep plan. Nut-free choices are marked for nut-free schools.

🧾 Lunches your kids like

Check the lunches and extras your family likes. The rotation below uses only what’s checked; the more you check, the less it repeats.

Kids packing lunch2
Sandwiches and wraps
Bento boxes and bites
Pasta salads and grain bowls
Hot lunches in a thermos
Muffins, bites and snacks
Fruit, vegetables and dips
πŸ“… Put this week in my meal planner

The shopping list and the planner button follow the week you pick in the rotation. The planner fills lunch (and the snack slot, for the extra) on five days in a row, starting from the day you tap.

Shopping list

The shopping list appears here once the recipes load.

Amounts round up to what stores sell. Check your pantry for spices and staples.

πŸ—“ Four-week lunch rotation

Twenty school days: a main, an extra and something fresh each day. No main repeats within a week when you’ve checked at least five. Tap ↻ to swap one day, or shuffle the whole month.

Loading the rotation…

Prep plan for the picked week

  • Pick a week.

🧊 needs two cold sources Β· πŸ«™ hot, in a preheated insulated jar Β· πŸŽ’ fine without a cold source. Everything else in the box still gets ice packs if it’s perishable.

🧊 Keeping packed lunches safe

Cold lunches (USDA)

  • Use an insulated, soft-sided lunch bag or box.
  • Pack at least two cold sources with anything perishable: two frozen gel packs, or one gel pack and a frozen juice box or bottle of water. Put one on top of the food and one underneath.
  • Meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, cut fruit and pasta or grain salads are perishable. Cook and chill them ahead, in the refrigerator, in shallow containers.
  • Whole fruits and vegetables, hard cheese, unopened canned meat or fish, bread, crackers, peanut or seed butter, jelly, mustard and pickles don’t need a cold source.
  • Pack just what your child will eat at lunch. Make it the night before, but put the bag together right before leaving.
  • You can freeze plain sandwiches to help keep them cold; add mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato separately.
  • If there’s a refrigerator at school, store the bag there with the lid open.

Hot lunches (USDA)

  1. Fill the insulated food jar with boiling water, close it and let it stand a few minutes.
  2. Heat the food until it’s steaming, 165Β°F on a food thermometer.
  3. Empty the jar, fill it with the hot food and keep it closed until lunch, so the food stays at 140Β°F or above.

After lunch

Throw away leftover food, used bags and wrappers. Don’t reuse packaging (USDA). Wash reusable containers, gel packs and the bag every day.

For little ones

For toddlers and preschoolers, cut grapes, cherry tomatoes and hot dogs into small pieces; whole, they are choking hazards for young children (CDC).

Hands and counters

Wash your hands for 20 seconds before packing, and wash cutting boards and counters between foods (USDA).

πŸ₯œ Nut-free schools and allergies

Many schools and classrooms are nut-free because of children with peanut or tree-nut allergies. Follow your school’s policy; it may also cover other foods.

  • Turn on Nut-free school in the rotation to leave out every dish with peanuts or tree nuts. Dishes with nuts are marked β€œ(has nuts)” in the list above.
  • Sunflower seed butter stands in for peanut butter in the roll-ups, energy bites and PB&J. Some schools ask for no look-alike spreads; check first.
  • Read labels every time. Ingredients change. Packaged foods must list the nine major allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame (FDA). Watch for chocolate chips, granola, crackers and cereal bars, which sometimes contain nuts.
  • Each recipe page lists its allergens and swaps for milk, eggs, wheat and more.

Sandwiches and wraps

The lunch box basics. Spread fillings to the edges of the bread so wet ingredients don’t soak in, and wrap them snugly.

Turkey, Apple and Cheddar SandwichesSliced turkey and sharp cheddar with thin, crisp apple slices on whole wheat. Sweet, salty and crunchy.10 min Β· serves 4 Cucumber Cream Cheese SandwichesWhole wheat bread with herby cream cheese and thin cucumber slices, cut into strips or triangles. Cool and crunchy.10 min Β· serves 4 Ranch Chicken Lunch WrapsShredded chicken tossed with ranch, rolled up with crisp lettuce and cheddar. A good use for leftover roast or rotisserie chicken.15 min Β· serves 4 Sunflower Butter Banana Roll-UpsA tortilla spread with sunflower seed butter, rolled around a whole banana and sliced into pinwheels. Peanut-free and tree-nut-free, so it suits nut-free schools.10 min Β· serves 4 Turkey and Cheese Pinwheel WrapsTortillas spread with cream cheese, rolled with turkey, cheese and spinach, and sliced into pinwheels.10 min Β· serves 4 Β· from our recipes Lunchbox PB and J (Nut-Free Option)The classic, with a sunflower seed butter swap for schools that do not allow nuts.5 min Β· serves 4 Β· from our recipes Hummus Veggie WrapsHummus, crunchy vegetables and feta rolled in a tortilla.10 min Β· serves 4 Β· from our recipes Classic Tuna Salad SandwichesCanned tuna with a little crunch from celery and pickle relish.10 min Β· serves 4 Β· from our recipes Smashed Chickpea Salad SandwichesMashed chickpeas with yogurt, celery and lemon, like a tuna salad without the tuna. Ready in 15 minutes.15 min Β· serves 4 Β· from our recipes

Bento boxes and bites

Little bits of several things, each in its own section. Many kids eat more when they can pick and stack.

