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You are here: Home / Recipe Ideas / 19 of The Best Lunch Box Treats Kids Will Want To Eat

19 of The Best Lunch Box Treats Kids Will Want To Eat

Recipe Ideas

31 Jul
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Selection of 19 lunch box treats that the kids are going to love taking to school. These treats are tasty, fun and also really simple to make.

These are some savory and sweet lunch box ideas that will make going back to school that little bit more desirable.  

The quick and easy recipes are perfect for the back to school rush and also great for those picky eaters!

Selection of 19 fun lunch box treats that the kids are going to love taking to school. These treats are tasty, fun and also really simple to make.  These are some savory and sweet lunch box ideas that will make going back to school that little bit more desirable. The quick and easy recipes are perfect for the back to school rush and also great for those picky eaters!

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  • 12 Insanely Tasty Sweet Muffins That Are Actually Healthy For You

Kids are fussy eaters, there is no doubt about that. 

What they love one week, they will suddenly hate the next. 

Filling a lunch box can become a complete headache as half the time you know the food will be arriving home in that box at the end of the day.

To avoid the frustration and to ensure an empty lunch box at the end of the day, adding some variety is key. 

All these lunch box treats will be loved by the kids. Some of them can be prepared in advance and stocked up in the freezer to grab when you need.

If kids have fun with their lunch, they are more likely to eat it.

The lunch box treats are split up between sweet and savory ideas. 

By choosing a selection of these, the kids are going to have a feast!

Savory Lunch Box Treats

1. Sweetcorn Muffins

Source: Smart Party Planning

Kids love muffins. Whether they are sweet or savory muffins, they will always be a hit. 

These easy sweetcorn muffins definitely fit into that category.

They are bite sized which makes them perfect for the lunch box, and with a super simple recipe, the kids can also help prepare them.

Easy sweetcorn muffins recipe for kids

2. Cheese Straws

Source: Smart Party Planning

These quick and easy cheese straws are perfect for the kids lunch box.

They can be whipped up as soon as the kids get home from school for a quick snack and then extra’s made for the lunch box the next couple of days. 

Plus, they taste super yummy.

Plate of cheese straws

3. Veggie Pizza Pockets

Source: Smart Party Planning

Do you know of any kids that don’t like pizza? 

No, I don’t either! 

That makes these veggie pizza pockets perfect for the lunch box.

They are a lot of fun and can be changed up with lots of different filing ideas.

Homemade Veggie Pizza Pockets with black beans

4. Baked Cheesy Cauliflower Bites

Source: Smart Party Planning

These baked cheesy cauliflower bites are perfect for getting some extra veggies into the kids, without them even realizing they are eating them!

They are perfect for adding a bit of fun to the lunch box.

Baked Cheesy Cauliflower Bites

5. Sweet Potato Muffins

Source: April Golighty

Everyone loves muffins. They are fun food, and they are also very filling. 

This makes them perfect for the lunch box. 

These sweet potato muffins are not only healthy but incredibly yummy too.

Kids will love the sweet taste of the potato whilst also having a nutritious and filling snack. 

They are a win win.

Sweet potato muffins

6. Veggie Egg Cups

Source: Recipes From A Pantry

The secret to getting kids to eat their veggies is to make them fun. That’s exactly what has been done with these veggie egg cups.

They look fun and inviting, and would be the perfect size for some lunch box snacks.

Veggie Egg Cups

7. Hungry Hippo Sandwiches

Source: Two Healthy Kitchens

It’s easy to see why kids get bored of sandwiches in their lunch box, so imagine their surprise if they opened it and saw these hungry hippo sandwiches.

I think they would bring a few smiles to the face don’t you think?

Hungry Hippo Sandwiches

8. Pin Wheel Sandwich Kabobs

Source: Two Healthy Kitchens

If we want our kids to eat what’s in their lunch box, then it needs to be fun

That’s exactly what you get with these pin wheel sandwich kabobs.

If the lunch box isn’t big enough to fit the skewer in, you could easily cut it in half and make two smaller one’s.

Pin Wheel Sandwich Kabobs

9. Veggie Cream Cheese Roll Up’s

Source: Big Flavors From A Tiny Kitchen

Another variation on the pin wheel’s are these veggie cream cheese roll up’s.

You can make these with any veggies that you have to hand and the veggies that you know the kids will eat.

The kids will love the cream cheese holding it all together.

Veggie Cream Cheese Roll Up's

10. Grilled Cheese Kabobs

Source: My Gluten Free Kitchen

Love the idea of the kabobs? 

These grilled cheese kabobs would also be a very welcome surprise.

They look fun to eat, and they taste great, so this makes them the perfect lunch box snacks.

Grilled Cheese Kabobs

11. Gluten & Dairy Free Goldfish

Source: Strength & Sunshine

These goldfish crackers are gluten and dairy free. 

