This Back-to-School Lunch Idea is a fun way to serve lunch for kids on their first day back at school! Great packed in your favorite lunch box or served on a plate at home. Easy to customize and quick to make the night before!

Graphic for post - back to school lunch idea - great for school or home. With an image of 2 lunches boxes filled with healthy foods for kids.

Back-to-School Lunch

Regardless if your kids are going back to school or staying home to learn 📚, this fun lunch will make them feel so special on their first day back to school 🥰!

Packed full of tasty and healthy ingredients, this lunch will give your kids all the energy they need to tackle 💪 the afternoon!

You can make them the night before and keep them in the fridge so that they are easy to grab, and older kids can easily help you to put them together.

Back to School Lunch Video

Watch this video to see how to make this fun lunch for your kiddos!

A back to school lunch that is full of healthy and colorful foods.

Reasons to Love this School Lunch

  • kid-approved
  • great for a packed school lunch
  • also great for a lunch at home
  • can be customized to suit any kids taste preference
  • wholesome ingredients
  • easy to make, and you can make them the night before for a hassle-free morning

What’s In This Lunch for Kids

  • Cream Cheese Open-Faced Sandwich: Whipped cream cheese on a slice of bread, I have used some plant-based dye to color the cream cheese so that it’s fun to eat. I also cut out letters from a slice of white cheese to give them a surprise message! You can also omit the letters and leave the colored sandwich as-is or add a few sprinkles for an extra surprise.
  • Mini Peppers: I love the pop of color from the sliced mini peppers. They are a great source of vitamin C and antioxidants.
  • Peaches and Blueberries: Peaches and blueberries contain a wealth of vitamins and minerals. You can easily use other fruits.
  • Funfetti Energy Ball: These funfetti energy balls are packed full of fiber and will give your kid energy to concentrate in their afternoon lessons.
  • Cheese Crackers: These are my kids favorites and a great way to add variety to their lunch.
2 bento school lunch boxes ready for the first day of school with a healthy and fun lunch.

Packed Lunch Variations

These lunchboxes are easy to mix up with your kids’ favorite foods. Try swapping in:

first day of school lunch for kids on a teal plate for home.

Allergy-Friendly

  • dairy-free – use a dairy-free cheese
  • gluten-free – use gluten-free crackers and bread
  • vegetarian
A silver bento school lunch box with a fun and colorful lunch for the first day of school.

MORE SCHOOL LUNCH INSPIRATION 

Helpful Tools

A back to school lunch that is full of healthy and colorful foods.

Get the recipe: Back to School Lunch

5 stars (2 ratings)
This Back-to-School Lunch is a fun way to serve lunch for kids on their first day back at school!
Yield: 1 lunch
Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Author: Michele Olivier
Course: school lunch
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
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Ingredients 

  • 2 tbsp whipped cream cheese
  • 1 piece bread, whole wheat, multi-grian or white bread
  • 3-6 drops plant-based food dye
  • 1 slice white cheddar cheese
  • 3 mini bell peppers, sliced
  • 1/2 peach, chopped
  • 2 tbsp blueberries
  • 1 energy ball
  • 1/4 cup cheese crackers

Instructions 

  • Place the whipped cream cheese on a cutting board in a long line. At the top of the line drop 1-3 drops of food dye. At the bottom of the line drop 1-3 drops of another color of food dye. Using a knife, mix the food dye into the cream cheese so the top is one color and the bottom is another (see video for more details). Using a slice of bread, smear the cream cheese onto the bread. Cut the edges off the bread so you end up with a rectangle. You can leave this as-is, add some sprinkles or cut letters out of white cheddar to whatever saying you prefer. Place the sandwich in a lunch box or on a plate.
  • In another section of the lunch box or on a plate – add in the chopped peaches and a few blueberries.
  • In another section of the lunch box or on a plate – add in the sliced bell peppers.
  • In the last section of the lunch box or on a plate – add in the energy ball and the cheddar crackers.

Notes

Age: 4 and up
Storage: You can make these boxes the night before and keep them in the fridge.
Nut-Free: to make this school lunch nut-free, add in a nut-free energy ball (directions in the energy ball recipe card) or place any nut-free treat in this section. 

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Fun sandwich idea was inspired from this post.