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Whether you’re looking for easy toddler lunch ideas for a 1 year old or 3 year old, or introduce new foods, these lunch box ideas can be as simple or as extravagant as you’d like. Meal prep ahead of time to have them ready in minutes, or aim to try one new one each week! These lunch ideas for toddlers will inspire you in the kitchen.

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Feeding kids and toddlers is a full time job.

The mental energy we, as parents, need to serve three meals plus snacks every day is mind-boggling. How did feeding kids get so hard?

Speaking of snacks, if you need healthy snacks for toddlers, there’s a whole bunch of easy ideas!

As a Registered Dietitian mom, I really want to make it easier for all of us and have things all in one place.

Feeding babies, younger toddlers and older kids all have their challenges, so hopefully these tips and strategies help you introduce a wide variety of food with consistency.

So, I put together several recipes, meal concepts and resources to save you some of the brain space and time needed to google various toddler lunch ideas and nutrients.

Whether you’re feeding a two year old or a picky four year old, these lunchbox ideas will help. And they don’t require tons of weird ingredients (though we love Thrive Market for fun snack ideas) – canned and frozen foods for toddlers can be just as effective!

This round-up of easy lunch ideas for toddlers can help you feel confident and equipped to serve a healthy lunch to your toddler.

Whether you want easy no-think and no-frill toddler lunch ideas for school, or more creative, homemade options to introduce new foods to your curious kiddo, this post has all of that and more.

Why You Should Focus on Healthy Toddler Lunch Ideas

Firstly, does lunch even matter for your toddler? What if they eat a well-balanced healthy toddler breakfast and dinner, but lunch is a wash?

As a mom and dietitian, I’m here to remind you that YES, it is important to serve a healthy lunch to your toddler.

Here are some of the reasons why and benefits:

• Supports Growth & Development – As a Registered Dietitian, of course, I’m of the opinion that what we eat matters and contributes to growth! A balanced lunch provides essential nutrients for growing toddlers and kids, like protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals and carbohydrates to fuel a toddler’s rapids growth.
• Source of nutrients and micronutrients – Speaking of nutrients, lunches and snacks can be a great way to get in nutrients that can be hard to come by for toddlers, such as iron, fiber, calcium and vitamin D (in many dairy foods). We can also sneak healthy EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids in a nutritious lunch through many add-on’s to lunch, like chia seeds. We love chia seeds for toddlers!
• Encourages Variety – If you don’t serve new foods, how will your toddler ever learn to like new foods? Exposure to different foods helps toddlers get comfortable with new foods, textures and flavors. Plus, a wide range of vitamins and minerals is spread out in different foods! Here are some of our favorite healthy snacks for picky eaters.
• Establishes Healthy Eating Habits – Along the same lines, serving regular, well-balanced meals helps to set the foundation for lifelong healthy eating.
• Stable energy – Balanced lunch plates help toddlers to maintain stable blood sugar levels, reducing crankiness and meltdowns, due to hunger and low blood sugar.

Important Tips and Things to Remember

These are some tips for serving toddler school lunch ideas and when making them.

• Include all the food groups – Make sure your toddler’s packed lunch is balanced, with carbohydrates (ideally complex carbohydrates that provide fiber), protein and healthy fats. I always try to have at least one fruit or vegetable in my toddler’s lunch. If you’re stuck on the protein part, try some of these protein ideas for kids lunches!
• Don’t pressure them – It’s okay if your picky eater doesn’t want the lunch or doesn’t finish it. We know that little kids can be finicky. Exposure always counts in these scenarios. You can and should definitely serve them foods they like, and consider serving one of these “safe” foods when offering them a new food.
• Keep it comfortable – If I’m packing a toddler lunch box for school or daycare, I will provide mostly safe and comfortable foods that my toddler has had before. I may include a food we don’t eat as much, but it’s something we’ve talked about before or my toddler has seen me buy or use. I want them to have some comfort rather than feel completely overwhelmed at meal time. Using food activities for toddlers can also help bring comfort to new foods.
• Balance lunch with snacktimes – When I’m home with my toddlers, lunchtime can vary depending on when we serve morning snack. Make sure to allow ample time between snacktime and lunchtime to ensure your toddler is hungry enough for lunch. Also, you want to make sure your snack isn’t too big that lunch becomes more of a snack. Lunch should be a balanced meal providing all food groups, as previously stated.
• Ice Packs are helpful – Many of these toddler packed lunch ideas for daycare or school are perishable, so I would highly recommend getting a lunch box with an ice pack, or packing ice packs with the lunchbox or bag.
• Keep it fun– Last, but not least, remember to keep it light and fun! We don’t want kids to feel pressure or intimidated by food – we want to encourage food play and keep it fun! Sprinkles, fun cookie cutters and cut outs, and are some of my favorite tools.

Easy Lunch Ideas for Toddlers

Okay, so now that we know some of the benefits of the mid-day meal for toddlers, let’s share some of these easy concepts.

Whether you’re someone who thrives on recipes or not, these easy lunch ideas for toddlers can be put together ahead of time or last minute!

Here are some easy pairings and ideas that work as packed lunch ideas for toddlers for daycare or school, or just easy lunches at home.

