20 Lunch Snacks to Pack (That Are Way Tastier Than Potato Chips or Sad Carrot Sticks)
Coming up with creative additions to packed lunches can be daunting, whether it’s for yourself or your whole crew. How many times can one eat PB&J with a side of apple slices, really? Instead of resigning yourself to packaged fruit snacks or snooze-worthy carrot sticks, try one of these 20 lunch snacks that are way tastier (but just as easy to prepare). From classic ants on a log to homemade fruit leather, there’s something for everyone—ready thy bento box.
65 Simple, Delicious School Lunch Ideas That Even the Pickiest Eaters Will Love
Katherine Gillen
1. Ants On A Log
Time Commitment: 5 minutes
Why We Love It: ready in <15 minutes, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly
If you ask us, these cuties will never go out of style. It helps that they’re absolutely delicious and have a boost of filling protein. If your kid doesn’t love celery, try swapping it for carrot sticks or apple slices, since they have a similarly crisp texture.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
2. Roasted Mixed Nuts
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: ready in <15 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, make ahead
We’ll happily eat nuts by the handful, since they’re full of healthy fats and protein to keep us satisfied. Up the ante by making your own spicy, herby mix. You can use any combination, but we like almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews and pistachios the best.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
3. Homemade Cheese Crackers
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Crunchy, cheesy crackers, but make ’em gourmet. Don’t worry: This recipe is deceptively easy and calls for just six ingredients.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
4. 3-ingredient Almond Butter Cups
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: no cook, low sugar, paleo, gluten free
Behold, an allergy friendly treat that’s homemade, simple to whip up and a kid favorite. Almond butter avoids the peanut conundrum, but if you’re dealing with a tree nut allergy, try sunflower butter instead.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
5. Roasted Edamame
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: ready in <30 minutes, high protein, low sugar
It’s no secret roasting is superior to boiling for flavor alone. Here, the edamame pods get slightly charred in the oven, infusing a smoky flavor into the beans. (Bonus, they have 15 grams of protein in each serving.)
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
6. 2-cheese Guacamole
Time Commitment: 10 minutes
Why We Love It: no cook, high protein, low sugar, ready in <15 minutes
Cheese in your guac? It’s not traditional, but it sure is tasty. To keep this dip from going brown before lunch, squeeze a little extra lime on top before closing the container.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
7. Watermelon Salsa
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: ready in <30 minutes, no cook, gluten free, vegan, low sugar
Kids and adults will go wild for the swicy (ahem, sweet and spicy) flavor of this chip dipper. Feel free to adjust the heat to taste, using more or less jalapeño—and omitting the cayenne—for a milder or hotter flavor.
Ambitious Kitchen
8. Rainbow Fruit Skewers
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, ready in <30 minutes, make ahead
These chocolate-drizzled skewers will give those packaged “fruit” snacks a run for their money. Customization is encouraged, so try any combo of fruit and chocolate your heart desires. (We’re starting with strawberries and white chocolate.)
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
9. Almond Butter Granola Bars
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: ready in <30 minutes, paleo, high protein, kid-friendly, gluten free
With 19 grams of protein in each serving, these bars are small but mighty. Plus, they can be made days in advance and double as an on-the-go breakfast.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
10. Easy Zucchini Chips
Time Commitment: 2 hours
Why We Love It: make ahead, <10 ingredients, low carb, <500 calories
Skip the sketchy packaged, puffed “vegetable” crisps in favor of these crispy chips. They’re made with three ingredients and will disappear faster than you can say “French onion dip.”
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
11. Almond Butter Stuffed Soft Pretzel Bites
Time Commitment: 57 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, low sugar, low fat, paleo
Psst: These bites have a secret. The pretzel crust is made with cassava flour, which is grain-, nut- and gluten-free. That makes this snack paleo and celiac friendly (not to mention delish).
The Recipe Critic
12. Fruit Leather
Time Commitment: 8 hours, 10 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, low carb
Remember fruit roll-ups? Yeah, these are like that, but made with three simple ingredients you can actually recognize. Strawberry is a crowd-pleaser, but you can try any fruit you like.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
13. Edamame Hummus
Time Commitment: 10 minutes
Why We Love It: no cook, ready in <15 minutes, low sugar, low carb
We consider edamame the queen of the lunchtime snack kingdom, since it’s bursting with protein and can be snuck into everything from salads to dips. Try this creamy hummus with a side of pita chips or pretzels for crunch.
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
14. Cocoa Peanut Butter Granola
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Why We Love It: low sugar, <500 calories, <10 ingredients
Well, this certainly beats raiding the cereal selection at the office when that 3:30 p.m. feeling rolls around. FYI, a batch of this protein-rich granola will keep in an airtight container for up to a month, so go ahead and double it.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
15. Easy Cherry Almond Granola Bars
Time Commitment: 25 minutes
Why We Love It: make ahead, <10 ingredients, ready in <30 minutes
The last time we accidentally peeked at the nutrition label on our go-to store-bought bar, we screamed internally. We’ll admit these homemade bars aren’t the equivalent of eating a salad, but we like knowing what’s inside them (and having the freedom to add any mix-in we please).
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
16. Mini Yogurt Cheesecakes
Time Commitment: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Why We Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, <500 calories
They’re made with Greek yogurt (aka breakfast food) and can be eaten in two or three bites, so yeah, we’re calling these cuties a healthy snack. Stash them in the freezer and pack them while they’re still cold, so they’ll thaw by lunch.
Emily Morgan
17. Easy Homemade Hummus With Za’atar Pita Chips
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, ready in <30 minutes
Sure, you could spend $10 on a tub of hummus and a bag of pita chips at the grocery store. Or you could make this version, which is even more irresistible. Adding za’atar to the chips is an easy way to take the flavor up a notch.
What’s Gaby Cooking
18. Homemade Tortilla Chips
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, ready in <30 minutes, gluten free, dairy free
Remember that watermelon salsa you’re making? You’ll need something to dip in it…these golden brown, perfectly seasoned chips are just the thing.
Cookie and Kate
19. Crispy Baked Tostones
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: vegetarian, <10 ingredients, <500 calories
Tostones are green plantains that get smashed and double-fried. This version bakes them for an easier (but no less craveable) take on the Caribbean treat.
Erin McDowell
20. Easy Homemade Potato Chips
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, low sugar, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
We know we said no potato chips, but we couldn’t resist. These are homemade and so much better than the bagged kind. Your kids are gonna go wild.
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Katherine Gillen is a writer, recipe developer and food stylist with a degree in culinary arts and professional experience in New York City restaurants. She used to sling sugary desserts in a pastry kitchen, but now she's an avid home cook and fanatic baker.
