Small Plates

73 Back to School Lunch Recipes

These kid-friendly dishes are easy to make ahead of time and take on the go—perfect for back to school season.
Image may contain Food Lunch Meal Plant Vegetable Broccoli and Dish
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Anya Hoffman, Food Styling by Ali Nardi
  • Photo by Alex Lau
    5/73

    Oat and Apple Pancakes with Yogurt

    The oats, nuts, and fruit in this batter make for nutrient-dense pancakes, perfect for making in batches and packing away for a fun breakfast-for-lunch.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    6/73

    Big-Batch Black Beans

    This simple, large batch of seasoned black beans can be frozen, refrigerated, and repurposed in endless ways for easy, family-friendly meals.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kate Schmidt
    7/73

    Chipotle-Style Cilantro-Lime Rice

    This homemade version of a popular Chipotle restaurant menu item livens up plain white rice with lime juice and tons of cilantro. Pack it away with some of those black beans for a simple bean and rice lunch, or top with cooked vegetables and salsa to make a quick burrito bowl.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog
    8/73

    Butternut Squash Sandwich With Cheddar Cheese and Pickled Red Onion

    Stuff roasted butternut squash, rich white cheddar, tangy pickled red onions, and zesty Dijonnaise into bread rolls for a sandwich that tastes like autumn.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kate Schmidt
    9/73

    Granola Bars with Dried Fruit and Seeds

    A combination of nut butter, dried fruit, and lots of seeds makes these chewy homemade granola bars downright irresistible. For a crispier bar, toast them in the oven after baking.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau
    10/73

    Green Goddess Tuna Salad Sandwich

    A tuna salad sandwich with an extra zesty, herb flavor punch—and more nutritional value.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    13/73

    Banana Coconut Muffins

    These moist, easy muffins rely on mashed bananas and flaked coconut for sublime texture and tropical-leaning flavor.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Monica Pierini
    14/73

    10-Minute Chicken Flatbreads With Hummus and Yogurt

    Pack away chicken, tomatoes, cucumber, hummus, and yogurt sauce in separate compartments of a lunch box along with a piece of pita. Kids can eat the components separately, or assemble their own flatbread at school. To make it even easier, use a rotisserie chicken instead of making the chicken ahead.

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  • Photo by Jerrelle Guy
    17/73

    Sweet Potato Rice Crispies

    Here, all of the best flavors of sweet potato casserole are combined into your favorite sweet-and-crunchy childhood treat. The best part? It all comes together in about half an hour.

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  • Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Erika Joyce
    18/73

    Easy Hummus With Canned Chickpeas

    A simple trick gets silky-smooth results from canned chickpeas—no rinsing or overnight soaking required.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    19/73

    Cauliflower "Mac 'n' Cheese" Casserole

    This gluten-free dish offers all the melty goodness of a mac 'n' cheese, with lots of vegetables and without the pasta. Bake the casserole ahead and pack it up in lunches throughout the week.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    20/73

    Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

    Wheat germ lends a good dose of vitamins to these deliciously addictive, kid-friendly muffins while boosting the nutty flavor.

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  • Photo by Aubrie Pick
    23/73

    Rice Balls With Salmon Filling (Onigiri)

    Onigiri is a quintessential Japanese food: made by moms for breakfast, lunch boxes, and picnics. It is the ideal handheld food (the nori wrapper keeps the sticky rice from getting all over your hand).

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    24/73

    Romesco Pasta Salad With Basil and Parmesan

    The secret to this pasta salad? Dress it twice. The pasta absorbs the first round of sauce completely, while the second dose keeps it glossy and bold. Walnuts and breadcrumbs add the perfect crunch.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce
    31/73

    White Chicken Chili

    Whether you call this dish a chili or hearty chicken and bean stew, it's definitely a winner. Double the recipe and store in the fridge or freezer because, like most soups and stews, it only gets better after a day or two, and you can pack it up in a thermos for a kid-friendly lunch.

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  • Photo by Chris Court and William Meppem
    32/73

    Quinoa and Sweet Potato Bakes

    Make these quinoa and sweet potato "muffins" ahead to go in lunch boxes—it's a clever portable and kid-friendly packaging system for a quinoa and sweet potato lunch.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
    37/73

    Pasta With 10-Minute Pesto

    Blanching fresh basil leaves before blending is the key to this vibrant, ultra-herby pesto. Perfect for pasta, it also dresses up pizza, scrambled eggs, and more.

