Healthy Easy Lunch Ideas For High School

Are you looking for healthy easy lunch ideas for high school? I know it can be a challenge especially if you are trying to avoid all the processed foods that are offered at most convenience stores and gas station. Not only can this become expensive, but it will leave you hungry as well. All you need is a few simple and healthy easy lunch ideas for high school to help save you money and improve your health!

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Healthy Easy Lunch Ideas For High School

It happened this summer…. July 10/20 to be precise. I became the parent of not 1, but 2 teenagers. I have a 15 year old and a 13 year old. I don’t know how this happened so fast, but here we are.

collage of 4 photos of healthy school lunch ideas for teens

And although they are making their own lunches a lot of the time, lunches are still a challenge. With this in mind and the help of my fellow food bloggers, I have put together a list of 15 healthy school lunch ideas for teens. And not only are they healthy, several of these lunches are healthier versions of meals that teens love, like tacos, pizza, fried rice, Ceasar salad and sushi! They are also ready to eat (none require heating and can be eaten COLD) and many can be made ahead or take only a few minutes to put together. And the best part is they are easy – teenagers can even make them on their own!

Given the current state, heating up lunches at my kids’ schools is not an option. My kids are not only designated to certain floors, bathrooms and stairwells this year, they no longer have access to a microwave. Unfortunately for me, I’ve always relied on frozen meals (A LOT more than I’d like to admit) and other lunch ideas for teens that require reheating. And for some weird reason, my kids refuse to use a thermos these days- I guess it’s no longer “cool.”

S**t just got real!

So… I find myself scrambling to ensure we have lots of ideas for cold lunches and trying to decide what to make for lunches that they’ll like, that are healthy, I can eat myself, don’t require reheating and won’t take a ton of time ! If you find yourself in the same boat, you’ll love these ready to eat school lunch ideas for teens.

When I look back at what I ate for lunch as a teenager, that’s when I get concerned. Let’s just say I ate more fries and gravy at the cafeteria than any person should have. However, the school cafeterias and canteens probably won’t be open this year, so at least I get a bit of a reprieve on that. And fortunately, all the years we nagged our kids (aka tried to instill healthy eating habits in them) seem to be paying off. My teenagers are both pretty health conscious now and like the idea of eating healthier versions of the junkier foods they love! So without further adieu…here are a collection of delicious school lunch ideas!

Teenagers LOVE their pizza and these Healthy Pizza Dippers are not only a teenager’s dream lunch, they are a parent’s. They are quick and easy to make with 2 ingredient dough (Greek yogurt and flour) and can be made ahead, frozen, heated or eaten cold, making them the perfect lunch box meal because they are ready to eat. Younger kids can help make them and older teens can make them on their own with the easy step by step directions included in the recipe!

pizza dipper being dipped into pizza sauce with pieces, an apple, carrots and lunch bag in background.

This tasty, Copycat Chick-fil-A Chicken Salad sandwich is made in 15 minutes with frozen breaded chicken, pickle relish, celery, eggs, and mayo. What’s not to love about this iconic salad? Teens can easily make this on their own!

These Muffin Tin Sushi Cups are super easy to make, so adorable and full of healthy goodness! Naturally vegan and gluten-free.

These Taco Salad Meal Prep Taco Bowls are made with healthy ground turkey and filled with black beans, sweet corn, shredded cheese, crisp lettuce, and all your favorite toppings. Enjoy these delicious Taco Bowls for dinner and repurpose the leftovers into perfectly portioned make-ahead meal prep lunches.

This Italian Chicken Salad is fresh, easy, and bursting with flavor. It takes 10 minutes to make and your teen can make it on their own! Loaded with mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, black olives and pesto, this fun twist on a classic flavor will have you coming back for more. This salad is perfect for an easy lunch or dinner and makes delicious sandwiches, too!

Who doesn’t love fried rice?! I know my teenagers are fried rice crazy – my 15 year old always wants to make it. And it doesn’t get better than healthy fried rice salad! This lunchbox fried rice salad takes the boring out of your lunchbox! Best served cold.

lunchbox fried rice salad in bento box in front with more fried rice salad in background

This Turkey Bacon Ranch Wrap will take you 5 minutes to throw together. Make it with leftover turkey or deli meat. Either way, this tortilla wrap recipe makes a great lunch box meal for kids and adults alike. Teens can easily make this on their own, as this recipe uses pre-cooked bacon (heated in microwave)!

Quick Turkey club ranch wrap |tortilla sandwich wrap - Foodmeanderings.com

Pasta de Bocaditos {Cuban Deviled Ham Sandwiches} are little bites of deliciousness. Filled with ham, cream cheese and roasted red peppers. You won’t be able to stop at one!

