10 Back To School Lunchbox Ideas Your Kids Will Actually Be Excited About

School is finally back in session and that means that the School Lunch Olympics has begun. Every day one of the kids comes home with a new “omg I have to tell you what SoAndSo’s mom gave her for lunch it was awesome,” and this year, just once, I want that sentence to be about me.

That said, it's 6:52 AM on day four of syllabus week, and I am standing in front of the fridge doing the thing where you open the door, close it, open it again, like something new is going to appear. One of these days, I swear it’s going to work.

Today was not that day…so I sent my kid to school with a cheese stick, a banana, a turkey and cheese sandwich, and a fruit snack I found in my purse. It did the job, but it was nothing to brag about in the carpool queue, so I decided to round up ten lunches that check every box: cheap, quick, nutritious, and actually ENJOYABLE.

10 Fun Back To School Lunches

1. DIY Lunchable

Whole grain crackers, sliced cheese, sliced turkey or salami, and a few grapes, all in separate little compartments. This costs a fraction of the store-bought version and your kid gets to assemble their own, which obviously makes it taste better. It’s an activity and a lunch all in one. Recipe here!

Cost: about $1.50 per lunch

2. Pinwheel Roll-Ups

Tortilla spread with cream cheese or hummus, a layer of deli meat or turkey, rolled up tight and sliced into coins. They look fun, they're mess-free, and there's zero assembly required at the lunch table. Recipe here!

Cost: about $1.25 per lunch

3. Peanut Butter and Banana “Sushi”

Spread peanut butter on a tortilla, lay a whole banana across it, roll it up tight, slice into rounds. It looks like sushi, it tastes like a sandwich, and it's the fastest thing on this list!

Cost: about $0.75 per lunch

4. Yogurt Parfait Cup

Layer plain or vanilla yogurt with granola and berries in a small container. Protein from the yogurt, fiber from the berries, a little crunch from the granola. Tip: pack the granola separate if you're worried about sogginess. Recipe here!

Cost: about $1.10 per lunch

5. Pasta Salad Cup

Cold pasta tossed with a little olive oil or Italian dressing, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, and whatever vegetables you have around. Make a big batch on Sunday and portion it out for the week! Recipe here.

Cost: about $0.90 per lunch

6. Egg Muffin Cups

Whisked eggs baked in a muffin tin with cheese and finely chopped vegetables, one muffin tin makes a week's worth. They're good cold aaand they pack in 6 grams of protein each. Try the mini muffin approach from our egg newsletter if you want the full method! Recipe here.

Cost: about $0.40 per muffin

7. Bagel and Cream Cheese Bites

Mini bagels or bagel halves with cream cheese, cut into quarters. Add a few cucumber slices on the side for crunch.

Cost: about $0.80 per lunch

8. Turkey and Cheese Kabobs

Cubes of turkey, cheese, and grape tomatoes threaded onto short skewers (or just toothpicks). Food on a stick is inexplicably more exciting to eat than food on a plate.

Cost: about $1.30 per lunch

9. Hummus and Veggie Dipper Box

Hummus in a small container with carrot sticks, cucumber, and bell pepper strips for dipping. Add a few crackers if you want something starchier in the mix. Recipe here!

Cost: about $0.85 per lunch

10. Waffle Sandwich

Two mini waffles with a thin layer of peanut butter or cream cheese in between, cut into quarters. Send a few berries on the side. This one is more of a dessert, but that’s what makes it brag-worthy, so it plays. Recipe here!

Cost: about $0.65 per lunch