Hi friends! I'm a dietitian and a mom of three, so trust me — I know the lunch struggle. I'm here to make it a little easier.

I've been sharing my kids' lunches on Instagram for about five years now, and since I'm packing three lunches these days, it felt like time to update this post with fresh ideas.

My style is honestly pretty throw-together. This week/year is the first time I've made a real effort to meal plan and prep for lunches, and that's only because having three lunches, three days a week finally pushed me over the edge.

Here's what I want you to hear: every kid eats differently, even when they're raised in the same house with the same rules and the same exposures. I have one who eats only protein, one who lives on bread and cheese, and one who eats just about everything except chocolate. I couldn't make it up if I tried. So don't get discouraged by what you see on social media. If you don't have the time or the willpower to plan and prep lunches, that's okay. I hope this post puts your mind at ease.

And one last thing — these are REAL meals I fed my kids. The photos were taken late at night and early in the morning, in the chaos of getting out the door. They aren't Instagram perfect. They're real life.

A few things worth knowing before we dive in:

No PB&J here. My oldest was a dairy-free baby and toddler, and he ate so much peanut butter and jelly during those years that he really doesn't like it now, so that's not as prevalent as it could be.
Nut rules changed along the way. This post spans four years of lunches, and school policies shifted over time. For a while, none of our schools were nut-free unless there was an allergy in the class. Right now, my oldest can have nuts in the lunchroom but not the classroom, and preschool is a no-go entirely.
We were light on crackers for a while. My oldest couldn't tolerate Cheez-Its, Annie's Bunnies, Goldfish, or anything like them until he was almost five — they gave him orange diarrhea. So if this post seems short on those, I promise I'm not an elitist. He just couldn't handle them.
My very loose formula: protein/fat + treat + grain carb + fruit + veggie.
No cute shapes here. I work almost full-time with three kids. I don't have time to cut sandwiches into stars. If that's your love language, go for it! If it's not, don't give it a second thought. I don't send notes either in pre k or kinder — they can't read yet.
I get the kids involved when I can. Sometimes I just throw it together myself, but I think giving them a hand in it (and some responsibility) is good for them.
I always pack the night before and stick it in the fridge.
The vegetables come home untouched. Every time. I still pack them.
Drinks vary by kid. I used to send a juice box or milk for everyone. Now only my middle child gets one, because he's the only one who drinks it. The oldest doesn't, and the youngest is a nap-potty-accident risk, so no extra fluids for her.
I don't buy treats specifically for lunchboxes — I just use whatever we have. And let's be honest, even when you're not "buying treats," they somehow end up in your house anyway. Oh and treat policy change all the time with different schools and teachers, right now the preschoolers are not allowed any treats (insert my eye roll.)
Picky-eater status: my oldest two are moderately picky, and the youngest is a pretty good eater so far. I credit daycare, where everyone ate the same food, versus my older two who had childcare at home and got to pick.
And the big one: what works for my kid may not work for yours! This is for inspiration only. My kids have a ton of preferences that shape how these lunches come together.

Supplies

For a full list of my preferred lunch supplies and tips for packing them, check out this post.

General things I keep on hand for lunches:

Fruit
Organic String Cheese (Costco)
Grain-based snacks like veggie straws, Harvest Pea Crisps, Simple Mills almond flour crackers, and pretzels.
Bars (for emergencies and for changing it up) - perfect bars, Lara bars, Trader Joe's bars
Ham or Turkey
Eggs

2023-2024 School Year

The following lunches are from 2023 when my oldest was in Pre K:

Lunch 1: strawberries, snap peas, gummy worms, pretzel crisps, and a perfect bar (Costco).

Lunch 2: Peaches, candy, pretzel crisps, perfect bar (Costco), and snap peas.

Lunch 3 - mandarin oranges, raisins, cheese stick (Costco), pepperoni, Nature's Bakery brownie bar, and cucumbers.

Lunch 4 - Banana Oat Blender Pancakes with chocolate chips (he likes them cold), snap peas, Justin's Maple Almond Butter (Thrive Market), and Mandarins

Lunch 5- Nature's Bakery brownie bar, snap peas, mandarins, cheese stick (Costco), raisins, a slice of Dave's Killer Bread

Lunch 6 - perfect bar (Costco), Harvest Pea Crisps (Costco), Chocolate chips, raisins, cheese sticks (Costco)

Lunch 7 - Honey Ham (uncured), Strawberries, Yum Earth Fruit Snacks, Harvest Pea Crisps (Costco), Carrots, leftover Perfect Bar from breakfast

Lunch 8 - Honey Ham (uncured), Medjool Dates Pitted, Yum Earth Fruit Snacks, Harvest Pea Crisps (Costco), Carrots, organic cheese stick (Costco)

Lunch 9 - Uncured pepperoni, Horizon Organic Cheesestick (Costco), Raspberries, Chocolate Chips, pretzel crisps, Trader Joe's ABC bars

Lunch 10 - Thrive Market Salt and Vinegar Chips, ABC Bar Trader Joe's, Strawberries, Chocolate chips, Uncured Pepperoni, Horizon Organic Cheesestick (Costco)

(I ran out of veggies in the house!)

