Cold School Lunch Ideas

[Pumpkin1172]

I am needing some ideas on cold school lunch ideas that are NOT sandwiches or wraps!!!!!

I am not sure if your schools are like my sons, but there are no microwaves. I am NOT giving him money to spend for lunches on crappy food in the cafeteria everyday. So I am trying to come up with some different ideas for him. And then also, it comes to the fact that they have to carry everything around with them in their backpacks all day. They are not using lockers this year either. With binders, textbook or two, a chromebook, there is not much room left in the backpack for a lunch. NO Thermos ideas either...he has no room!!!!!

 

[Pumpkin1172]

Here are two ideas I came up with

1) A homemade lunchable. We precut some cheddar cheese, sausage ( those smaller u-shaped menonite sausages ) put some of his favorite crackers in a baggie, and he also took some cut up melon and cucumber as well.

2) Mini pizza - He likes cold pizza. I bought some pocketless pita breads. He topped it with all his favorite toppings and I baked them. We froze them individually so he can just grab one and some fruit and veggies then his lunch is done.

 

[SaraMc]

I do like a Bento box with cucumbers, keilbasa cheese and crackers

 

[hdrolfe]

My son has been taking a thermos since he started school, there are no microwaves in elementary school here. I have sent leftovers or he likes stouffers mac & cheese. He doesn't do sandwiches so it's always an adventure. Mac & cheese, lasagna, plain pasta (sometimes with meatballs) or cold pizza are pretty much the standard rotation.

 

[bababear_50]

Mini Quiche /Mini croissants
Caesar/tossed salad.
Ok I cheat and buy the M&M ones.(Also most grocery stores sell Pizza bread).
Hugs
Mel
https://www.culinaryhill.com/mini-quiche-4-ways/

 

[bababear_50]

Cold Tuna Pasta Salad (I live on this for lunch and dinner).
I know it sounds weird but I add pineapple tidbits to mine.
I use Rigatoni / Rotini noodles usually but any kind of pasta works.
I should mention that my three sons hate Tuna so it's always available to me.Lol

Triscuit crackers/cheese bites
Fresh fruit/Fresh Veggies

Hugs
Mel
https://www.spendwithpennies.com/creamy-tuna-pasta-salad/

 

[juniorbugman]

Don't laugh but my nephew eats the canned pastas and beans out of the can. He doesn't want them warmed up. Maybe open those and put in a plastic container.

 

[bankr63]

Ploughman's lunches give a wide variety of options. We use these for the parks as well as for school lunches:

Protein Options:
Hard boiled or pickled egg
Pepperettes - get the turkey ones from Costco, much healthier than pepperoni
Cheese - Babybel or cheddar slices
Kolbasa or salami slices (2-3" rounds)
Pate - only worked for DD
Plates:
Crackers - Triscuits travel better than most, top with
spicy or sweet mustard (in a Nalgene container)
Veggie:
Carrot, celery, cucumber, snap peas with
Dip - ranch dressing or similar in a Nalgene dip cup
Olives
Salad:
Coleslaw
Potato salad
Pasta salad
Fruit:
Grapes
Apple
Banana
Orange (clementines are really popular as Christmas comes)
Desert:
Yogurt cup
Apple Sauce
Fruit cup
granola bar

That's a lot of variety so it's easy to switch it up a bit depending on mood. Basically this can mostly be pulled together by walking around the deli section at the supermarket and grabbing whatever catches your kid's attention. We have a whole kitchen drawer dedicated to little portable plastic and silicone containers for lunches.

Full disclosure: my kids are now post secondary, so I don't actually do this much anymore, but it worked for a long time for us!

 

[FigmentSpark]

My sister refused to eat sandwiches until she was old enough to make her own lunches. My mom used to send a buttered bun and lunch meats cut into bite-sized pieces, some veggies and an apple and a cookie (because it was the 70s and everyone deserved a cookie for dessert).