Cracker Stacker Lunch BoxA homemade version of the store-bought cracker kits: crackers, cheese and turkey to stack, with cucumber and grapes on the side.15 min Β· serves 4 Pizza PinwheelsPizza dough rolled up with sauce, mozzarella and pepperoni, sliced and baked. Good cold, which makes them a lunch box favorite.42 min Β· serves 6 Mini Corn Dog MuffinsSweet cornbread batter baked around rounds of hot dog in a mini muffin pan. All the fun of a corn dog, no frying.30 min Β· serves 8 Mini Chicken Meatball BitesSmall, tender chicken meatballs with Parmesan and herbs. Pack them cold with a dip, or hot in a preheated insulated container.38 min Β· serves 6 Black Bean and Corn Quesadilla TrianglesCrisp tortillas folded around cheese, black beans and corn. Good warm for dinner and good cold in a lunch box the next day.26 min Β· serves 4 Spinach and Ricotta CalzonesStore-bought pizza dough folded around ricotta, mozzarella, spinach and Parmesan, baked golden and served with marinara for dipping.45 min Β· serves 4 Β· from our recipes Chicken QuesadillasCrisp tortillas with melted cheese and chicken. A great way to use leftover roast or rotisserie chicken.25 min Β· serves 4 Β· from our recipes Spring Vegetable FrittataA thick oven-finished omelet with asparagus, mushrooms, spinach and feta.40 min Β· serves 6 Β· from our recipes Freezer Bean and Cheese BurritosA big batch of burritos to wrap and freeze for fast lunches and busy nights.30 min Β· serves 8 Β· from our recipes

Pasta salads and grain bowls

Made on Sunday, these get better by Tuesday. Cook and chill them in shallow containers first (USDA).

Italian Pasta SaladRotini with vegetables, mozzarella and Italian dressing. Better after a night in the fridge.25 min Β· serves 8 Β· from our recipes Quinoa Black Bean Salad with LimeQuinoa with black beans, corn, red pepper and lots of cilantro in a lime and cumin dressing.35 min Β· serves 6 Β· from our recipes Mediterranean Quinoa SaladQuinoa, chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes and feta with parsley, mint and a lemon dressing. A meal-prep lunch that keeps for days.40 min Β· serves 6 Β· from our recipes Mango Lime Chicken Rice BowlsChili-lime chicken over rice with black beans, fresh mango and a squeeze of lime.35 min Β· serves 4 Β· from our recipes Greek Chicken Couscous BowlsLemon-oregano chicken over couscous with cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, feta and a cool homemade tzatziki.1 hr 15 min Β· serves 4 Β· from our recipes Teriyaki Tofu Rice BowlsGolden pan-fried tofu in a homemade ginger teriyaki sauce over brown rice with edamame and broccoli.1 hr Β· serves 4 Β· from our recipes

Hot lunches in a thermos

Preheat the insulated jar with boiling water, fill it with food heated to 165Β°F, and keep the lid on until lunch (USDA).

Hot Thermos RavioliCheese ravioli in tomato sauce, packed piping hot in a preheated insulated food jar so it’s still warm at lunch.17 min Β· serves 4 Stovetop Mac and CheeseA smooth, creamy cheese sauce made in the same pot as the pasta.25 min Β· serves 6 Β· from our recipes Family Beef and Bean ChiliMild, hearty chili that feeds a crowd and freezes well. Let everyone add heat at the table.1 hr 5 min Β· serves 8 Β· from our recipes Chicken Noodle SoupA comforting pot of soup with tender chicken, carrots and egg noodles.50 min Β· serves 6 Β· from our recipes

Muffins, bites and snacks

Bake on the weekend and freeze; a frozen muffin thaws in the lunch box by lunchtime. Check nut labels if your school is nut-free.

Applesauce Oat MuffinsSoft, lightly sweet muffins made with applesauce, oats and cinnamon. Nut-free, and sturdy enough to ride in a backpack.35 min Β· serves 12 Nut-Free Sunflower Oat Energy BitesNo-bake oat bites held together with sunflower seed butter and honey, with mini chocolate chips. Made for nut-free classrooms.45 min Β· serves 12 Strawberry Yogurt BarkGreek yogurt sweetened with a little honey, spread on a pan with strawberries, frozen and broken into pieces.3 hr 10 min Β· serves 8 Hard-Cooked Eggs for the WeekSix eggs cooked until the whites and yolks are firm, cooled fast and kept in the refrigerator for the week’s lunches.26 min Β· serves 6 Banana Oat MuffinsMoist muffins that use up spotty bananas. Freeze and tuck into lunchboxes.35 min Β· serves 12 Β· from our recipes Lemon Blueberry MuffinsBursting with blueberries and bright with fresh lemon zest and juice.40 min Β· serves 12 Β· from our recipes Pumpkin BreadA moist, spiced quick bread made with canned pumpkin. One bowl, no mixer.1 hr 35 min Β· serves 10 Β· from our recipes Zucchini BreadA moist cinnamon quick bread that uses up 2 cups of grated zucchini.1 hr 30 min Β· serves 10 Β· from our recipes Veggie Egg Muffin CupsMini baked omelets with vegetables and cheese. Reheat in seconds.32 min Β· serves 6 Β· from our recipes No-Bake Oat Energy BitesOats, peanut butter and a few chocolate chips rolled into bite-size balls.45 min Β· serves 12 Β· from our recipes Berry Oat Crumble BarsA buttery oat crust and crumble with a layer of raspberries and blackberries and a few sliced almonds.2 hr Β· serves 16 Β· from our recipes

