21 Healthy School Lunch Ideas That Aren't Sandwiches

No matter the time of year, it seems like there is always a lunch that needs to be packed for both the kids and adults in the family. It can be tricky to find healthy school lunch ideas that aren’t a) sandwiches and b) filled with allergenic ingredients. Whether you prefer preparing school lunches that are a single main dish or a bunch of snacky things, these healthy school lunch ideas offer you variety and flavour, and are allergen-friendly!

The recipes we’ve shared here are:

gluten-free
dairy-free
egg-free
nut-free
peanut-free
include vegan, vegetarian and Paleo options

21 Healthy School Lunch Ideas

Vegan Burrito Bowl

Vegan Burrito Bowl by Simple Veganista

Packed with rice, fresh veggies and beans, this Mexican-inspired healthy lunch is easy to customize with local vegetables, different beans and your favourite toppings (hello guacamole!).

Easy + Delicious Gluten-Free Pizza (Egg-Free, Yeast-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan)

Easy + Delicious Gluten-Free Pizza by Meghan Telpner (*ACN Founder + Director)

A fantastic and versatile pizza crust you can load up with toppings galore.

Quinoa Veggie Tots

Quinoa Veggie Tots by Darn Good Veggies

Stuffed with protein- and fibre-rich quinoa and tons of veggies, these tater tots are perfect for little hands and go well with many different condiments, dips and spreads.

Fluffy Chickpea Pancakes With Vegetables

Fluffy Chickpea Pancakes With Vegetables by Emilie Eats

These protein-packed savory pancakes are incredibly filling, setting up your brain and body for post-lunch focus and learning. This recipe is paired with a heavenly avocado sauce, but you could also pack a little container of ghee for a delicious spread!

2-Ingredient Flaxseed Tortillas

2-Ingredient Flaxseed Tortillas by Blooming Nolwenn

This fantastic and easy bread alternative, made from flaxseeds and water, make for a great healthy school lunch because you can fill them with your favourite veggies and protein.

Orange Sesame Three Bean Salad

Orange Sesame Three Bean Salad by Vegan with Gusto

This bean recipe gets a citrus upgrade with orange segments and a quick orange dressing. You can bulk it up with extra veggies, and you can omit the sesame seeds if sesame allergies are an issue.

Easy 7 Layer Hummus

Easy 7 Layer Hummus by Waves in the Kitchen

This healthy school lunch idea is stacked with so many fresh veggies and herbs (plus there are more topping ideas in the post!), you might not even need something to dip in it. Just skip the feta to keep it dairy-free.

Tuna and Kimchi Onigirazu

Tuna and Kimchi Onigirazu by Salt N Pepper Here

Learn the ins and outs of making this Japanese rice sandwich, which is wrapped in nori seaweed and can be altered with your ideal fillings, though we love the inclusion of kimchi as it’s an outstanding fermented food!

Shredded Veggie Healthy Breakfast Muffins

Shredded Veggie Healthy Breakfast Muffins by Pure Ella

They’re called breakfast muffins, but they’re delicious and savory and you’ll love to eat them at any time of the day.

Turmeric Spiced Millet Veggie Burgers

Turmeric Spiced Millet Veggie Burgers by Eating By Elaine

Make the most of anti-inflammatory ingredients like turmeric by packing them into a tasty veggie burger. And yes, veggie burgers are good at room temperature too!

20-Minute Mexican Pasta Salad

20-Minute Mexican Pasta Salad by Glowingly Well

A chilled and refreshing pasta salad recipe that is great for batch cooking so you can eat a healthy school lunch all week long.

Quinoa Pizza Bites

Quinoa Pizza Bites by Jessica In The Kitchen

Another great bite-sized recipe that can be eaten on its own, or paired with a salad or roasted veggies for a complete meal.

Mini Chickpea Flour Frittatas

Mini Chickpea Flour Frittatas by The Simple Veganista

Grab your muffin tin to make these egg-free frittatas that are high in protein and fibre, and absolutely packed with fresh vegetables.

Blueberry Chia Pudding

Blueberry Chia Pudding by Natalie’s Health

Who says you can’t eat breakfast foods all day long? Chia puddings are portable and loaded with anti-inflammatory omega-3s, minerals like calcium and iron, antioxidants and fibre – a great combo for a filling lunch.

Vegan Mushroom Lemon Lentil Salad

Vegan Mushroom Lemon Lentil Salad by Delicious Everyday

Experiment with your favourite mushroom varieties, as they provide loads of nutrition and a meaty, umami flavour to salad recipes.

Fresh Sushi Spring Rolls

Fresh Sushi Spring Rolls by Vibrant Plate

Rice paper wraps form the perfect blanket for all the fresh veggies to snuggle into. Plus this recipe is ready in just 30 minutes!

Sweet Potato Quinoa Patties

Sweet Potato Quinoa Patties by A House In The Hills

A simple pan-fried patty recipe that has a short ingredient list but is tall on flavour!

Mediterranean Bento

Mediterranan Bento by Theresa Diulus (*Culinary Nutrition Expert + Program Coach)

Snacky lunch lovers rejoice! This bento-style healthy school lunch includes a delicious roasted parsnip hummus and a ton of fresh fruit and veg.

Vegan Gluten-Free Savory Waffles

Vegan Gluten-Free Savory Waffles by Wee Little Vegans

These savory waffles are full of shredded zucchini and there are so many ways to use them! Pile them with dairy-free cheese, dips and spreads, fresh veggies, guacamole, shredded meat or sliced tofu.

Sesame Ginger Soba Noodles

Sesame Ginger Soba Noodles by Cookie and Kate

Who wouldn’t love a bowl of noodles for a healthy school lunch? We love the simplicity of this noodle recipe – and more gluten-free noodle inspiration here.