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  • Photo by Jennifer Davick
    38/73

    Fresh Garden Wrap

    This garden wrap is stuffed to the brim with fresh, seasonal vegetables and herbs.

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  • Photo by Carl Kravats
    39/73

    Muffin Cup Veggie Omelets

    These easy omelets are great for breakfasts on the go—but who says they can't be lunch as well? Wrap a couple in some parchment paper and pack them with some bread, grains or extra veggies in a school lunch; kids can eat them with their hands!

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    40/73

    Herby Chicken Kofta Meatballs

    Make a big batch of these spicy herbed meatballs and stash them in your freezer and you’ll always have the building blocks for an easy lunch on hand.

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  • Photo by Martin Poole
    43/73

    Thai-Spiced Turkey Burgers

    These tasty burgers have a little chile kick and are ideal to pop into a sealable container and take for lunch. (Feel free to skip the spicy ingredients to make it more kid-friendly.)

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Ali Nardi
    44/73

    Slow-Cooker Chicken Congee

    A slow cooker and boneless, skinless chicken thighs make easy work of comforting Chinese rice porridge that can be packed in a thermos for a warm lunch.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Laura Rege
    45/73

    Grilled Ratatouille Pasta Salad

    Grill eggplant and zucchini, then toss with pasta, fresh tomatoes, herbs, and mozzarella for an almost instant ratatouille-inspired pasta salad.

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  • Photo by Ted Cavanaugh
    46/73

    Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs

    Hard-boiled eggs turn out perfectly every time when steamed in a pressure cooker: always evenly cooked and easier to peel than traditional boiled eggs.

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  • Photo by Chris Court and William Meppem
    47/73

    Roasted Zucchini Lasagna

    Zucchini ribbons take the place of pasta in this naturally gluten-free vegetarian casserole.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Rhoda Boone, Food Styling by Ali Nardi
    48/73

    Mini Beef and Mushroom Patties

    These mini burger patties are versatile and family-friendly. Make a big batch to freeze and then pack them in lunches all week long as sliders, on top of grains, in pita sandwiches, and more.

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  • Photo by Gentl & Hyers
    57/73

    California Veggie Sandwich

    Avocado, goat cheese, and a tangy buttermilk dressing add richness to a sandwich that’s packed with crunch.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
    58/73

    Slow-Cooker White Chicken Chili

    For easy, hands-off meal prep, throw chicken thighs, green chiles, white beans, and a flurry of spices into your slow cooker and come back a few hours later to a hearty, flavorful meal.

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  • Photo by Matt Duckor, Food Styling by Molly Baz
    59/73

    Slow-Cooker Macaroni and Cheese

    Move over boxed mac and cheese; this version is just as simple and a whole lot tastier.

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  • Photo by Hannah Kaminsky
    60/73

    Barbecue-Flavored Chickpea Sandwiches

    Cool romaine lettuce and barbecue-flavored chickpeas combine to create great flavor and texture in this hearty pita sandwich. This pairs well with many simple companions—potatoes or sweet potatoes, fresh corn, a simple quinoa salad or pilaf, or a light soup. And steamed green veggies are always welcome, too.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Ali Nardi
    65/73

    Spanish Frittata With Herby Yogurt and Greens

    A slice of leftover frittata makes a delicious lunch—and the vegetables can be customized according to your kids' preferences.

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  • Photo by Kelsey McClellan
    66/73

    Granola Cluster Cookies

    These meringue-like cookies have all our favorite granola ingredients. You can swap in equal amounts of other nuts and seeds, such as hazelnuts, peanuts, or sunflower seeds.

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  • Gina Homolka
    71/73

    Noodle-less Zucchini Lasagna

    The thinly sliced zucchini ribbons replace pasta in this delicious, healthy noodle-less dish.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    72/73

    Shrimp and Corn Fritters

    Bursting with fresh corn and a hint of spice, these summery fritters take inspiration from the Southern classic shrimp and grits.

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  • Photo by Andrew Purcell, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell
    73/73

    Deviled Egg Salad Spread

    You found the Easter eggs, now put them to use by making this easy, deviled eggs–inspired sandwich spread.

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