14 Time-Saving Back-to-School Lunch Hacks Every Parent Needs to Know

Check out these fun & easy school lunch ideas! These clever hacks will make your mornings easier!

These genius school lunch ideas make mornings easier! Check out these fun tips that make packing lunch a breeze.

After you pick out your favorite lunch bags for kids, you’ll be mastering these on-the-go school lunches like a champ in no time. 🙌

1. DIY Lunchables are a fun & frugal school lunch idea!

Instead of buying pricey prepackaged mini-meals, it’s easy (and healthier) to slice some cheese, lunch meat, or make mini sandwiches for a DIY bento-style lunch!

Use containers with compartments, or separate items in regular Tupperware with stackable cups or cupcake liners. It’s a fun way to customize lunches and use up leftover crackers, cheese, fruits, and veggies.

2. Prevent apples and other fruits from browning before lunchtime.

Soak apple or banana slices in pineapple or lemon juice to keep them from browning in lunchboxes. Ball Fruit Fresh works great too—our blogger Lina even wrote a full review!

3. Create organized grab-and-go baskets for stress-free snacking.

A dedicated snack basket is a simple way to keep the kitchen organized and school lunches easy! Keep one in the fridge and one in the pantry so everyone knows where to find grab-and-go snacks. Our team loves the Home Edit storage containers/ system from Walmart, as they have a ton of options, and look so organized!

Pro tip: Stock them with healthy options. When snacks are easy to see and grab, everyone’s more likely to choose better-for-you bites!

4. Making DIY Uncrustables is one of our favorite clever school lunch ideas! 

Skip the pricey store-bought PB&Js—make your own in bulk and freeze them for easy lunches! Use a crust cutter to seal the edges; you can even grab a less expensive plastic one, or try a cookie cutter and fork for a budget-friendly alternative.

5. Making peanut butter and banana sandwiches in hot dog buns is an easy school lunch idea that also eliminates waste!

Got leftover buns from the last outdoor barbecue get-together? Throw some peanut butter and bananas in ’em for a fun and waste-saving snack!

To use this idea for school lunches, spread the peanut butter in the bun and then send the banana with the peel still on. When your kiddo’s ready to eat, they can peel the banana and place it inside the bun so it’s still nice and fresh!

6. DIY frozen smoothies/juices are a frugal and healthy school lunch idea!

Use these long freezer pouches to pre-make homemade smoothies, and then pack them in your child’s lunch for a refreshing and healthy snack! Check out a few easy & healthy ice pop recipes.

7. Pre-portioned snacks make school lunch-packing time a breeze!

Save money by buying or making snacks in bulk and dividing them out into smaller snack-sized baggies, instead of buying the pricier, individually wrapped snacks. You get to be in control of the ingredients, save money, and make lunch packing easier, so it’s a win-win-win. 🙌

8. Make DIY ice packs out of sponges to save space and keep lunchboxes cool.

We think this school lunch idea is genius! Instead of taking up valuable lunchbox space with bulky ice packs, freeze a water-soaked sponge inside a plastic baggie and use that in its place. They’re slimmer than most ice packs but work just as well!

Get this 4-pack of sponges at Target for only $2.79!

You can also use frozen juice boxes, grapes, and yogurt tubes that double as extra cold packs, yet will be defrosted for lunchtime!

9. Serve a hot lunch with ease by using an insulated container.

School lunches don’t have to be cold! Pack warm meals like nuggets, mac & cheese, or leftovers in insulated containers so kids can enjoy a hot lunch without reheating.

For older kids (or parents on the go), check out our favorite travel mugs—perfect for hot or cold drinks on busy mornings!

10. Invest in some reusable wraps.

Our Hip team thinks the reusable Bees Wraps are the best on the market! If you find yourself using a lot of single-use plastic wraps or containers to store your lunch snacks, these wraps are a frugal, reusable, and eco-friendly alternative! Plus, they’re antimicrobial and great at keeping your fruits and veggies fresh. 🙌

11. Use cookie cutters to make eating fruits & veggies fun!

Got a picky eater? Use cookie cutters to turn fruits and veggies into fun shapes like stars or dinosaurs! It’s a simple way to make healthy snacks more exciting for younger kids. 🙌

If your cookie cutters are a little too big for produce, you can get this set of super cute mini cutters made specifically for fruits and veggies!

12. Prep school lunches ahead of time on the weekends.

The best tip for making lunchtime go as smoothly as possible is simply being prepared! If you’re able to carve out some time on the weekend to prep meals ahead, then creating fun & nutritious meals during the week will be so much easier and stress-free.

13. Use wraps instead of bread for sandwiches. 

This may go without saying, but using a wrap instead of bread can mix up lunches and make them feel a little more elevated. You can either use flour tortillas or consider corn tortillas as a great gluten-free option. We even have a keto cheese wrap hack idea on our sister site for low-carb lunches!

14. Use a mason jar to pack a complete salad. 

If you have a way to keep glass safe for your lunch, using a mason jar for a salad is a genius hack! Mason jar salads are a great way to prepare healthy salads ahead of time for fast meals during the week. Make sure to first layer salad dressing, then veggies, and top with lettuce so your salad will stay fresh in the fridge for up to five days!

You can also consider layering yogurt, granola, and fruit in smaller mason jars. Keep the granola separate until ready to eat to maintain its crunchiness.

You’ll need the best grocery deals to fill their lunchboxes!