Healthy lunch ideas high school are important for keeping full and happy. It’s not always easy to think of good healthy lunch ideas and that’s why we’re here!
Lunch time can be overwhelming. Especially if you are a student in high school trying to decide what to eat for lunch. If you’re looking for healthy lunch ideas high school, you have found the right place! Here you will find 15 easy, cheap, and healthy lunch ideas high school.
Make sure your kids are stocked up on healthy nibbles to fuel them through a full day at school with our tasty bites, snacks and wraps that’ll help them to stay alert and focused. These satisfying munchies are easy to make, lunchbox-friendly and use classic flavour combinations that kids will love.
Our recipes are packable, snackable and full of nutritious ingredients – so whether you’re looking for some simple snacks to boost a school lunch or inspiration for a wholesome lunchbox meal, we have some great ideas for you to try!
Want even more healthy lunch inspiration? Learn how to pack a healthy lunch and get more advice on sugar, salt and portion sizes with our easy-to-follow guide. You can also find more kids’ recipes for every occasion in our family hub.
1. Super simple wraps and sandwiches
We’ve got lunch all wrapped up! Our chicken & tzatziki wraps with baby spinach leaves are rich in protein, calcium and vitamin c. Why not get the kids involved in chopping the veggies and mixing up the sauce?
Our quick and healthy chicken & avocado rolls are ideal for little lunchboxes and use a grand total of six ingredients. The grated carrot offers beta carotene for healthy eyes and creamy avocado slices add texture and good quality fats to this super simple lunch. For little veggies, try our carrot & hummus roll-ups. Swap the peppery rocket for spinach if your kids aren’t fans. Finally, mini munchers will love these star sarnies with red pesto and cream cheese
Carrot & raisin sandwiches
Green club sandwich
2. Satisfying salads
Who said salads have to be boring? Forget limp leaves and overpowering dressings, try our zesty recipes kids and teenagers alike will love. Combine crunchy corn taco pieces, barbecue chicken, chunks of avocado and lettuce to create our nutrient dense chicken taco salad. This healthy recipe is loaded with fibre and protein, as well as counting as four of your five-a-day.
Make our BLT pasta salad with just a handful of ingredients including fun pasta bows, a smooth creamy dressing and crisp bacon rasher bits for those who like their salads to be a little less ‘salad-y’ while still offering healthy carbohydrates, protein and veggies. For vegetarians, try our ratatouille pasta salad that packs in a whopping five of your five-a-day as well as 13g of protein per serving.
3. Lovely leftovers
If you’re tight on time, take the pressure off by filling your kid’s lunchbox with some delicious leftovers – an easy way to save time and money! They can be enjoyed cold or heated and packed in an insulated container. Try this easy spinach, sweet potato & lentil Dahl or pasta arrabbiata which provides a healthy dose of protein, calcium and fibre – simply leave out the chilli flakes if your children prefer a milder taste!
You might be surprised to know that cooking and reheating certain foods can actually make them even more beneficial! For example, cooling certain foods such as potatoes and rice actually increases their levels resistant starch, a type of fibre which is supports beneficial gut bacteria.
4. Moreish mini bites
Healthy snacks can be hard to come by. If you’re struggling to find wholesome options to bulk up your child’s lunch, try these mini marvels. Everything’s cuter in miniature, including our munchable spinach & cottage cheese frittatas. These protein-rich little omelette bites were built for lunchboxes or speedy after school snacks.
Add in a fruitburst muffin for something sweet that still packs a nutritional punch with plenty of fibre, antioxidants and protein. It can be tricky to find healthy fruity snacks so why not try a frozen fruit pot for a boost of vitamin C? Ditch the skewers and pack up a food storage container with frozen grapes, mango, melon, strawberries and any other fruit your kids enjoy. They’ll thaw by lunchtime but will still be fresh and chilled.
5. Nourishing dips
Fresh, crunchy veggie sticks make a simple and colourful lunch option that provides a rainbow of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Hummus is a super easy storecupboard option you can whizz up in a blender in a flash and is a great source of plant protein. Try our moreish peanut hummus, just leave out the smoked paprika for children. Pack up a little pot of creamy avocado hummus with sweet red and yellow peppers and strips of pitta bread for a speedy snack you can make in minutes. Put together these five-minute pitta pockets for a quick fix if you’re pressed for time. They’re budget friendly and simple enough for the kids to put together.
