5 Minute Lunch Ideas for School (2024)

By Laura Fuentes on Aug 30, 2018 Updated May 19, 2023

If you have 5 minutes, have enough time to pack a fresh lunch because these quick lunch ideas are everything you need to get awesome lunches in that lunchbox and get out of the house on time. #Winning

It’s no secret that by the third or fourth week of school we, parents, can often find all of our back-to-school routine goals and meal prep expectations become more distant and out of reach. Things can get so busy!

But I’m here to tell you to not give up on making fresh and healthy lunches for you and the kids -yes, you’ve got to eat too! A healthy lunch is less about it looking like it belongs on an Instagram feed and more about being prepared the night before. Fresh food is good so high-five!

Watch this video to see a few of our favorite quick and easy lunches and then read on for more info!

How to Pack Easy School Lunches

First, let’s go over a tip or two about packing lunches ahead of time:

1. Keep it simple!

I find items that are easy to put in a lunchbox and can be used multiple ways such as wraps, leftover pasta, veggies, fresh fruit, hard-boiled eggs, deli cuts, and grilled chicken are all great ways to keep it simple while without sacrificing flavor or nutrients.

Building a lunch from staples will set you up in the smooth and fast track to lunch packing success a.k.a not being in the kitchen for hours every Sunday!

Here are some ideas to help you find inspiration, using one main ingredient at a time.

• 5 School Lunches with Ham
• 5 Lunch Ideas with Egg Salad
• 5 Hummus Lunches
• 5 School Lunch Ideas with Hard-Boiled Eggs
• 5 Turkey Lunches for School

If you’re looking for loads of lunch delicious lunch ideas for kids, then you need my book, 101 Packed Lunches!

101 Packed Lunches eBook

All my best kid-friendly lunches from over a decade of creating meal plans. Add some variety to your child’s lunchbox with these epic lunches, plus receive myPack Meals Like a Pro ebook, free with purchase!

Grab the Book!

2. Start with the right lunch containers

This might not seem like it would make a difference but believe me it does! Having the right lunch containers on hand is essential to avoiding the classic sorting through a pile of lidless plastic containers, only to find none of them fit in your kid’s lunch box.

Starting with a compartmentalized lunch container and filling in the compartments with healthy options is key to quick packing.

Check out this video where I show you my top picks for great containers and shop all of them here on Amazon.

Healthy School Lunch Ideas

Now that you’ve got the when and the how of lunch packing, let’s get on with the “what do you pack inside a lunchbox?” question.

1. Crunchy Turkey Pinwheels

Deli turkey, fresh veggies all wrapped up in a tortilla! Cut it into pinwheels or leave it whole to make a wrap.

2. BLT Salad

Simple and SO GOOD it takes less than five minutes to assemble if you boil the eggs and cook the bacon ahead of time.

3. Hummus Veggie Sandwich

One of my favorite ways to use hummus! Feel free to add any of your favorite deli cuts to make it even more hearty.

Find more lunch ideas with hummus here.

4. Pizza Pasta Salad

Leftover pasta from dinner (or cooked ahead), cheese, pepperoni, black olives, and lunch is ready!

5. Turkey and Cheese Roll-Ups

It’s practically a sandwich without the bread…..

6. Mediterranean Bistro Box

I love creating bistro/bento boxes since the ingredients are always simple and ready to be packed into lunch containers!

7. Salmon Salad Pitas

It’s like tuna salad but so much better!

It’s safe to say that I take lunch pretty seriously but I also want to make it fun to eat for my 3 kids. And I’m thrilled to share with you the tips and tricks that have helped me pack quick lunches for my kids.

And if you’re still learning to master cooking for your family fresh and simple meals, check out my ebook, 101 Packed Lunches. It will provide all the lunchbox inspiration you need for the entire school year.

What are some of your go-to quick school lunch ideas?