• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Carrots & Cookies
  • Home
  • About Kristi Ruth RD/RDN, CNSC, LDN
  • Recipes
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home Snacks

    55+ Easy Lunch Box Snacks

    Published: Jul 20, 2022 by Kristi · This post may contain affiliate links

    Lunch box snacks to the rescue! Having lunchbox snacks available for kids will reduce lunchtime battles big time! Here I'll share with you a long list of easy snack ideas that can be found in nearly every grocery store, along with a few easy homemade options.

    Individual snacks laid out on a surface: dried apricots, applesauce, grapes, beet chips, muffin, apple, trail mix, protein bar, spelt pretzels, HIPPEAS, energy bites, belVita package, and a apple-carrot fruit crusher from Trader Joe's.
    There are so many options for lunch box snacks, one picture can't fit them all!

    And most of what I've listed contain fiber and either no or very little added sugar. Fiber helps keep things moving through the digestive tract as well as provide other essential nutrients that may help reduce their risk of heart disease and cancer. Fiber also helps you feel full longer.

    Implementing a new strategy that included adding snacks to lunchboxes when my kids wanted more of a say, led to less waste and less stress. And the best part was that they ended up eating more of the 'meal' part of their lunch. Success!

    The start of a new school year should be exciting! What I've learned over the years though is that for many parents, the thought of resuming the role of packing lunches can be overwhelming. It doesn't have to be!

    Jump to:
    • What I've Learned from Packing Lunches
    • Dietitian Tip
    • Why I Started Adding Snacks to Lunch Boxes
    • 55 Easy Snacks for Lunch Boxes
    • Lunch Box Snacks FAQs
    • Homemade Lunchbox Snacks Recipes

    What I've Learned from Packing Lunches

    First, let me just say that we all need to lower the expectations for ourselves. Second, it often gets harder as your kids get older because they eat more food and have stronger opinions (shocker, I know;).

    It's hard to believe that I have been packing school lunches for ten years, even longer if you count our daycare days! I've learned a lot over the years of packing lunches, and I'll summarize it here.

    1. Some days they are hungrier than other days.
    2. If they tell you that something you packed was 'amazing', it doesn't mean that they want it for lunch every single day.
    3. Some weeks they will want a similar lunch packed every day and then all of a sudden, they'll decide it's time for a change. Sounds confusing at first. But, if I really think about it, I'd probably feel the same way.
    4. They understand that some foods are better choices than others. This doesn't mean that they always want to make the 'best' choice (whatever that means).
    5. Some days hunger takes priority. Other days, talking and catching up with friends does (which means they will probably not eat much, come home hungry).
    6. They are more likely to eat all of what was packed if they have a say in it (or pack some of it themselves).
    7. They are more accepting of the food they'd rather not eat if there's at least one food packed that they enjoy eating.
    My Compostable Snack Bag Pick
    These snack bags are convenient and compostable.
    SHOP NOW

    Photo Credit: amazon.com

    Image taken from amazon.com: one box of WRAPOK snack bags with a single WRAPOK snack bag to the right of the box.

    Dietitian Tip

    One of the questions I often get asked as a dietitian is... "what do you do?". I get asked this for all kinds of scenarios and am often hesitant to respond with specifics because just because something works for me, doesn't mean it will work for you.

    However, for the purpose of this post, I am making an exception because I think it will really help many families reduce stress during the school year.

    Here's what I do most days. It's simple.

    1. I pack the 'main' part of their lunch. I'll have to write a whole separate post about this. It could be a chicken wrap, chicken salad with whole grain crackers, peanut butter and jelly (or honey) sandwich, or re-heated leftovers in a thermos.
    2. I also pack one lunch container with fruit and another small container with veggies.
    3. Then they complete their lunches with what I consider lunch box snacks. I strongly encourage them to pack at least one dairy item (they usually choose Greek yogurt).

    Why I Started Adding Snacks to Lunch Boxes

    I started adding lunchbox snacks every day when I was going crazy trying to figure out how much food to pack.

    My son would come home one day saying I didn't pack enough in his lunch and then when I would pack more, he'd come home with food left that we'd have to throw out.

    Since then, I've started packing more snacks for lunches and explain that they need to eat the 'food that will go bad' first and then eat the rest of the snacks if they are still hungry.

    And if they are not hungry for all of it, they can have the rest as a snack when they get home from school. Problem solved.

    55 Easy Snacks for Lunch Boxes

    Fruits & Veggies

    • Banana
    • Apple
    • Grapes
    • Cherries
    • Clementines
    • Carrots
    • Applesauce
    • Fruit and/or veggie pouches
    • Guacamole (with chips or pretzel sticks)
    • Hummus (with carrots or pretzel thins)
    • Fruit leather

    Dairy

    • Squeeze yogurt
    • Drink yogurt or kefir
    • String cheese

    Dried Fruit, Nuts, Seeds, and Jerkey

    My Kids' Pistachio Pick for School Lunches
    These are the pistachios that my kids choose for lunch box snacks.
    SHOP NOW

    Photo Credit: amazon.com

    One box of individual snack-sized pouches of Pistachios. Image taken from amazon.com.
    • Dried mango
    • Raisins
    • Craisins
    • Dried apricots
    • Apple chips
    • Cashews
    • Sunflower seeds
    • Pumpkin seeds
    • Pistachios
    • Trail mix
    • Granola (homemade or store-bought)
    • Dry roasted almonds
    • Beef jerky
    • Turkey jerky
    • Beet chips
    • Banana chips

    Bars, Baked Goods, and Energy Bites

    My Lunch Box Snack Pick
    These mini fruit bars are what my kids love to add to their school lunches.
    SHOP NOW

