Sandwiches are handy… until they turn soggy in a lunchbox, or worse — get flattened by an apple or a textbook.
If you or your youngsters are dreading the idea of trekking back to class this fall with the same old sandwiches, it’s time to break free from stale lunch habits.
No, we’re not suggesting buying lunch every day, unless your school’s cafeteria happens to be both tasty and budget-friendly. You can prepare a satisfying, reasonably nutritious midday meal for just a few dollars per serving.
Try these 10 inexpensive lunch ideas — each comes in at roughly $5 a serving, and together they provide enough variety to please even the fussiest eaters at your table.
10 Budget-Friendly School Lunch Ideas
Get set: These lunch suggestions will make you hungry.
1. Lunchbox Skewers
Christina Hitchcock’s lunchbox skewers are a fun swap for tired sandwiches, and the directions she posts on her site It’s a Keeper are really straightforward.
Pick your little scholar’s preferred sandwich elements — deli meat, cheese and veggies — and thread them onto short skewers inside a plastic container. The pieces stay fresh, and you can tuck in a small cup of dip — mustard would be my pick — for lunchtime.
What You Need
- Black Forest Ham
- Cheddar Cheese Slices
- Grape Tomatoes
- Skewers
- Yellow Mustard
2. Chilled Apple Quesadillas
For the kid who can’t get enough cheese but could use a few more food groups, these grilled-then-cooled quesadillas from Laura Fuentes of Momables are ideal.
They need a bit of prep, but they’re worthwhile. Although intended for a cold lunch, you do cook the quesadilla on the stovetop just like at dinner. That helps the cheese set up.
Fuentes layers thin apple slices and cheese between eight-inch tortillas and grills them. There’s plenty of room to experiment — try whole-wheat tortillas or mix up the cheese for a fresh flavor.
What You Need
- Flour Tortillas
- Cheese Slices
- Granny Smith Apple
3. Polka-Dot Pizza Bites
Your household pizza lover will beg for this simple, inexpensive lunch repeatedly. And that’s doable, because you can prepare a batch in advance and freeze extras until pack-up time.
Just divide refrigerated biscuit dough as shown in the Coupons.com The Good Stuff post, top with a little sauce and a pepperoni slice. They bake up flaky, and you can season them to taste.
What You Need
- Refrigerated Biscuit Dough
- Pizza Sauce
- Pepperoni
4. No-Cook Banana Wraps
Here’s a wholesome lunch that needs zero cooking. Really!
It’s a sweet take on the classic PB&J: a peanut-butter-and-jelly banana wrap.
Spread peanut butter and jam on a tortilla, place a peeled banana in the middle, roll it up, and send it to school. Banana wraps!
You can substitute PB with another spread, like sunbutter, if the school has a peanut-free policy.
Tired after a long day of parenting? Even younger kids can assemble this lunch themselves.
What You Need
- Yellow Bananas
- Peanut Butter
- Strawberry Preserves
- Flour Tortillas
5. The Perfect Bento Box
If your kid prefers nibbling throughout the meal, stop stressing about creating a full entrée and focus on packing several tasty bites they’ll enjoy. Use a compartmentalized reusable container to pack four to six different small items.
It’s also a handy way to balance a kid who craves sweets but doesn’t love veggies: include a treat, sure, but surround it with healthier items to even things out.
What You Need
Nike, who manages the blog Choose to Thrive, likes making bento-style lunches that mimic Lunchables. Here’s what I’d include in my go-to box:
- Cracker Rounds
- Cheddar Cheese Slices
- Green Pepper
- Grape Tomatoes
The fresh components can cost a bit more, but this is one of the most adaptable lunch choices. Swap in items like a clementine, pretzel sticks, apple slices, a handful of almonds, a hard-boiled egg or a couple of cookies.
Portion sizes are also easy to tweak depending on your child’s appetite.
6. Waffle Sandwiches
Land O Lakes shares a neat method that asks you to press sandwich fillings inside a waffle iron, but I prefer a simpler route.
For an easier waffle sandwich, toast a frozen waffle, slice it in half, and layer ham and cheese. Then microwave for a short time or grill in a skillet for a few minutes.
If you’re feeling generous, add a small cup of maple syrup for dipping. If not, skip it — the frozen waffles are typically sweet enough on their own.
You can make a batch and freeze extras so they thaw by lunchtime.
What You Need
- Frozen Waffles
- Maple Syrup
- Black Forest Ham
- Cheddar Cheese Slices
7. Yogurt Parfait
If a yogurt parfait sounds like a treat best saved for summer, rethink your lunch strategy. You can assemble this healthy combo of yogurt, fruit and granola in minutes, and you can prepare several at once for multiple lunches.
What You Need
- Vanilla Yogurt
- Strawberries
- Blackberries
- Almond Butter Granola
8. Simple Mac and Cheese Muffins
Kids adore mac and cheese, but the hot dish doesn’t travel well in a lunchbox. Instead, bake mac and cheese muffins you can stash in the freezer for quick packing.
Pinterest overflows with fussy homemade recipes for these bites, but let’s be realistic. This is a hectic morning when someone can’t find a shoe.
Try this very simple approach:
Prepare your favorite boxed mac and cheese according to the package. When it’s done, fold in extras you like: finely chopped broccoli or spinach blend in easily.
Mix, spoon into a mini muffin tin (lightly grease first), sprinkle with parmesan, and bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes. Cook longer for extra crispness.
Freeze the muffins and grab a few for lunches. Pack a small container of ketchup for dipping if desired.
This yields about 12 mini muffins — and you might have leftovers for a snack!
What You Need
- Macaroni and Cheese
- 2% Milk
- Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Frozen Broccoli
- Ketchup
9. Ants on a Log
Time for some early-’90s nostalgia — remember ants on a log? It’s an underappreciated snack, but if you eat enough of them, they practically count as a meal.
There are many takes on the classic celery, peanut butter and raisins combo, so use whatever your kids will actually eat. Craisins, cream cheese — go wild.
What You Need
- Celery
- Peanut Butter
- Raisins
10. Mini Corn Dog Muffins
If you have a child who lives for hot dogs, here’s a way to send them off without petitioning the PTA for a cafeteria grill.
Mix up cornbread batter, fill a mini muffin pan, press a slice of hot dog into each center, and bake following this easy recipe from One Sassy Momma. Freeze a zipper bag of your batch and pull out a few when packing lunches.
If you want to be extra thoughtful, include a little container of ketchup or mustard for dipping.
What You Need
- Corn Muffin Mix
- Hot Dogs
- 2% Milk
- Brown Eggs
Anna Meyers is a former writer at Savinly.
