Back-to-School: Get Inspired with these Fun & Simple Lunch Box Ideas

Back-to-school season is right around the corner, and while we love a good PB&J as much as the next person, it doesn’t hurt to change it up every once in a while. We know coming up with fun, simple lunch box ideas for yourself and your little ones can be challenging at times, but we’ve got you covered!

We’ve packed thousands of lunches for corporate catering orders over the years. From elevated sandwiches to crudités & dips, here are a few of our favourite lunch box ideas that will impress even the pickiest of eaters week after week, and make packing a lunch just a little bit more exciting.

Get creative with your sandwiches

When done right, sandwiches can be the ultimate comfort food. While it’s easy to throw together a couple slices of deli meat on bread and call it a day, changing up the condiments or adding in a few extra ingredients can make all the difference. Get creative and elevate your sandwich game with a basil pesto, chipotle mayo or even a chutney, and add fresh greens or sliced apples for a little extra crunch. And since bread is more than 50% of the sandwich, why not swap your white or multigrain loaf for a sourdough, ciabatta or focaccia?

Pack a mini charcuterie box

Who says all charcuterie has to come on a wooden board? Pack together fresh slices of prosciutto, salami, and cheddar cheese with a side of bread or crackers, and viola – a simple, yet delicious, mini charcuterie lunch box that you and your kids will love. In fact, we’re willing to bet all the other kids in your child’s class will be begging their parents for their own! Plus, it’s a quick and easy way to repurpose some of the groceries you picked up during your weekly shop.

Try new recipes with a tortilla

From wraps to quesadillas, picking up a pack of tortillas or flatbreads for the week can really open the door to a wide range of interesting lunch options. Fry up some scrambled eggs in the morning with chopped-up chorizo, avocado, shredded cheese, and chunky salsa to make a breakfast burrito, or wrap up last night’s grilled chicken with lettuce, cheese, and caesar dressing for a simple caesar wrap. You’ll be surprised how substituting a sandwich for a wrap can make the same ingredients feel brand new.

Make your own yogurt parfaits

All kids love ice cream sundaes, and yogurt parfaits are pretty darn close. Parfaits are one of our favourite healthy snacks, and best of all, they require little to no effort to make. Simply pack together your choice of yogurt and fruit in an insulated lunch bag to keep cool. Make sure to keep the granola on the side and only add it to the parfait once you’re ready to eat so it stays crunchy!

Chop up vegetables and fruit for a healthy snack

School days are long, (and work days are even longer) - in order to keep you and your kids going from breakfast to dinner, you’ve got to pack the lunch box up filled to the brim. Preparing a few veggie crudités and dip or chopped fruit in the morning as a healthy snack is an easy way to ensure you all have enough energy to get through the day. You can’t go wrong with cauliflower and hummus or apple slices and peanut butter! If you want to avoid any extra chopping, baby carrots and ranch dip are always an easy and delicious option.

Include a sweet treat

Our love for sweet things doesn’t go away with age. Pack a little something sweet to finish off lunch on a tasty note. Bake up a batch of cookies, oat bars, or muffins over the weekend and include one or two bites each day as a sweet treat. It’s a guaranteed way to inject some joy in your day!

Now that you’ve got your packed lunches covered, let us help you with your next office team lunch. At Savoury City, we offer a wide selection of drop-off lunch items, ranging from salads and wraps to entrée boxes and hot bowls for meetings from all sizes - whether you’re organizing a small boardroom brainstorm or an entire conference. To learn more about our corporate catering services send us a message at info@savourycity.com.