Are you looking for some easy healthy lunch ideas for high school? Or, maybe you want to bring some homemade lunches to school. Whether you’re doing this for health reasons, or just want a change from the food in your cafeteria, these recipes are perfect for you.
If you love to start your day with a healthy and wholesome meal, then it is best to cook that meal the night before itself. This way, you don’t have to waste too much time in the morning and can enjoy all the other activities of the day without worry. But since we are not all early risers, finding quick and easy healthy lunch ideas for high school year is often a challenge.
We get it: School is back in session, you’re in a hurry, and Jimmy John’s is freaky fast (and freaky easy). But serve your family grab-and-go takeout or restaurant fare, and you’re staring at nearly twice the price tag, according to a Visa survey—not to mention the extra calories and unnecessary additives.
Enter these quick and healthy school lunches that you can assemble and eat in five minutes or less. Fair warning: They’re all so delicious that you’ll want to pack a serving for yourself, too. Made with vitamin-rich ingredients and high-protein foods, these midday meals will fuel the most active kids and adults. They’ll also save your sanity, money, and stay-fit plan all at once. And for more ideas about feeding littles, check out these 25 Genius Bento Box Lunch Ideas for Your Kids.
Tuna wrap
Ready in: 5 minutes
Don’t be intimidated by the relatively lengthy ingredient list of this recipe. This lightened-up tuna salad comes together quicker than a Pixar short film; a third of the ingredients are herbs and spices! Separate the salad from the tortilla with spinach leaves to keep the wrap intact and sturdy through the commute and morning classes.
Sweet potato breakfast bowl
Ready in: 5 minutes
Sweet potatoes aren’t just for candying and frying. Give them a whirl in the food processor with almond butter, milk, and vanilla for a smoothie bowl that’s reminiscent of dessert—and a blank palette for your fruit-based artistic talents.
Strawberry spinach salad
Ready in: 5 minutes
Kids will go nuts for this berry-and-leafy-green salad that is garnished with walnuts instead of croutons for a healthier crunch. This jar lunch is a meal prepper’s dream because you can make several at once and store them in the fridge. Please heartier appetites and crank up the protein by including sliced steak or grilled shrimp, too.
Tomato pesto soup
Ready in: 5 minutes
When you’re feeling slammed, turn to this semi-homemade meal. Stock up on an all-natural tomato soup the next time you’re at the grocery store, then upgrade it with pesto, basil, and Parmesan. While you could pack this summery soup warm in a Thermos, it’s just as good chilled as a makeshift gazpacho.
Curried chickpea salad sandwiches
Ready in: 5 minutes
When you’re feeding the whole fam, try this vegan swap for chicken salad that serves six. With sweet apples, crunchy sunflower seeds, and zesty curry powder, this dish is made with chickpeas instead of poultry. For a lower-carb alternative, serve this high-fiber salad tucked inside two-ply lettuce wraps.
Easy School Lunch Ideas for Teens
Is your teen stuck in a school lunch rut? Are they always packing the same boring sandwich and chips or, worse, buying the crummy food in the school cafeteria that always seems to leave their tastebuds less than satisfied?
Well, we’re here to change that! We rounded up 33 easy lunch ideas for teens that they’ll actually like and look forward to! From mile-high club sandwiches they won’t be able to resist to easy desserts that will have their friends begging for a taste, we’ve come up with the best-of-the-best school lunch ideas for teens that are anything but boring.
California Turkey Club Wrap
Is there anything more satisfying than a delicious wrap packed with turkey, cheese, bacon (of course), and veggies? This California Turkey Club Wrap is easy to make and it always hits the spot with teens!
Broccoli Cheese Bites
If you’re on the hunt for a healthy lunch snack that your kids will actually eat, these Broccoli Cheese Bites are super simple to make and they’re made with ingredients you likely have on hand. With 166k shares on Pinterest, this is one recipe you have to try!
Italian Sub Sandwich
I don’t know about your kids, but mine are suckers for sub sandwiches. This Italian Sub Sandwich is stuffed with ham, salami, pepperoni, cheese, tomatoes, and crisp lettuce – all snuggled in a delicious roll. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and a dab of pesto and they won’t be able to resist.
4-Ingredient No-Bake Peanut Butter Granola Cups
This amazing No-Bake Peanut Butter Granola Cup recipe has 1 MILLION shares on Pinterest! They’re seriously scrumptious and teen-friendly. Plus, they’re actually healthy!
Caprese Pasta Salad
Most of the time, salads don’t hold up well in our kids’ lunches, but this Caprese salad holds up beautifully. Paired with garlic toast, crackers or a roll and this will be one lunch they’ll actually look forward to. Plus, it’s healthy!
Pepperoni Pizza Quesadilla
Skip the crummy pizza in the cafeteria and whip up this easy Pepperoni Pizza Quesadilla instead. And, don’t worry about serving it up cold in your kid’s lunch. Teens never seem to mind cold pizza!
