Finding Healthy School Lunch Ideas Vegetarian shouldn’t be a difficult task. Finding them in one place, however, should help make your life easier. I’ve scoured the internet far and wide to find what I think are the best recipes for lunches, snacks, breakfast and desserts.
Remember, eating healthy is all about being creative with food so you don’t have to worry about depriving yourself of the goodies you’ve got a serious hankering for!
Back to school means back to packing lunches. And if you’re going to make the effort to assemble a balanced midday meal, your little guy or girl had better like what you pack. We guarantee there’ll be no leftovers with these nine lunches that are delicious, nutritious and just so happen to be vegetarian.
SLOW-ROASTED TOMATO AND BASIL HUMMUS AND VEGGIE WRAPS
Crushing hard on that lunchbox, too.
MINI AVOCADO HUMMUS QUESADILLAS
Shh, hide some extra veggies in here.
MINI BROCCOLI QUICHES
Our grade school lunches pale in comparison to this.
MINI CHOCOLATE CHIP PANCAKES
Breakfast for dinner’s the best—how could breakfast for lunch be anything less?
RELATED: WE’RE CALLING IT: PANCAKE TACOS ARE THE NEW AVOCADO TOAST
HOMEMADE ALPHABET PASTA
Eat lunch and learn how to spell at the same time.
TORTELLINI, TOMATO AND MOZZARELLA SKEWERS
Fun to make, even more fun to eat.
PB&J SKEWERS
Aren’t these little guys precious?
RELATED: 12 GROWN-UP WAYS TO EAT PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY
MINI VEGGIE SUBS
You don’t have to cut the peppers into stars, but how could you not?
MINI TACO SALAD CUPS
The secret ingredient: Wonton wrappers.
PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA ROLL-UPS
Banana sushi for the win.
PIZZA ROLL-UP BENTO BOX
Pizza rolls, Oreos, watermelon and cauliflower. It’s all about balance, ya know?
Vegetarian School Lunch Ideas
Vegetarian School Lunch Ideas
This list of 35+ vegetarian school lunch ideas is a great place to start for filling your kids’ lunchboxes with healthy and delicious meals!
Grilled Vegan Banh Mi Sandwiches
You can make these Grilled Vegan Bahn Mi Sandwiches in the morning and wrap them in tin foil for later or send them in a container for lunch! These sandwiches are full of flavor and very healthy. They are made with delicious marinated vegetables and a nutty peanut spread.
Pear and Sharp Cheddar Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Pear and sharp cheddar are a delightful combination, and they certainly don’t disappoint in this recipe. Your littles will love the ooey-gooey melted cheese over the sweet, soft pear in this Pear and Sharp Cheddar Grilled Cheese Sandwich.
Roasted Red Pepper and Mozzarella Sandwiches
These delicious Roasted Red Pepper and Mozzarella Sandwiches are a creative way to use up your bell peppers. Wrap them up in tinfoil or serve them a container. Your littles will be excited to find so much melted cheese and tasty roasted red pepper inside a crusty ciabatta bun!
Maple Sage Apple and Cheddar Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
A new take on a childs’ favorite grilled cheese, this delicious sandwich is smooth, gooey and full of flavor. These Maple Sage Apple and Cheddar Grilled Cheese Sandwiches are quick to put together and quite scrumptious!
Kale and Sweet Potato Quesadillas
This vegetarian school lunch is super healthy and packed with nutrients and vitamins. Delicious sweet, caramelized onions come together with smoky black beans in these Kale and Sweet Potato Quesadillas.
Caprese Orzo Pasta Salad with Blueberries
This salad will be a refreshing delight when your littles open up their lunch boxes! Juicy, colorful, and filled with antioxidants, this Caprese Orzo Pasta Salad with Blueberries is a delicious lunch idea. It combines ingredients like blueberries, mozzarella cheese, and cherry tomatoes to create the perfect mix of sweet and tangy in the salad.
Bell Pepper and Corn Pasta Salad
This gorgeously colored Bell Pepper and Corn Pasta Salad is sure to be a favorite of your littles! Juicy, sweet, and slightly tangy, this pasta salad is loaded with freshly chopped vegetables. As a result, this salad is vibrant and hearty.
Creamy Vegetarian Macaroni Salad
This Creamy Vegetarian Macaroni Salad is buttery smooth. And it will help you sneak more vegetables into your littles’ diets! Small chopped bell pepper is hidden in between the macaroni noodles along with carrots, tomatoes, and green onion.
Tempeh Reuben Wraps
Feed your littles some savory plant-based protein in these delicious wraps! Tangy sauerkraut peeps through in each bite, making these Tempeh Reuben Wraps an absolute treat!
Artichoke Hummus Dip
This Artichoke Hummus Dip is a delightful treat paired with carrot sticks or tortilla chips! This hummus is rich, smooth, and full of flavor.