    Photo Credit: amazon.com

    One package of That's It Mini Fruit Bars with two mini bars pictured to the right of the bag. Image taken from amazon.com.
    • That's It fruit bars (all fruit)
    • Protein Bar
    • Kind Bar (contains nuts)
    • Laura Bar (nuts and fruit)
    • belVita Breakfast Biscuits
    • Slice of a quick bread (like whole wheat banana or pumpkin bread)
    • Muffins (preferably whole grain)
    • Energy bites
    • Cereal bar
    • Granola bar

    Crunchy Snacks

    • Graham crackers
    • Cheddar crackers (examples: Goldfish or Annies)
    • Whole grain pretzels
    • Veggie straws
    • Peanut or almond butter filled pretzels
    • Whole grain dry cereal
    • Cheddar rice and/or corn puffs (example: Pirates Booty)
    • Popped corn chips (example: Pop Corners)
    • Chickpea puffs (example: Hippeas)
    • Pita chips
    • Bagel chips
    • Rice cakes
    • Animal crackers
    • Whole grain crackers
    • Popcorn
    • Chips (gasp!)

    Lunch Box Snacks FAQs

    What are kids lunch box snacks?

    Here's how I see it. Lunch box snacks are the foods packed in school lunches that can also serve as a snack. Or at least foods that kids would be able to rationalize are snacks (because, really anything can be served as a snack).

    Which lunch box snacks are healthy?

    This is a tricky question to answer. I have been trying to avoid labeling any food as "healthy" simply because it has become a very confusing word.

    Afterall, what is healthy for one person (like high fiber food) may not be healthy for another (someone may need low fiber for medical purposes).

    In my opinion, "healthy" often refers to a food that meets one or more of the following criteria: high in fiber, low in added sugar, low in sodium, low in saturated fat.

    What snacks are filling for kids?

    Snacks that contain fiber and/or protein will help your kids feel full longer, as will ensuring they are meeting their energy needs.

    Homemade Lunchbox Snacks Recipes

    • Up close image of nut free trail mix in a glass mason jar (top view). Trail mix also around the base of the glass jar.
      Nut Free Trail Mix for Kids
    • stack of banana carrot muffins with a carrot on the side and bananas in the background
      Banana Carrot Muffins with Raisins
    • Up close picture of half of a muffin, facing the inside.
      Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
    • Beet chips in a white bowl on a white platter with more beet chips.
      Best Air Fryer Beet Chips

    Was my list of lunchbox snacks helpful? Please leave a 5-star rating below or a review in the comments section!

    Don't forget to snap a pic of your kids' favorite lunchbox snacks and tag  @carrots.and.cookies on Instagram so I can see it. Enjoy!

    More Snacks

    • Edamame hummus in a white serving bowl and topped with paprika surrounded by tri-colored carrots and slices of bell pepper.
      Easy Edamame Hummus
    • Top left: several pieces of biscotti on a round wooden platter with a bag of California Walnuts. Top right: Four quarters of a round waffle overlapping on a white plate and topped with banana slices; a small glass bowl with maple syrup is on the plate. Bottom left: Banana oat chocolate chip cookies on a sheetpan lined with parchment paper. Bottom right: Top view of a strawberry banana smoothie topped with one frozen strawberry in a glass with a red and white striped straw.
      21+ Best Ripe Banana Recipes from Dietitians
    • One loaf of banana bread topped with walnut pieces and chocolate chips, partially sliced with a paring knife that has a blue handle.
      Easy Dairy-Free Banana Bread
    • Chocolate chia pudding in a small white ramekin with a spoon and topped with fresh raspberries. One small glass bowl with fresh raspberries is behind the white ramekin.
      Quick & Easy Chocolate Chia Pudding

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Kristi Ruth RD wearing a green top with jeans and holding a white platter with tri-colored carrots.

    Welcome to Carrots & Cookies! I'm registered dietitian and busy working mom of three on a mission to provide you with easy recipes and tips to make every minute you spend in your kitchen count! More about me...

    Popular Recipes

    • One serving of lasagna on a white plate with a napkin in front of the plate.
      Easy Lasagna Recipe with Cottage Cheese
    • Up close picture of bean and rice casserole on a chip.
      Easy Rice and Beans Recipe
    • Asian noodle bowl served on a large white plate.
      Easy Asian Noodle Bowl with Shrimp and Scallops
    • How to Eat Granola - 20 Easy Ideas
    • Square image of five lunch boxes for teenagers: one Adidas black and grey lunch box, two Vera Bradley lunch boxes (one with a floral print and another with a black and grey print), one black Jansport backpack style lunch box, and one blue Roxy lunch bag with red floral detail.
      Best School Lunch Boxes for Teens
    • Guacamole in a glass bowl with one chip and a slice of lime.
      Incredible 4 Ingredient Guacamole Recipe

    Easy Recipes for Spring

    • Strawberry goat cheese salad topped with dressing on a white plate.
      Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad
    • Banana baked oatmeal with strawberries and chocolate chips in a white baking dish.
      Easy Banana Baked Oatmeal with Strawberries
    • Strawberry salad dressing in a large white creamer cup next to a spinach salad.
      The Best Strawberry Salad Dressing
    • Strawberry Cream Cheese Dip
    • Cold asparagus salad with strawberries in a glass bowl.
      Cold Asparagus Salad with Strawberries
    • Roasted carrots and asparagus served on a white plate.
      Easy Roasted Asparagus and Carrots

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest

    Footer

    carrots and cookies featured in banner

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Statement

    Copyright © 2020 Carrots & Cookies