If you’re looking for meal ideas for younger toddlers, check out our guide on meal ideas for 1 year olds.

Toddler Meatballs

There are so many tasty toddle meatball ideas and they are some of our favorite toddler packed lunch ideas.

Here are some of our favorites. You can pair meatballs with pasta, rice, grains, bread and so much more!

• sweetpotato turkey meatballs with quinoa/rice/farro (minute rice is a great quick shortcut!)
• toddler quinoa meatballs
• instant pot bison meatballs – great source of iron!

Butter Pasta

Butter pasta is a common favorite among kids – that’s why it’s always offered on restaurant menus! This is easy to make at home or to send to school.

If I’m sending it as a school lunch idea for my toddler, I’ll put it in this thermos or Omie lunch box to keep it warm!

Sometimes, I’ll add mashed sweetpotatoes to the pasta (they are naturally sweet), or blend them in with a marinara sauce to get some extra veggies.

PB&J

The well-loved original sandwich. But, there are ways to spice up your typical toddler pb&j!

Some nutrient boosters include adding chia seeds, flax seeds or hemp seeds to the sandwich. You could also serve them in wraps, roll ups, or cut them into strips.

Also, if your toddler is in a nut-free school or environment, consider sunflower seed butter or soy butter instead.

I also love using this to remove the crust, and then, you can use the crust to make homemade whole grain croutons!

Eggs and whole-grain toast

We love serving breakfast foods for lunch. Scrambled eggs are ready in minutes, and are a nice savory, balanced option for kids.

Pack the toast with healthy fats from mashed avocado, butter, ghee, or even nut butter.

You can even add tini diced veggies to the eggs. Some of our favorites are zucchini, onion, sliced red peppers, shredded carrots and cheese.

Another way to get eggs in is through veggie egg muffins!

Quiche with Fruit

A quiche is basically a mini pizza and can be a fun option for kids, especially if they enjoy the crust.

Use this asparagus quiche as a base, and load yours with things your toddler likes – bacon, cheese, peppers, etc.

I like to serve it with something sweet, which can be berries, apple slices with peanut butter or a that’s it fruit bar.

French Toast Sticks

This french toast recipe for kids can be a healthy addition to your toddler lunch!

Pair with berries, or even a mini yogurt parfait that they can dip their french toast sticks into.

Tortellini

We absolutely love tortellini in our house. One, because it cooks so quickly. Two, because it’s usually filled with cheese and is incredibly tasty.

You could make this instant pot tortellini soup or simply just heat up a frozen bag of tortellini.

I think frozen peas are an easy add in for a veggie, and typically well-accepted by babies and toddlers!

If I’m sending it as a school lunch idea for my toddler, I’ll put it in this thermos or Omie lunch box to keep it warm!

Hummus and Turkey Wrap or Sandwich

A deli sandwich can be a great centerpiece of your toddler’s lunch box and an easy toddler lunch idea.

Turkey, ham, or salami all offer great protein options. You can also make easy pinwheel sandwiches with turkey, cheese and spinach.

For more fiber, use a higher fiber, or whole grain bread option.

I like to serve with a fruit, like pineapple slices, and a veggie, like carrot sticks with ranch.

Mini Chicken Salad Finger Sandwiches

We will also do mini chicken salad finger sandwiches sometimes. You can follow any chicken salad recipe you’d like, or use storebought!

I cut them into little triangles so they are less intimidating and more bite size. You could also use fun shapes to do that!

Healthy Nachos

What about upgrading the typical chip nachos to a fun and healthier version? You can even let your toddler pick the toppings!

We love these healthy sweet potato nachos for that reason – you can add shredded chicken, pork, beef, etc., but I love them with just black beans, cheese and veggies!

Bean and Cheese Quesadilla

This is the epitome of an easy lunch idea for toddlers!

Simply add some beans and cheese to a tortilla and microwave or heat for a minute over medium-high heat, or until the cheese melts.

You could also add ground beef/chicken for more protein.

Mini Bagel with Cream Cheese and Fresh Fruit

We also rely on mini bagels often from the grocery store and this can be great for picky eaters since it’s pretty colorless.

To get something different than just peanut butter, try cream cheese as a spread, or even mashed avocado.

I will usually pear with grapes (make sure to slice vertically to reduce choking hazard for small toddlers/kids) or pear slices, baby carrots, and add some hemp seeds on to the cream cheese for some extra nutrition.

Tuna or Salmon Patties

Seafood, especially fatty fish, provides essential omega-3 fatty acids, like DHA and EPA. These are important for growing children too!

We love these zucchini salmon patties, but you could leave the zucchini out if you wanted to.

We like to offer salmon patties to kids once a week, so it becomes a familiar option. These salmon patties are easy to serve in a toddler lunchbox for school.

I like to pair with green beans and naan bread or whole-grain crackers.

Hotdogs or Mini Hotdogs

You can buy hotdogs from the store (pork-based, beef based, chicken based, plant-based), or you could also make your own!

Kids love hotdogs, but to make them more nutritious, I try to opt for nitrate-free options, like Applegate Farms, or uncured grass-fed beef hotdogs.