Vegetarian Firecracker Cauliflower
This recipe provides a delicious way to get your little ones to enjoy cauliflower! This Vegetarian Firecracker Cauliflower is baked and healthy. The cauliflower florets become crispy and extra tasty with the homemade chili sauce. This dish is packed with flavor and is sure to become a lunchtime favorite!
Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
You’ll have to make this recipe ahead of time, but it’s worth it! In the morning, simply warm up this Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese and toss it into a Thermos to keep it warm until lunchtime. This mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food. It has a delicious crumble topping and is super cheesy!
Smoked Cheddar Mac & Cheese with Baked BBQ Tofu
You probably don’t want to make this dish in the morning! Lucky for you, this recipe is great for meal prepping ahead of time. This Smoked Cheddar Mac & Cheese with Baked BBQ Tofu is absolutely delicious. Heat it up and put it in a Thermos so your littles can enjoy it still warm for lunch. Cheesy and full of sharp cheddar and barbequed tofu, this lunch is exquisite!
Grilled Strawberry and Cucumber Salad
A delicious, vibrant, nutritious salad will greet your littles when they open their lunch kit to this recipe! This Grilled Strawberry and Cucumber Salad is juicy and packed with flavor.
Chocolate Pomegranate Granola Bites
Prepare a batch of these tasty bites to send throughout the week in your littles’ lunches. A tiny, bite-sized source of fibre and protein, these Chocolate Pomegranate Granola Bites will be a favorite for sure.
Buffalo Tofu Wings with Creamy Ranch Dip
This recipe is a delicious meatless take on buffalo wings, and I’m betting your littles are going to adore it! These tofu wings have a spicy, smoky flavor soothed by the creamy, rich ranch dip. These Buffalo Tofu Wings with Creamy Ranch Dip would be a delightful afternoon snack to pack!
Baked Sriracha Potato Chips
Send your littles potato chips guilt-free with this recipe! These chips are baked to perfection and the perfect combination of salty with a tip of spice. Baked Sriracha Potato Chips are addictive, so be ready for your littles to ask for them day after day!
Garlic Rosemary Baked Sweet Potato Chips
These delicious Garlic Rosemary Baked Sweet Potato Chips are light and crispy with the perfect crunch and addicting taste. Ready in just thirty minutes, these chips are super easy to make!
VEGETARIAN LUNCH RECIPES FOR SCHOOL
As with any of the lunch recipes you’ll find on this blog, vegetarian lunch ideas need to be:
- easy to make
- healthy
- satisfying
- portable
- delicious- of course!
And just because these recipes are vegetarian doesn’t mean they skimp on the protein. Ingredients like hummus, cheese, legumes, and beans are all great sources of protein as well as other nutrients such as fiber, healthy fats, and calcium.
VEGETARIAN LUNCH IDEAS
These school lunches ideas are perfect for vegetarian families or even those who want to go meatless every now and then. They are packed with veggies, fiber, and alternative sources of protein to keep you feeling satiated all day!
Did I mention how delicious these recipes are? Your kids will love them. It’s always fun for them to open up their lunchbox and find a delicious meal!
Lunch can be one of the hardest things to plan for, unlike dinner, there is only so much you can do since most lunches are eaten outside of the home. Most people want something that can be quickly assembled and is both healthy and satisfying. Not only do these recipes meet those high standards but they’re also 100% vegetarian approved!
1. Hummus Veggie Club
A healthier twist on a club sandwich, this hummus veggie club will be sure to satisfy everyone! Creamy hummus makes a nutritious swap for regular replaces mayo and adds more flavor . Stack on any veggies you want and use whatever bread your family enjoys.
If your family doesn’t love hummus, try this salad sandwich with amazing homemade ranch dressing!
2. Enchilada Soup
This perfectly spiced enchilada soup makes the best thermos lunch. It’s even more delicious on cold days when all you want is a warm bowl of soup. Pack this soup in a thermos and send it with your kid’s favorite toppings, such as cheese, avocado, and pico de gallo. Make sure to use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth!
3. Southwest Quinoa
Black beans and quinoa bring on the protein in fiber in this southwest salad. It can be packed ahead of time and is best served at room temperature or warmed.
4. Falafel Stuffed Flatbread with Tzatziki Sauce
If your family loves Mediterranean food, then this recipe is for you! Crispy falafel is stuffed in a flatbread with veggies to make a satisfying lunch to please both kids and parents alike. Chickpeas contain lots of nutritious protein, fiber, and flavor!
5. Apple and Cheddar Grilled Cheese Sandwich
This sandwich is a great way to use up all those delicious, juicy apples! It’s a spin on the classic grilled cheese sandwich with the added nutrition of fruit! Your kids might even love this version better than the original.