I have done hot dogs and hamburgers for my kids, then wrapped them in tin foil and put them in the hot side of the Roots lunchbags. I know you said there's no room for things in the backpack, but what about a lunch bag with a shoulder strap or that hooks on to the front of the backpack? I know, it's more to carry, but anything you make is going to take up precious room in the backpack. I've struggled with this, too. Those math textbooks are particularly huge.

 

[alohamom]

hummus and crackers, Bicks snackers mini dill pickles, 7 layer Mexican style dip with tortilla chips or pita, yogurt and granola, flatbreads with some melted cheese cut into triangles.

 

[Silvermist999]

There are smaller thermos food jars you can get. My kids use this one and it hardly takes up any space in their backpack. They dislike cold lunches so we have used this one for years.

 

[hdrolfe]

There are smaller thermos food jars you can get. My kids use this one and it hardly takes up any space in their backpack. They dislike cold lunches so we have used this one for years.

View attachment 526091

Those are what I use, and it holds one Stouffers Mac & Cheese perfectly, keeping it warm about 5 hours, I cook it in the morning and try to preheat the thermos with hot water.

 

[Pumpkin1172]

Ploughman's lunches give a wide variety of options. We use these for the parks as well as for school lunches:

That is a good selection of what I have in the pantry or fridge right now, which is great!!! But I forgot about pasta salad. He loves pasta salad. He can be a picky eater on some things. I wish he would like hard boiled eggs. That is just such an easy protein and keeps you full for longer I find.

There are smaller thermos food jars you can get. My kids use this one and it hardly takes up any space in their backpack. They dislike cold lunches so we have used this one for years.

We do have one of those at home already, but he really doesn't have space for it. If he is really wanting to take his soup for lunches, he might have to find some room in the backpack

He was the one who would take all the leftovers to school. And if what I was cooking was one of his favorite meals ( like butter chicken ) I would make extra so he could take it for two days lol!

I am just wanting to give his a little more variety for him! He does get an allowance to go to the cafeteria or to go off campass to have lunch. Such great ideas!!!

 

[FigmentSpark]

One thing about thermoses... I was volunteering in the school at lunch a few years ago when a boy in grade 2 asked me to open his thermos. I couldn't. From talking to others, it's because the hot item, as it's cooling, tightens the seal or something like that. If you decide to go the thermos route, do a test at home, put some hot water in it in the morning and let it sit until lunch, then make sure your child can open it.

 

[Pumpkin1172]

One thing about thermoses... I was volunteering in the school at lunch a few years ago when a boy in grade 2 asked me to open his thermos. I couldn't. From talking to others, it's because the hot item, as it's cooling, tightens the seal or something like that. If you decide to go the thermos route, do a test at home, put some hot water in it in the morning and let it sit until lunch, then make sure your child can open it.

I remember those day!!!! There was one time my youngest couldn't get his open and didn't ask anyone to help him open it at that time. So just ate the soup crackers, his snack and fruit cup. Those thermoses can be tricky!

 

[FLVacationGirl]

Cheese quesadillas are really easy. With or without sour cream, salsa, or guacamole.

 

[Gigi22]

That old standby — leftover pizza.

 

[Chickinvic]

I agree with others. Get a good thermos and let him prepare hot lunches (at his age he can make his own lol).

 

[Sue M]

Quinoa salad? I make a Greek one with Feta, tomato, onion, celery, and whatever else you like chopped up in it. PC has a tasty Lemon/Garlic dressing I add.
My daughter who doesn’t like quinoa loves it.

 

[Disney_Alli]

I take a "protein pack" to work with me most nights - some cheese, a hard boiled egg, sliced veggies (carrots, cucumbers and peppers usually) some crackers (packed separately), some hummus and I was good. Can also sub in a cooked chicken breast, peanut or similar butters for different protein choices. Pintrest has been my friend in switching these up. I do a "breakfast" one with cottage cheese and fresh fruits too.