Lunch 11 - Thrive Market Salt and Vinegar Chips, carrots, Red Grapes, Simple Mills Chocolate Chip Cookies (Thrive Market), Uncured Pepperoni, Horizon Organic Cheesestick (Costco)

Lunch 12 - Justins Maple Almond Butter Pack, Banana Oat Blender Pancakes with chocolate chips, pretzel crisps , Medjool dates, gummy bears, mini sweet peppers

Lunch 13 - Justin's Maple Almond Butter Pack, Uncured Honey Ham, Medjool Dates, Candy, Carrots, Saltine Crackers

Lunch 14 - Honey Ham, Carrots, Veggie Straws (Costco), candy, strawberries

Lunch 15 - Honey Ham, Horizon Organic Cheesestick (Costco), strawberries, Veggie Straws (Costco), carrots

Lunch 16 - Honey Ham, Horizon Organic Cheesestick (Costco), blueberries, Veggie Straws (Costco), carrots, sea salt caramel dark chocolate pretzel pieces (Costco)

Lunch 17 - Raisins, Chocolate Chip Cookies (Trader Joe's), Veggie Straws (Costco), carrots, Honey Ham, Horizon Organic Cheesestick (Costco)

Lunch 18 - Raisins, Chocolate Chip Cookies (Trader Joe's), Veggie Straws (Costco), carrots, Hard Boiled Egg Whites

Lunch 19 - Banana Oat Blender Pancakes with chocolate chips, Harvest Pea Crisps (Costco), carrots, Medjool dates

2024-2025 School Year

The following lunches are from 2024, when my oldest was in Kindergarten, and my youngest was in Pre-K 3 all day, two days a week. The kinder lunches are usually in the red container, and the Pre K 3 in the stainless steel.

Lunch 20 - Trader Joe's almond butter bar, TJ's "cheetos", salami, cheese stick, raisins, dark chocolate.

Lunch 21: Trader Joe's almond butter bar, made good chocolate balls (Costco), salami, cheese stick, raisins, carrots.

Lunch 22 - Trader Joe's almond butter bar, TJ's "cheetos", salami, cheese stick, raisins, and cucumbers.

Lunch 23 - Salami, mandarin oranges, Oreo, carrots, harvest snap peas (Costco)

Lunch 24 - Banana Oat Blender Pancakes (recipe), Cheez-its (Costco), mini cucumber, Bear Snacks (Costco)

Lunch 25 - Banana Oat Blender Pancakes (recipe), TJ's cheetoes, mini cucumber, Larabar half

Lunch 26 - Salami, snow peas, pea snacks (Costco), blackberries

Lunch 27 - Made Good Balls (Costco), baby carrots, Halloween candy, raisins, peanut butter, and jelly

Lunch 28 - Peanut butter and jelly, chocolate animal cookies (TJ's), carrots, strawberries

Lunch 29 - Honey peanut butter, almond butter bars TJs, carrots, chocolate tiger cookies (TJs), strawberries

Lunch 30 - peanut butter and jelly, yogurt melts (Costco), carrots, chocolate tiger cookies (TJs)

Lunch 31 - Maple ham deli meat and cheese stick, TJs almond butter bar, carrots, chocolate tiger cookies (TJs), strawberries, PB cup

Lunch 32 - Snap peas (Costco), TJ's almond butter bars, carrots, chocolate tiger cookies (TJs), cranberries, cheese stick, Jerky (Costco)

Lunch 33 - Potato chips, carrots, blueberries, cheese stick, jerky

Lunch 34 - Yogurt melts, animal cookies, PB and J half, mandarin oranges

Lunch 35 - Carrots, potato chips, Babybel, dried cranberries, PB and J half

Lunch 36 - PB Chocolate Chip Protein Balls, dried pineapples, carrots, cheese

Lunch 37 - Yogurt melts, pretzels, greek yogurt, mixed berries

Lunch 38 - PB and J half, jerky (Costco), Snap pea snacks (Costco), raspberries

Lunch 39 - Maple Ham, cheese stick, Cheez-its, snap pea snacks, dried cherries, a piece of candy

Lunch 40 - Pepperoni, cheese stick, pumpkin seeds, dried cherries, peanut butter pretzels, pieces of cranberry bliss bar

Lunch 41 - Pepperoni, dried cherries, carrot chips, pieces of cranberry bliss bar

Lunch 42 - Jerky, PB and J, carrots, pieces of cranberry bliss bar

Lunch 43 - Chocolate peanut butter protein balls, Oreo, dried cranberries, snap peas

Lunch 44 - half perfect bar, Cheez-its, candy, dried cranberries, pretzels

2025-2026 School Year

The following lunches are from last year, my middle child ate lunch on Fridays only at school, and my oldest was now in first grade, which I will make a separate post! (Youngest was at daycare, so they fed her there!)

Lunch 45 - yogurt drinks, protein ball, pirate booty, applesauce

Lunch 46 - yogurt drink, chocolate milk, protein ball, pirate booty, applesauce

Lunch 47 - strawberries, half a peanut butter and jelly, Annie's gummies, pirate booty

Lunch 48 - started trying a thermos meal! Got these thermos, which have the highest heat retention of any kid-size thermos on the market! I usually do Goodles for the extra protein, but occasionally it's just Annies!

Goodles Mac and cheese, milk, applesauce, and granola

Lunch 49 - yogurt box, Z bar, and dried strawberries

2026-27 School year

And these lunches are from this year, I have one in Pre K 4 and one in Pre K 3! My youngest is currently my best eater, so you'll probably begin to see more adventurous meals. I'll update mid-year, but follow along on Insta stories (@hungryhobbyRD for more.)

Lunch 50- Bagel and cream cheese, sausage, avocado with everything seasoning, peaches

Lunch 51 - (no PB allowed, sunbutter and jelly uncrustable sandwich, apples and caramel, cucumber, and snap pea snack (Costco), yogurt drink

Lunch 52 - tried pancake donuts (they came back in all three lunches untouched), syrup, strawberries, hard-boiled eggs with everything seasoning, avocado with salt and everything seasoning

Use my recipe filtering to find any recipe you want in my recipe index! Filter by meal, ingredients, diet, or occasion!

Like this post? Don't forget to pin this post for later and follow @hungryhobby on Pinterest for more healthy recipes, quick workouts, and nutrition tips!