How to Pack Healthy Plant-Based Lunches That Kids Will Love

Whether you’re raising a vegan kid or you’re just trying to get your child to eat more plant-based meals, you might be stumped at what to make them for lunch that they’ll actually eat, let alone enjoy. Then, you need to consider what’s healthy and what’s not. Never fear—there are plenty of plant-based options out there that check the boxes of being both kid and parent-approved. Here are some vegan recipes you can make and vegan products you can pack to create a healthy, plant-based lunch that will keep your kid happy.

One way to get your kids to eat more veggies is to make the food look too fun to resist. Like putting all the colors of the rainbow into one sandwich for example. The rainbow veggie sandwiches with hummus from From My Bowl, a blog dedicated to “simply delicious vegan food,” combine healthy, crunchy vegetables with creamy hummus. The result is a meal that’s just as pretty as it is satisfying. Since the sandwich is totally customizable, you can mix and match vegetables depending on your little one’s taste preferences.

Find the recipe here.

Lunchables have long ruled kid’s lunches, but you may be looking for a healthier alternative that’s also fully vegan. Strength and Sunshine—a blog of gluten-free, allergy-free, and vegan recipes—is here to help with a recipe for homemade, gluten-free pizza “Lunchables.” The pizza crust is made from a mix of cassava flour and coconut flour, and eggplant “bacon” serves as a vegan pepperoni replacement. Bonus: Just like with Lunchables, your kid will love getting to put their pizza together all by themselves.

Find the recipe here.

Nuggets are a kid favorite, and they can often win over even the pickiest eater. For a vegan version, Jessica Spiro, a dietitian specializing in plant-based nutrition for kids and families, shares a recipe for tofu nuggets served with some vegetables on the side. These extra firm tofu cubes are breaded with seasoned breadcrumbs and then baked, making for tasty little bites your child is sure to enjoy.

If you’re packing your child’s lunch, you probably don’t want to fuss with anything that needs heating up. That’s part of what makes the cold peanut noodle salad from Glue & Glitter, a blog with simple vegan recipes, such a winner; it doesn’t need to be warm to be tasty, saving you some work when lunchtime hits. The recipe is a one-bowl meal full of noodles, vegetables, and tofu all coated in a creamy peanut sauce. You can choose whichever noodles and vegetables your child likes the most!

Find the recipe here

Elmhurst 1925’s Milked Oats are ready-to-drink, non-dairy beverages that serve as the perfect accompaniment to a healthy lunch. Made with just a few ingredients, they contain 30 grams of whole grain per serving, and they’re free of any artificial flavors, carrageenan, gums, or other emulsifiers. These oat milks are also shelf-stable so you don’t need to worry about refrigeration until they’re open. Your kid can choose their favorite from their four flavors: original, chocolate, vanilla, and blueberry.

Peanut butter and jelly is a beloved combination whether or not you’re a kid, and with Split Nutrition’s convenient pouches, it’s easier than ever to enjoy the delicious duo. These pocket-sized packs pair all-natural nut butter (no added fillers, salts, or oils) with tasty jelly. Their flavors include the classic peanut butter + grape as well as others like cashew butter + sour cherry and almond butter + strawberry. You may just find yourself stealing some of Split’s products as an on-the-go snack for yourself!

Ruckus and Co. created their Smoothie Shakeups specifically with kids in mind. These lunch-ready, vitamin-rich smoothies are made with real, simple ingredients. Ruckus and Co. offers two flavors, but only the Tropical Tango one is vegan. The Tropical Tango is a mixture of mango puree, coconut cream, pineapple puree, apple puree, water, sweet potato puree, lime juice, and ground chia seed. That means no added sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, or preservatives. Aside from the taste, one fun thing about the Smoothie Shakeups is that they come frozen and keep their cool for hours, making them perfect for packing