Healthier lunchbox recipes
Whether squeezing it in before the school run in the morning or before bed on busy midweek evenings, preparing your child’s lunchbox can seem like just another thing on the list.
School meals are a great choice, but if you do make a packed lunch for your child then we’ve got you covered with our range of quick, easy, healthier lunchbox ideas and tips.
All lunchbox recipes
Cheesy coleslaw with wholemeal pitta
Creamy hummus dip with pitta bread and vegetable sticks
Egg mayonnaise and lettuce bap
Hummus and salad wrap
Salmon and salad bagel
Soft cheese and salad sandwich
Spicy chicken and salad wrap
Tuna and bean salad
Tuna mayonnaise and sweetcorn sandwich
Lunchbox tips
Keep them fuller for longer
Base the main lunchbox item on foods like bread, rice, pasta and potatoes. Choose wholegrain where you can.
Freeze for variety
Keep a small selection of different types of bread in the freezer so you have a variety of options – like bagels, pittas and wraps, granary, wholemeal and multigrain.
DIY lunches
Wraps and pots of fillings can be more exciting for kids when they get to make them. Dipping foods are also fun and a nice change from a sandwich each day.
Cut back on fat
Pick lower-fat fillings – like lean meats (including chicken or turkey), fish (such as tuna or salmon), lower-fat spread, reduced-fat cream cheese and reduced-fat hard cheese. And try to avoid using mayonnaise in sandwiches.
See more healthier swap ideas
Mix your slices
If your child does not like wholegrain, try making a sandwich from 1 slice of white bread and 1 slice of brown bread.
Always add veg
Cherry tomatoes, or sticks of carrot, cucumber, celery and peppers all count towards their 5 A Day. Adding a small pot of reduced-fat hummus or other dips may help with getting kids to eat vegetables.
Ever green
Always add salad to sandwiches and wraps too – it all counts towards your child’s 5 A Day!
Cheesy does it…
Cheese can be high in fat and salt, so choose stronger-tasting ones – and use less of it – or try reduced-fat varieties.
Cut down on crisps
If your child really likes their crisps try reducing the number of times you include them in their lunchbox, and swap for homemade plain popcorn or plain rice cakes instead.
Add bite-sized fruit
Try chopped apple, peeled satsuma segments, strawberries, blueberries, halved grapes or melon slices to make it easier for them to eat. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to stop it from going brown.
Tinned fruit counts too
A small pot of tinned fruit in juice – not syrup – is perfect for a lunchbox and easily stored in the cupboard.
Swap the fruit bars
Dried fruit like raisins, sultanas and dried apricots are not only cheaper than processed fruit bars and snacks but can be healthier too. Just remember to keep dried fruit to mealtimes as it can be bad for teeth.
Switch the sweets
Swap cakes, chocolate, cereal bars and biscuits for malt loaf, fruited teacakes, fruit breads or fruit (fresh, dried or tinned – in juice not syrup).
Yoghurts: go low-fat and lower-sugar
Pop in low-fat and lower-sugar yoghurts or fromage frais and add your own fruit.
Get them involved
Get your kids involved in preparing and choosing what goes in their lunchbox. They are more likely to eat it if they helped make it.
Variety is the spice of lunch!
Be adventurous and get creative to mix up what goes in their lunchbox. Keeping them guessing with healthier ideas will keep them interested and more open to trying things.
Plan to Eatwell
The guide shows how much of what we eat overall should come from each food group to achieve a healthy, balanced diet. It can be really useful when thinking about what goes into kids’ lunchboxes.
HEALTHY SCHOOL LUNCH IDEAS FOR TEENS
Need some healthy school lunch ideas for teens that are both full of nutrition and easy to pack? You’ve come to the right place. These ideas a filling, quick and easy to eat and they’re packed with healthy nutrients that will keep your teens feeling their best all day long.
HEALTHY SCHOOL LUNCH IDEAS FOR TEEN
Need some healthy school lunch ideas for teens that are both full of nutrition and easy to pack? You’ve come to the right place. These ideas a filling, quick and easy to eat and they’re packed with healthy nutrients that will keep your teens feeling their best all day long.
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- Packing Their Own Lunches
- Filling Foods for Teenage Lunches
- Packing Healthy Treats
- What to Pack for Teens for Lunch
- Healthy School Lunch Recipe Ideas for Teens:
TEENAGE LUNCHBOX IDEAS
Perhaps, you’re probably already thinking “what do I do if they think packing a lunchbox is dorky?”, “what if they want to pack it themselves?”, “how much should I pack?“, and of course, “what do I pack so they are not starving when they get home after school?“.
