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Easy Summer Lunches for Kids
- May 2, 2024
- Last Updated: September 9, 2024
- 0 Comments
- Recipes
These ideas for easy summer lunches for kids come together quickly and can help prevent you from spending hours in the kitchen so you can enjoy the summer weather and summer activities!
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Summer break is finally approaching. For us, it means more time outside, beach days, play dates at the park, and pool fun.
I love to cook, but on a beautifully sunny day, it’s hard to be cooped up in the kitchen.
I’ll often rely on many of these easy ideas when you don’t know what to eat for some inspiration.
These easy summer lunches for kids can help keep those busy kiddos fed and nourished while minimizing your time in the kitchen.
Tips for Making Summer Lunches for Kids
It seems like when school is out, we lose sight of our normal routine and everyone is hungry ALL THE TIME. We get one meal cleaned up, and it’s time for the next.
Truthfully, even I don’t want to meal prep – especially with younger kids. I want to be making memories!
If we’re out on the trail, you bet we’re packing some of our favorite hiking snacks for kids!
So, here are some tips to to help keep your summer meals for kids light, fun and healthy.
Try to Stick To a Routine
As difficult as it may be (you may just randomly decide to go to the pool!), having some sort of eating routine helps so kids know a general sense of when to expect meals.
Plus, it can help with them eating more at meals and less at snacks if kids know what to expect for meal times and when to expect them.
If you won’t be at home, taking these summer lunches on the road is a great strategy!
Add In Some Fun
Sure, there’s nothing wrong with sandwiches or boxed mac and cheese, but it’s good to mix it up.
I recently posted several lunch ideas that aren’t sandwiches, but today, I wanted to focus on the summer meals for kids – because we can make nutritious lunches on these warm days.
When raising intuitive eaters, you want to feel hopeful that they’ll eat what you eat.
That includes salads, shrimp tacos, and other “grown-up” lunches, etc.
But let’s be honest – even as an adult, you don’t want a salad or the same sandwich every day. We need new ideas and fun ones!
Remember, kids are still young, and their meal etiquette may not be that of an adult’s, nor should it be!
You can incorporate some of these food activities for toddlers and have fun with lunch.
Make a face on a plate, let them try several new dips, add a fun treat to their plate – these are just some of many ideas you can utilize to spice up your lunch schedule.
My kids have always loved making a kid-friendly cheese plate with pretzels, olives, hummus and pepperoni.
Incorporate Summer Produce
We’ve become accustomed to having most fruits and vegetables available to us year-round. But certain things just scream, “Summer!”
Foods like watermelon, beets, strawberries, blueberries, green beans, cherries, corn, and tomatoes come down in price when they’re in season in the summer months.
You can likely find these locally or at your local farmers market.
Plus, when they are grown locally, the nutrient density is better because it is fresher.
Maybe you can even pick some of your own berries or local produce!
Summer produce is a great way to get nutrients into your hungry and growing kiddos. It tastes better when it’s in season.
I love to stock my fridge with in-season fruits and veggies. And while I enjoy fresh salads with the produce, I try to find different uses for the kiddos.
With a little prep up front, my kids get a nutritious side that comes together in minutes on a warm sunny day.
Plus, if you’re serving to babies, just make sure to cut things appropriately or try some of these lunch ideas for 12 month olds!
Here are some summer staples to keep on hand for those healthy summer snacks for kids.
- Melon: Cantaloupe, watermelon, or honeydew melon are all refreshing and hydrating—perfect for those hot summer days. Here are some creative ways to eat watermelon.
- Berries: Summer berries are so sweet! Some people like to wash and thoroughly dry berries before storing them in the fridge. But it’s recommended that you wait until you’re ready to eat them to wash them to make them last longer.
- Green beans: I can get large bags of green beans from the farmer’s market and they’re super affordable. My kids like to snack on them raw, but my favorite way to prep them as air fryer frozen green beans.
- Tomatoes: Nothing tastes better than a tomato in season—especially sweet and juicy grape or cherry tomatoes. They are an easy veggie to plate for kids.
- Cucumbers: Crisp and crunchy, cucumber slices can be added to a lunch meal for extra hydration.
- Stone fruits: Fruits like peaches, plums, and nectarines are more abundant in the summer season.
- Bell peppers: Sliced bell peppers add a pop of color to your child’s plate, and they are up there with citrus fruits in their vitamin C content.