Check out this recipe

cuban deviled ham sandwiches on black plate with more sandwiches in background

This Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad is a simple dish that’s ready in less than 30 minutes. Romaine lettuce, fresh pasta, chicken, and Parmesan cheese are tossed in a creamy caesar dressing that’s full of flavor. Light, yet filling, this easy dish makes a delicious weeknight meal with leftovers for lunch the next day. I know my teens would go crazy for this as leftovers for lunch!

chicken caesar pasta salad in white bowl

My kids may be teenagers, but I’m pretty sure they’d take the crustless sandwich over the one with crust. That’s why these Homemade uncrustables are perfect for a teen’s lunch box. They are a quick, freezable, kid-friendly option for easy school lunches! You control the ingredients, and they are healthier and generally come out cheaper than their store-bought counterparts.

No matter how old kids are, they still love lunchables! Homemade lunchables are a popular trend all kids love! These are made with store-bought phyllo cups and can be filled with any savory or sweet filling including leftovers making them fun and delicious!

Who doesn’t love a good Reuben sandwich, especially when it’s healthy! I know my teens do. A simple and easy light Reuben wrap sandwich recipe made with sliced deli roast beef, baby Swiss cheese, red cabbage, homemade thousand island dressing rolled up in a high fiber wrap. This protein-packed recipe is perfect for lunch meal prep!

lighter reuben wrap - ingredients on tortilla

This bento box idea is a quick and easy cold meal of Ukrainian sausage (kubasa/kielbasa), cubed cheddar cheese, sliced dill pickles, rye bread, crackers, mustard and baby carrots. It’s just like the late night snack you’d have at a prairie “social”!

Chinese chicken salad goes plant-based with this delicious vegan recipe. This pasta salad is packed with mini sweet peppers, mandarins, green onions, spinach and carrots, then tossed with a sesame ginger dressing and topped with Chow Mein noodles for added crunch!

Chinese Mandarin Pasta Salad in bento box

Ham Roll Ups will be your favorite back to school lunch solution! Super quick and easy to make, these tasty ranch ham and cream cheese roll ups are totally teen-approved.

16 Ridiculously Easy School Lunches

The start of a new school year is always a hectic time, so when there’s a process to be streamlined and simplified, we’re on it. That’s why having a repertoire of easy school lunches you can make for kids of any ages is going to make your life less stressful. Work with your kid’s preferences and favorite foods to craft a list of easy things to make for school lunch you can turn to again and again. Your kids will love these easy lunch ideas for school so much they’ll never trade!

1 of 16Better Peanut Butter Sandwich

If your kids are allowed to bring peanut butter to school and they’re tired of the PB&J staple, this fun, sweet fruit ingredient will be a welcome surprise. It also has less sugar than jelly.

Kid-Friendly Sandwiches and Wraps to Make Lunchtime Fun

2 of 16Alphabet Soup

Take the school spelling lesson to silly — and delicious — heights when you send your little ones off for the day with one of these easy school lunches in a Thermos. It’s a great way to sneak in a serving or two of veggies, too!

3 of 16Tor-Tunas

Take tuna fish for a spin when you roll it up in a tortilla with greens for an easy school lunch. Seal it with plastic or foil so it stays wrapped up in the lunch bag.

24 Recipes That Start with Canned Tuna

4 of 16Chicken Quesadillas

This easy weeknight dinner will make the kids smile when they see this cheesy chicken lunch for their midday meal. Make them ahead of time, warm up in the microwave, and seal in aluminum foil before the school day.

5 of 16Vegetarian Chickpea Sandwich Filling

If your child (or family) is a vegetarian, this hearty sandwich spread will be a welcome change from soggy salads and nut butter sandwiches. It’s one of the easy school lunches that can be made with simple staples you probably have in your kitchen.

6 of 16Fresh Dill Pasta Salad

This cold salad is made with fresh dill, cooked shrimp, cucumber, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice. It’ll remind your teen of their favorite spring flavors that can be enjoyed at any time of year.

Browse even more Pasta Salad Recipes.

7 of 16Easy Homemade Chili

Serve this family-favorite weekday dinner for lunch with shredded cheese, whole-grain crackers, and fruit for a warm, hearty easy school lunch they’ll want over and over again.

See more Chili Recipes.

8 of 16California Club Turkey Sandwich

The ho-hum turkey school lunch option gets a few upgrades with avocado, cream cheese, and sunflower seeds for crunch! Serve it on your child’s favorite type of bread with a bag of chips or pretzels.

9 of 16Individual Baked Eggs

Egg cups are known for being a simple grab-and-go breakfast — especially if mom or dad is watching their carbs — but they make a yummy lunch option, too. Cheese and bacon (or swap in cooked sausage) add a savory element. You could also add cooked, chopped veggies to this easy school lunch option for more vitamins and nutrients.

10 of 16BLT Wraps

While you’re baking or pan-frying that bacon for the eggcups, cook a few more for BLT sandwiches or these BLTs in a tortilla wrap. “The recipe by itself is perfect or for a little variety can use any combinations such as mayo ranch salsa sour cream, cream cheese, and guacamole,” writes reviewer Angela Schmidt.

Healthy Easy Lunch Ideas For High School

Healthy Easy Lunch Ideas For High School