Back To School Lunch Ideas

School is back in session for a lot of kids. Our school district starts next week then my boys go back to school (aka Mothers Day Out) the following week. I'm a part of some mom groups on Facebook and such a common question is "what do you pack in your toddlers lunch box?" Today I thought I'd share what I put in my boys lunches + what they take their school lunches in.

I am a big fan of the Skip Hop lunch items. They're really cute and there's so many options available. Campbell and Bennett both carry a Skip Hop lunch box and it has worked out perfectly over the last few years. What I like about all of the Skip Hop items is that they fit together in the lunch boxes perfectly. I usually just pack the lunch kit + the straw bottle but if I want to mix it up and send something hot for lunch, the thermos is perfect and does a great job of keeping their food nice and warm!
My kids are kind of picky so I struggle with lunch ideas myself. I tend to send the same things over and over. I asked one of the teachers if I'm the only mom that always sends the same stuff every time and she said that most kids come with the same foods in their lunch boxes. That made me feel better! I try my hardest to do a variety and also do foods that are neat and clean. I don't want the teachers to have to deal with messes so that automatically eliminates my food selection.
My go-to "main dishes" tend to be:
-Almond Butter & Jelly Sandwiches (our school is peanut free but we can do almond butter)
-Chicken Nuggets, Corn Dogs, Pizza, Quesadillas, or Grilled Cheese Sandwiches in the thermos
-Zucchini Bread (I get it from Fresh Market)
My "sides" are always
-Chips/Goldfish/Crunchies/Crackers
-Fruit
-Yogurt (I stick it in the freezer about 20 minutes before we leave to ensure it stays cold)
-Fruit snacks
-Cheese sticks
-Applesauce

It's basically the same things over and over but my kids don't seem to get tired of it. We also have to send a mid-morning snack option and since it's still early I prefer to do a breakfast type food. I'll send a package of mini muffins, cereal, a granola bar, etc.

Another way I like to pack lunches is by sending a Yumbox. I feel like not a lot of people know about Yumboxes and they are so great! They're compartmentalized into different categories and Campbell LOVES eating out of them. His teachers say he always gets super excited about it. Whenever I pack Campbell's Yumbox I usually put tiny almond butter and jelly squares in the grains box, fruit in both the fruit and veggies section, veggie straws, crackers, goldfish, etc in the protein box, and a tube of Choboni yogurt fits perfectly (if you fold it in half) in the dairy section. In the tiny circle section I let him have a fun treat like fruit snacks, yogurt melts, M&M's, Teddy Graham's, etc. It really is a fun way to pack his lunch and I want to order one for Bennett to have this year as well!

So that's how I pack my boys lunches! I actually ordered Campbell a new lunch box from Pottery Barn Kids for his new school year. It just seemed like it was time for a new lunch box. I haven't used it yet so I'm not sure how we'll like it. I've been so happy with the Skip Hop ones so it has a lot to live up to! Do you have any back to school lunch ideas? Leave them in the comments!