Fruit, vegetables and dips

Something fresh every day. Dips make vegetables more fun.

Rainbow Fruit SaladA colorful bowl of fresh fruit with a squeeze of orange.15 min Β· serves 8 Β· from our recipes Homemade HummusSmooth, lemony hummus from canned chickpeas and tahini in 10 minutes. Better than store-bought and cheaper.10 min Β· serves 8 Β· from our recipes Garlicky White Bean and Herb DipWhite beans blended with lemon, garlic, parsley and a little rosemary. Serve with vegetables, crackers or bread.10 min Β· serves 8 Β· from our recipes Creamy Cottage Cheese Dill DipCottage cheese blended smooth with fresh dill, chives and lemon. A high-protein dip for vegetables and crackers.10 min Β· serves 8 Β· from our recipes Three-Bean SaladThe picnic classic: green beans, kidney beans and chickpeas in a sweet-tart vinaigrette. It gets better as it sits.1 hr 15 min Β· serves 8 Β· from our recipes Sesame Garlic EdamameShelled edamame warmed in a skillet with garlic, sesame oil and a splash of soy sauce. A snack ready in 10 minutes.10 min Β· serves 4 Β· from our recipes

πŸ§‘β€πŸ³ Make it from scratch

Bake the bread, roll the tortillas and pitas, make crackers, applesauce, granola and yogurt. Each page scales to what your plan needs.

Sandwich breadOne 9 Γ— 5-inch loaf (about 1ΒΎ lb), 16 slices about Β½ inch thick. The same dough at ΒΎ size fills an 8Β½ Γ— 4Β½-inch pan (12 slices).Whole-wheat sandwich breadOne 9 Γ— 5-inch loaf, 16 slices about Β½ inch thick (ΒΎ of the dough fills an 8Β½ Γ— 4Β½-inch pan).Flour tortillasTen 8-inch tortillas or seven 10-inch tortillas.Pita breadEight 6Β½-inch pitas.Crisp crackersAbout 10 oz of crackers (about 60 two-inch squares).Pizza doughOne 1-lb ball of dough: one 14-inch round pizza or one 10 Γ— 15-inch sheet pan.ApplesauceAbout 1 quart (4 cups) from 3 lb of apples.GranolaAbout 4Β½ cups (about 1ΒΌ lb).Plain yogurtAbout 1 quart (4 cups).Ranch dressingAbout 1ΒΌ cups.

πŸ“‹ Prep ahead: an hour on Sunday

On the weekend

  • Bake one thing: muffins, pizza pinwheels or corn dog muffins. Freeze most of them; a frozen muffin thaws in the lunch box by lunchtime.
  • Cook one big thing: a pasta salad, a grain bowl, or meatballs. Chill it in shallow containers; it keeps 3 to 4 days.
  • Hard-cook six eggs. They keep a week in the refrigerator.
  • Wash and cut carrots, celery, cucumbers and peppers. Store them in containers with a damp paper towel.
  • Mix a batch of energy bites and freeze a pan of yogurt bark.

Each school night (10 minutes)

  • Freeze the gel packs (or a juice box or water bottle) overnight.
  • Make the sandwich or wrap and refrigerate it.
  • Put the extras and fresh food in containers.
  • In the morning: bag it up with the cold sources, or heat the thermos lunch.

Get kids packing

Kids pack lunches they will eat. A simple rule helps: one main, one fruit, one vegetable, one extra. Younger kids can choose from two options you set out; older kids can pack it all.

πŸ“œ Lunch boxes, then and now

In the 1800s, miners and factory workers carried their midday meal in tin pails with lids and handles, or in reused lard buckets. In 1950 a metal lunch box decorated with a cowboy hero of radio, film and television became a hit, and for the next two decades picture lunch boxes were a back-to-school tradition in the United States. Plastic boxes and insulated soft bags came later.

In Japan, the bento, a boxed meal of rice and small side dishes, goes back centuries; travelers in the Kamakura period (1185–1333) carried dried rice called hoshi-ii. Today’s divided lunch boxes borrow the idea: small portions of several foods, each in its own section.

Lunchbox (Grokipedia)Bento (Grokipedia)