This makes them the perfect lunch box snacks that the little one’s can tuck into.

Gluten and Dairy Free Goldfish

Sweet Lunch Box Treats

Whilst we want to pack healthy lunch box’s for our kids, we also want to make them fun. 

Our kids are at school 5 days out of 7, so a little bit of fun in the lunch box would certainly brighten up their day.

I also use the sweet treats as a bit of a bribing factor.

If my daughter doesn’t eat her lunch at school, there are no sweet treats in the lunch box the next day. 

It might not be the best parenting technique, but you have to run with what works right?

Besides, provided that everything is in moderation, I don’t see that there is a problem with providing a little sweet treat here and there. 

It’s also about portion control.

You might be able to slip in some super sweet lunch box treats, but provided that it is a small portion, it’s not going to hurt.

Of course these are not ALL super sweet, there are some healthier lunch box treats here too. 

Mix them up and have a little bit of fun with that “sweet treat section” of the lunch box.

12. Simple Flapjacks

Source: Smart Party Planning

I pretty much grew up on these simple flapjacks. 

Mom would make them for all sorts of occasions and they were definitely good as lunch box treats.

They are also incredibly quick and easy to make, which is a bonus!

Flapjack Recipe

13. Blueberry Banana Mini Muffins

Source: Smart Party Planning

Muffins are always a great ‘go to’ for lunch box treats. 

These blueberry banana mini muffins are perfect for little hands, plus they look fun and inviting to eat.

Blueberry Banana Mini Muffins

14. Fruit Oat Cookies

Source: Smart Party Planning

Not only are these fruit oat cookies incredibly delicious, but they are healthy for you too. 

This makes them the perfect sweet lunch box treat for the kids.

They won’t know they are healthy, and if you don’t tell them, they will want to gobble up the lot!

Fruity Oat Cookies

15. Banana Puffs

Source: Smart Party Planning

These banana puffs are great to whip up as an after school snack, but also to then put in the lunch box for the following day.

They are melt in the mouth goodness that kids absolutely love.

Banana puffs

16. Chocolate Cookie Bars

Source: Smart Party Planning

Chocolate cookie bars are the ultimate lunch box treats, and you can’t go wrong with this recipe. 

As long as they are cut into small size bars, seeing one of these in the lunch box would create a lot of excitement.

Chocolate cookie Bars

17. Rainbow Granola Bars

Source: Peas And Crayons

These chewy no-bake rainbow granola bars are the perfect lunch box treats. 

They are far better for you than any store bought bars, but they are just as much fun.

Rainbow Granola Bars

18. Banana Split Granola Kabobs

Source: Big Flavors From A Tiny Kitchen

How delicious do these banana split granola kabobs look. 

These kabobs are not only fun, but also peanut allergy friendly.

They would also be awesome packed with a mini yogurt pot for dipping!

Banana Split Granola Kabobs

19. Gluten Free Rice Krispie Treats

Source: Strength and Sunshine

Kids always love rice krispie treats and they are perfect for lunch box treats. 

These ones are gluten free, sugar free and vegan! That means all kids can eat and enjoy them.

Gluten Free Rice Krispie Treats

Regardless of whether your kids is a fussy eater or not, trying a selection of these lunch box treats will certainly mix up the boredom.

Start the new school year off with some fun lunch box fillings, and make batches to put in the freezer so you are not stressing later in the year. 

If you can be a little bit prepared now, it will be easier to keep up these lunch box treats as the year goes on.

Have you tried one in particular that the kids loved? I’d love for you to share your experience below.

Lunch box treats kids will want to eat

Need some more recipe ideas? Check out our entire range of party food ideas that are perfect for the kids and adults too. There are plenty of homemade birthday cakes, cupcakes, cookies, chocolate popcorn and other delicious recipes that guests will all love.

Let’s stay in touch.  Did you love the selection of lunch box treats?  Sign up to the newsletter to keep updated with future easy recipes, party and printable ideas.  You will also have access to a ton of free printable’s from our printable library.

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About Catherine Holt

Catherine Holt is the founder of Smart Party Planning. She is a stay at home mum with a passion for celebrating life’s little moments, with creative yet budget friendly ideas. Catherine often has a camera in hand capturing everyday events and is a self obsessed chocoholic! She loves connecting with other mum's on the blog and sharing party planning tips and tricks. Get all the answers to every aspect of party planning with her eBook today! If you want to hold a party with that ‘wow’ factor and have it tailored to the person you’re holding it for then this eBook is for you. Let Catherine take the stress and headache out of organizing your next party or event.

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Hi there, I'm Catherine. I'm a wife, mother of two and I love to celebrate life's little moments.

Welcome to Smart Party Planning where I provide easy ideas that every mom can implement regardless of baking or crafting skills. Simplicity is the name of the game. Read More…

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