No worries, you aren’t the first to come across these questions or situations. So let’s start with these tips which I’ve pulled together in a video for you. Then, you can read on, for more!
While packed lunches usually include more of a healthy variety some kids find that carrying a lunchbox just isn’t… cool. In this case, it’s important to find a durable container, that will pack enough food, and will easily fit into a gym bag or school bag.
Here are a few more “grown-up” options for teens and tweens:
- Swap the character thermos for this Minimal Food Jar
- Turn in the cutesy lunchboxes for the Packit Cooler Lunch Box
- Say goodbye to boring tupperware and try these sophisticated glass containers
More “grownup” recommendations for lunch gear here.
PACKING THEIR OWN LUNCHES
If your teen wants to pack their own lunch – LET THEM! You’ve been waiting for this moment for years, and now the time has come, embrace it.
Of course, you will want to make sure the fridge and pantry are stocked with healthy options like fresh fruit, veggies, hummus, whole grain crackers, sandwich/wrap ingredients. Otherwise, left to their own devices teens will pack chips, cookies, and 5 packs of string cheese.
If you’re looking for ways to help your teen establish healthy eating patterns that will last a lifetime, check out my Family KickStart Program. Many parents are using it to make healthier breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks that teens, parents, and younger kids can enjoy together.
And, using the program you’ll know that the lunches the teens are packing themselves are filled with nutritious ingredients and something you’ll be glad they’re eating at school.
FILLING FOODS FOR TEENAGE LUNCHES
Finding foods that won’t leave your teen feeling like they’re “starving” by the end of the day is a major concern for parents. However, it’s as simple as providing a balanced lunch, with healthy fats like cheese, hummus, nuts, and peanut butter (or no-nut butter). Including proteins like deli turkey/ham, hard-boiled eggs, tuna fish; and the right kind of carbohydrates; whole-grain bread, wraps, crackers, rice, and fruit.
If your teen stays late at school, it’s best to pack an additional healthy snack or two, too.
PACKING HEALTHY TREATS
Remember when your teen was little and you packed cute lunches for them? After school, you’d open the lunchbox and see that some things were left, but the treat was always devoured.
When they’re teenagers, they’ll still want to eat a treat; and while it’s convenient to pack a packaged item, it’s best to keep dessert full of nutrition with fruit, nuts, energy bites, or maybe a homemade parfait.
More healthy Lunchbox desserts here.
WHAT TO PACK FOR TEENS FOR LUNCH
If you just don’t know what to pack because a single ham sandwich doesn’t cut it, check out the recipes below. There’s a reason that these are some of the most popular recipes on this site! You can also use my book, 101 Packed Lunches to find even more lunchbox inspiration.
HEALTHY SCHOOL LUNCH RECIPE IDEAS FOR TEENS:
These healthy lunches for school are always huge hits with the teens. Or, as “always” as anything can be with teens. This list will give you a good variety to start with from things my own teens and teenage exchange students have enjoyed.
Nobody wants to be seen with a PB&J anymore (or so I’m told), so give them an “adult lunch” upgrade with one of these ideas. I’ll give you a list and recipes below, but for those of you who prefer the visual, you can watch how I pack my teen’s lunches here and grab the recipes below.
Philly Grilled Cheese
Leftover steak strips or deli roast beef are perfect for making these hearty grilled cheese sandwiches.
It’s like a grilled cheese “but cooler” & more filling!
Greek Chicken Flatbread
Change up the usual sandwich with this fun and yummy wrap! Pack it with hummus and veggies for dipping.
Hummus Wraps
These vegetarian-inspired wraps are an awesome source of protein and healthy fats from the hummus, and also perfect on days when you realize you’ve already run out of deli cuts, which happens if you’re feeding teenagers. Add in a few handfuls of Banana Chips for your teen to snack on between meals.
Cobb Salad Wraps
This wrap is packed with protein from the chopped eggs and turkey. It’s so simple to make and of course, you could omit the turkey since these are hearty enough with the hard-boiled eggs. For the teenager who is still a child at heart, include some homemade Strawberry Fruit Leather on the side.
More Healthy Lunch Wraps for Teens
Burrito Bowls
You could call it our all-star lunch! It’s everything you love about burritos, in a bowl! Use your choice of protein like taco meat from last night’s leftover, cooked chicken or black beans. Send this lunch cold or pack it inside a larger thermos container.