Beef is very nutritious for growing toddlers – here are several ground beef recipes for toddlers.

Deconstructed Burger Bowls

A burger may be difficult for a toddler to handle and eat, but deconstructing it into a bowl can work well for a lunchbox or lunch at home for toddlers.

Mix ground beef, rice or another grain (like couscous, quinoa, barley, farro, etc.) in a bowl and add some diced veggies. I may do sliced cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and spiralized carrots if I’m feeling fancy!

Broccoli, cauliflower and peppers are some other options.

Yogurt Parfait

I love dairy for meals and snacks with kids because it packs a protein punch, as well as bone-building calcium and Vitamin D!

Yogurt is a great way to get extra protein in. Sometimes, I’ll make a bowl of yogurt and add fruit, chia seeds, flax seeds and sprinkles for a fun and colorful lunch idea for toddlers.

You can also add in cheerios, pumpkin granola or their favorite cereal.

Chili

Chili is a hit in our house! It’s my favorite way to get beans and legumes into my children. It’s so tasty and can be personalized to your preferences.

Pumpkin chicken chili is on repeat throughout the year in our house, and I also make a delicious turkey sweetpotato chili.

If serving lunch to my toddlers at home, I’ll serve it in a toddler bowl (I love the sleeves on the outer part to prevent little hands from touching extra hot things) with some tortilla chips and topped with greek yogurt.

If I’m sending it as a school lunch idea for my toddler, I’ll put it in this thermos or Omie lunch box to keep it warm.

I’ll typically pack some tortilla chips in a stasher bag on the side, or a fudgy beet chocolate muffin.

Soup

Soup can also be easy toddler lunches. Pairing a small bowl of soup with half of a sandwich (grilled cheese, pb&j, egg sandwich, etc.) can be a balanced lunch idea!

This easy butternut squash chicken soup or pumpkin sweetpotato soup would be a good start.

I will usually serve soup with some nuts or seeds for healthy fats and some bread with butter.

Mini Waffles or Pancakes

For the moms who loves to meal prep, mini waffles and pancakes can be a life saver! I love making big batches of these and then freezing leftovers for later.

I put them into the lunchbox frozen, and they are thawed and ready to eat by the time it’s lunchtime.

You could also pack a small container of peanut butter, yogurt or syrup to add on top!

Both of these sweetpotato waffles and baby pancakes are easy to make in a mini waffle maker or as pancakes!

Chia Pudding

Chia pudding is a great way to get fiber and nutrients from chia seeds, like iron, protein and calcium, in.

You basically mix chia seeds and a liquid (cow’s milk, soy milk, almond milk, etc.) and in hours, the chia seeds expand and thicken the liquid.

This banana chia pudding and chocolate cherry pudding are great places to start.

You can also add fruit, nuts/seeds to these as well.

Fish Sticks

Whether you buy store-bought fish sticks or make your own like these gluten-free fish sticks with cod, this is another great way to serve seafood to toddlers.

Fish sticks are common as toddler meals, and these are upgraded with a quinoa coating.

Mini Pizzas

Mini pizzas is a pretty ubiquitous well-loved toddler meal idea. You could make them on english muffins, tortillas, or pizza dough.

These air fryer pizza bites are similar, too!

Let your toddlers help you with the toppings (or choose them!) so they have more agency in consuming them. We love to use shredded chicken or turkey pepperoni and diced peppers.

It’s rare I can fit any other veggies on their mini pizzas, but I may serve some green beans and berries on the side.

Rotisserie Chicken

Rotisserie chicken is a great no-prep protein option to keep on hand for the whole family. It pairs nicely with rice, pasta, or even a piece of toast!

I like to serve some warm veggies alongside, like broccoli florets, green beans or warmed carrots.

Bento Box Lunches and Snacks

Many families may choose to offer or serve kids lunches in bento boxes because they separate the food and make it more visually appealing.

After all, we do eat with our eyes!

These are some of my favorite bento box lunch boxes, but there are several options.

• Omie lunch box
• Bentgo box – chill and spill proof! Some models come with a built in ice pack.
• Bentgo snack box – Good for those smaller or snack lunches!
• Munchkin Betgo Box

Also, here are some bento box food ideas. I like these because they seem more like snacks to kids (and snacks are exciting!), but they do accumulate to provide a balanced meal.

If you want some exciting, healthy kid snack ideas (especially ones that cater to diets like dairy-free or gluten-free), make sure to check out Thrive Market!

• Cheese cubes, whole grain crackers, berries or kiwi, and turkey roll-ups
• Scrambled eggs, roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes, and blueberries
• Hummus, pita strips or naan bread, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and apple slices. If your child doesn’t have a nut allergy or attend a nut-free school, you can also add almonds or pistachios.
• Tortilla (cut into fourths) with peanut butter, crunchy chickpeas, mandarins and sweet mini bell peppers with hummus
• Cucumber “Sushi” Rolls – Sliced turkey or fresh avocado wrapped in a thin cucumber slice
• Peanut butter coins with banana in the middle (a mini peanut-butter banana sandwich), hard-boiled eggs, pea crisps or chickpea puffs and string cheese