Here are some other recipes the whole family can enjoy that incorporate these summer foods:
- Shrimp Tacos with Watermelon Salsa
- 5 Ingredient Cantaloupe Mango Smoothie
- Cantaloupe Salad with Mozzarella
- Summer Spinach Chicken Strawberry Salad
- Healthy Cranberry Strawberry Chia Jam (pair with peanut butter for a spin on the classic PB&J)
- Easy Bruschetta Chicken Sandwich
- Chickpea Pepper Poppers
Incorporate Easy Lunches Kids Can Make
As your kids get a little older, it’s nice to have ingredients on hand for them to whip up a lunch themselves – things like deli meats, chicken salad, tuna salad, a chocolate black bean smoothie, a prepared cool pasta salad, etc.
A fun and easy way for your kiddo to get creative at mealtime is for them to make their own snack plate.
Using a plate or a muffin tin, they can add a variety of foods they like.
Encourage them to round out their snack plate with different nutrients. I like to do this for a picnic lunch!
Besides fresh seasonal produce and whole grains, like crackers, you’ll want them to add some protein.
Have protein for kids lunches, like hard-boiled eggs, rotisserie chicken, quinoa, deli meat, hot dogs, black beans, cheese stick, yogurt, cottage cheese, nuts and seeds, or legumes on hand.
These lentil recipes for toddlers and bean recipes for toddlers are easy to hide in many things.
Here are some other ideas that kids may be able to make themselves.
- Quesadillas – draw inspiration from these ground beef recipes for toddlers
- Grilled cheese sandwiches
- Tuna salad or tuna pasta salad
- Wraps
- Pasta salad
- English muffin or flatbread pizzas
- Smoothie bowl
Easy to Pack Lunches for Kids
Headed to the beach, park, or pool? Packing a lunch is a great way to save money and serve something nutritious to your kids.
If you have a cooler and an ice pack, you can bring several fun lunches on-the-go.
First, there are bento box lunches. Much like the snack plate, you can pack your kids a little buffet of foods in a bentgo lunchbox.
Wraps, sandwiches, and pita pockets are easy to prep ahead and pack with you.
You can also bring cold pasta salads, cherry overnight oats, green salads, or yogurt parfaits.
These delicious Taco Beef Sushi rolls are fun for kids to make and eat—and take only 10 minutes to prepare.
Easy Summer Lunch Ideas for Kids
Finally, I’ve got some RD-approved recipes that can act as kid lunch ideas for summer.
Easy Summer Lunches for Kids
A nutrient-packed sandwich that doesn't sacrifice any of the flavor! It can be made in under 15 minutes and boasts a nice balance of sweet and savory.
These easy 4-ingredient baby led weaning meatballs are not only easy to prepare, but are the perfect, nutritious meatball recipe for baby led weaning and toddler feeding.
Taco Beef Sushi mixes the flavors of a taco with the style of sushi in a Tako Maki wrap. Topped with spicy, shredded jerky, fresh cilantro and radish slivers, and garnished with fresco crumbles and tortilla strips, enjoy this beef sushi for a fun twist on your typical sushi night.
This is the perfect salad for a get together or summer lunch. With the array of colors and whirl of nutritional benefits, this salad hits all the bright spots!
Mango Quinoa Salad is gluten free and a fun spin on pasta salad. Full of light and refreshing veggies, it's an easy and delicious summer quinoa salad.
This Easy Chicken Apple Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner is ready in 20 minutes and family-friendly! Sheet pan chicken sausage and potatoes is healthy, quick, and requires minimal prep and clean up.
This cantaloupe salad with mint, pineapple and cous cous is a light, colorful and flavorful summer side salad. Plus, this salad with cantaloupe and pineapple meshes perfectly with creamy mozzarella and a light olive oil dressing for a nutritious mint fruit salad.
BBQ roasted chickpeas are the perfect crunchy snack, or easy to throw on salads, stir fries and more. Barbecue chickpeas are full of that barbecue flavor you know and love.
This quinoa and sweet potato salad blends savory quinoa and sweet potatoes with a variety of fresh fruit options, topped with a smooth citrus honey dressing.
This colorful vegan couscous salad is a great addition to your summer picnic or bbq. It's filled with fresh summer veggies, whole grains and plant protein.
Looking for an easy one pot meal recipe? This plant forward instant pot quinoa with vegetables is ready in minutes, and brings a healthy twist of Mediterranean flavors.
This easy broccoli orzo salad is a great make ahead summer recipe that's accented with a delicious lemon honey dressing. It's ready in minutes and the best way to enjoy an orzo salad with broccoli.