Fruit & Yogurt Parfait
This Fresh Fruit and Yogurt Parfait tastes better than any store-bought version. Pack in a small thermos and it will stay cold and delicious until lunchtime.
Garlic Cheese Flatbread
These little yummy bites are supposed to be served warm, but honestly, they taste just as good at room temperature making them a great lunchbox snack. With only a handful of ingredients, you could make these in a jiffy so your kids can enjoy them all week long.
BLT Salad Sandwich
You might have to pack the egg salad separate from the bread to prevent the bread from getting mushy, but it will be well worth it. This BLT Salad Sandwich is delish – make it with bread or just pack a handful of crackers for a delicious and healthy lunch.
4-Ingredient Dark Chocolate Pretzel Bark
Spice up your teen’s typical boring lunch with this delicious Dark Chocolate Pretzel Bark. Only four ingredients are required to whip this baby up. And, honestly, your teen might just have to hide it from all their friends at the lunch table or it will surely be gone!
Easy Thermos-Friendly Ramen Noodle Soup
For every Ramen Noodle lovin’ teen out there, this recipe is for YOU! It’s easy, healthy and it’s thermos friendly. On a cold winter day is there anything more satisfying than warm Ramen Noodle Soup?
Classic Club Sandwich
You really can’t go wrong with a delicious Classic Club Sandwich brimming with ham, bacon, turkey, tomatoes, cheese, and lettuce. It will satisfy practically any teen’s hearty appetite.
5 EASY SCHOOL LUNCH IDEAS FOR TEENS
Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Shells
This delicious stuffed shell pasta recipe has cheese, crispy chicken, and marinara sauce, all topped with more cheese!
These stuffed shells are easy to prepare the day before and pack into lunchboxes.
BLT Sandwich
BLT sandwiches make a tasty school lunch.
When using avocado, toss the slices in a bit of lemon juice before adding to the sandwich to ensure the avocado slices remain vibrant.
The perfect combination of toasted bread, crispy bacon, thick slices of tomato and avocado, and the three-ingredient sandwich sauce will make this your favorite BLT recipe.
Meal Prep – Teriyaki Chicken
We love meal-prep lunch options as you can make quite a few portions at a time.
Take-out cravings will be satisfied without the added calories.
A sticky teriyaki glaze covers the chicken, adds the perfect combination of sweet and salty. Adding broccoli adds crunch and fiber, but chicken is also fantastic on its own!
Cheesy Mini Potato Gratin Stacks
Your kids will love these Mini Potato Gratin Stacks because they are creamy, cheesy, and delicious.
Make a batch in a mini tray and pop these into lunchboxes as a special treat.
Egg Roll in a Bowl
There are no fancy, expensive, hard-to-find ingredients needed for this easy recipe!
You can enjoy all of the Asian flavors without any deep-fat frying.
This easy-to-prepare dish consists of fresh vegetables and lean proteins stir-fried in a savory sauce.
Chicken Parmesan Calzone
Calzone stuffed with crispy chicken, Parmesan, and mozzarella cheese – YUM!
The most distinctive feature of this calzone is the pizza-like finish. The outside crust of this calzone has a layer of mozzarella cheese and sauce, giving it a cheesy, crunchy texture.
This is easy to prep the night before and everyone can slice off a piece and pop it into their lunchbox.
Mini Salmon Quiches
This mini salmon quiche couldn’t be easier to make. The crust is made from store-bought puff pastry, and the filling is made out of smoked salmon, cream cheese, and scallions.
You can freeze them once baked, but you probably won’t need to as they’ll be eaten fast.
Ultimate Tuna Melt
This tuna salad mixture is full of SO much flavor and textured layers.
The golden crust, soft tuna mixture, and crunchy onions and tomatoes are a fantastic combination!
Cauliflower Fried Rice & Crispy Tofu
Combine garlic, ginger, tofu, hard-boiled eggs, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cauliflower “rice” to make this lunch low carb and super nutritious.
Ham & Cheddar Lunch Box Muffins
Ham and cheese go together beautifully in these savory muffins with a hint of cornmeal for structure and texture.
These are loaded with chunks of ham, cheddar cheese, and chives. A muffin is about as filling as a basic sandwich.
Tender Chicken Fritters
Flavorful, tender, and juicy, these fritters are a delight to eat. These chicken patties are the perfect easy chicken recipe!
You might want to leave the garlic aioli sauce out of their lunch boxes, but it does go very well with these chicken patties, as well as fries, and veggies and also tastes great on sandwiches and burgers.
You can make a batch and let everyone put a few in their lunchbox the next day.
Easy Enchilada Cups
Combine rotisserie chicken, black beans, corn, chopped green chiles, and canned enchilada sauce to make the enchilada filling.
You can use chicken, steak, fish, or shrimp, or add some cooked vegetables for a different variation!
So easy to prep the day before to make lunchboxes tasty and easy to eat.