If you like tacos and pasta, this one pot taco tortellini is a brilliant blend of the two! It's ready in under 20 minutes and is a great, family-friendly meal!
Lemon Pepper Baked Chicken Tenders are a family favorite, and great alongside your favorite dip and grains. Ready in about 20 minutes, they're made with only a handful of ingredients!
This Crispy Air Fryer Tempeh covered in a delicious tempeh peanut sauce is a 20 minute vegan air fryer recipe that everyone will love!
These Turkey Apple Burgers are the perfect combination of tasty and nutritious, filled with fruits and vegetables! They are ideal for throwing on the grill, enjoying al fresco, or for entertaining a crowd, and perfect for kids, toddlers and adults.
This Summer Strawberry Chicken Salad is the perfect blend of fruity, sweet and savory. Topped with strawberry marinated chicken, it's the perfect way to eat a strawberry summer salad, topped with a cool, refreshing honey lime dressing.
These Cheesy Sweet Potatoes only require 6 ingredients and are the perfect mix of sweet and savory. A cheesy and buttery outside combines with a soft and sweet inside that will tantalize your tastebuds.
Air Fryer Parsnips are an easy and healthy side option, ready in just 20 minutes. Honey mustard parsnips combine honey, dijon mustard and a handful of spices for a healthy veggie side.
Air Fryer turkey burgers are juicy, quick and tasty. Make these to perfection every time!
These air fryer bison burgers are flavorful, ready in minutes, and an easy way to make bison burgers. Top them with your favorite spreads and enjoy an easy lunch!
Don't discount these air fryer pizza bites! Made with pepperoni, peppers, crescent rolls and cheese, these air fryer pizza crescent rolls are a family-friendly, easy and quick meal.
These Roasted Chickpea Cauliflower Sandwiches are an easy plant-based, vegetarian meal option. The roasted chickpeas give a satisfying crunch and extra flavor and you can add any veggies you have on hand.
Skip the mayo - this tuna with greek yogurt helps prevent that dry tuna taste, and the combination of feta cheese and dill spices brings out a refreshing flavor!
These Teriyaki Pineapple Salmon Patties are an easy, flavorful recipe ready in 15 minutes and full of healthy fats, protein and flavor. Easy to pair with a salad, or throw on a bun or sandwich, these teriyaki patties make for great meal prep dinners and leftovers, too!
These quinoa pizza bites are the perfect toddler quinoa bites or quinoa appetizer. Filled with greens, tomatoes, breadcrumbs, and cheese, these veggie quinoa bites taste like healthy mini pizza bites.
These Sweet Potato Pretzel Bites look fancy but are an easy sweet potato appetizer recipe, great for any time of day. They provide a combination of sweet, savory and salty and are quite addicting!
This is the best Bruschetta Chicken Sandwich. It's ready in under 20 minutes, and blends flavors of basil, tomatoes, sundried tomatoes and balsamic in a juicy and delicious sandwich.
This Healthy Sweetpotato Mac and Cheese is the answer to your cheesy pasta dreams. A mixture of whole wheat pasta, mashed sweetpotato, cheese and kale make this sweetpotato pasta bake a winner!
This Toddler Mac and Cheese with pears is the easiest pasta for toddlers and also works as some of the best pasta for babies. It's ready in 15 minutes, only uses one pot, and combines fruits and vegetables!
This Mediterranean Vegan Cold Pasta Salad is a creamy, colorful plant based pasta recipe. Swap out your typical pasta salad recipe for this healthy, roasted vegetable pasta salad.
These turkey and cheese roll ups are a quick and easy no cook lunch! A veggie-filled twist on a classic turkey and cheese pinwheel perfect for the summer.
For kids who love hummus, here's a lunch-friendlier way to have it beyond just as a dip!
These light sandwiches are perfect for summer or even a picnic, and a tasty way to get in some extra veggies.
This creamy beet hummus is delicious, and it's a fun bright pink/red color that kids will love! Serve with crunchy veggies and crackers for a perfect, nutrient-packed lunchbox idea.
This savory tuna salad is made without any mayo, but is just as flavorful! Creamy avocado is mixed in for some healthy fats. Kids will love this alongside crackers or on a sandwich!
Sarah Schlichter is a Registered Dietitian with a Master’s in Public Health Nutrition. As a mom of 3, she specializes in family nutrition, sports nutrition and intuitive eating. She also co-hosts the podcast, Managing Mealtime Madness. Learn More About Sarah
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