Lunch ideas for teens got you stumped? Healthy lunch meal prep is going to be made much easier when you are creating healthy warm or cold lunch ideas your teens (and you!) will want to eat! These 19 unique school lunch ideas for teens will have your teenager happy to eat healthy!
Jump to:
- What Should I Pack for Lunch at School?
- What to pack for school lunch other than sandwiches?
- Cauliflower Pizza
- Sandwich Bento Box
- Meatballs and Cauliflower Gnocchi
- Panera Copycat Grain Bowl
- Turkey, Squash and Veggie Bowl
- Greek Chicken Salad
- Chicken Veggie and Grain Bowl
- Quinoa, Lentil and Arugula Pesto Bowl
- Crock Pot Enchilada Soup
- Healthy Burrito Bowl with Chicken
- Air Fryer Salmon
- Chaffle Sandwich Bread
- Rotisserie Chicken Salad Recipe
- Tuna Salad with Greek Yogurt
- Spinach Quinoa Salad
- Gluten Free Pasta Salad
- Quinoa Power Bowl
- Mediterranean Grain Bowl
- FAQS
- Quick Southwest Chicken Bowl with Rice
What Should I Pack for Lunch at School?
Getting high schoolers to try new things is one way to get them to make healthy food choices. It can be hard, especially if your teen is picky. If you have a teen athlete then you definitely want them fueled!
There is so much more that can be done with lunch aside from sandwiches or lettuce and a few other veggies! I'm sharing with you my top healthy lunches for work that can also double for some delicious lunch ideas for teens - add these to your lunchbox list!
No heat and no microwave? Check out these 25+ cold lunch recipes!
As we know, the plain old salad can get super boring (find salad recipe inspo here!) If we want to teach our kids to eat healthy, we need to teach them to make healthy food they like!
What to pack for school lunch other than sandwiches?
If your teen is ready to start trying lunch ideas that aren't sandwiches or plain salads, here are 19 Unique Lunch Ideas that are great for teens and adults! If you need ideas for lunches for kids, I've got you covered there too!
Pizza, sandwiches and meatballs are huge for kids and teens! One of the best lunches that is quick to make and will work well on regular rotation.
Top with veggies or your favorite toppings. You can also use a whole grain crust in place of the cauliflower crust if you prefer.
If a regular sandwich sound boring, try this fun twist on an un-sandwich. Kind of like a deconstructed charcuterie board, just add some crackers!
These are perfect for on the go lunches or just prepping a few for eating at-home. The easiest lunch to prep if there ever was one!
MEATBALLS AND CAULIFLOWER GNOCCHI
A delicious treat to heat up at lunchtime and get some extra veggies in!
Check out some of our favorite meatball recipes like eggless meatballs, crock pot meatballs or even turkey meatballs in the instant pot!
This copycat bowl tastes just like Panera's without the hefty price tag! Make this delicious bowl at home and stick to your grocery budget.
Swap out chicken for your favorite protein or even try a plant based option like chickpeas or lentils.
TURKEY, SQUASH AND VEGGIE BOWL
This bowl is made even easier with pre-made turkey breast that found at Trader Joe's.
Use whatever seasonal veggies are on hand. This recipe is a great way to clean out your refrigerator.
One of my favorite things to put in a salad is any kind of Greek inspired topping. This bowl is bursting with flavor and is a delicious lunch idea for teens that can be served hot or cold.
Try this as a warm bowl or rolled up into a pita.
A simple but filling lunch idea for teens that keeps them fueled.
This is a great base recipe that can be customized based on your teen's tastes.
QUINOA, LENTIL AND ARUGULA PESTO BOWL
A delicious plant based option for vegan or vegetarian teens!
Add in some protein like chicken, turkey or shrimp if you prefer.
Thrown together in less than 5 minutes, this healthy crock pot enchilada soup is a hearty soup recipe that tastes so good on a busy weeknight and is great for leftover lunches.
Full of flavor and topped with shredded cheese, avocado and tortilla chips, this slow cooked classic Mexican soup will be in a favorite of adults and teens!
HEALTHY BURRITO BOWL WITH CHICKEN
Making a homemade healthy burrito bowl with chicken will satisfy your Chipotle cravings!
These bowls are super easy and quick to make while being cheaper than Chipotle. Perfect for meal prepping and one of my favorite lunch ideas for teens.
A delicious base protein for any bowl, salad or even for use in a wrap.
Seasoned with just olive oil, salt and pepper, this air fried salmon is one of the most delicious and unique lunch ideas for teens that is done in just 15 minutes!
Get some extra protein by making a sandwich with this egg-based recipe.
You can make this chaffle sandwich bread in a sweet or a savory version.
This super easy & quick no mayo rotisserie chicken salad recipe is made with Greek yogurt, rotisserie chicken, apples and celery. Tastes like the classic recipe but it's a healthy chicken salad you can prep on the weekends for a week full of healthy lunches.
Simple to make in less than 10 minutes!
Tuna salad with greek yogurt is an easy lunch recipe that is way more exciting than boring sandwiches!
Quick to make in just 5 minutes, this healthy tuna salad recipe with no mayo is perfect to make ahead.
Spinach quinoa salad can easily be made ahead for a week's worth of healthy lunches! Served with loads of healthy veggies like cucumber, spinach and tomatoes and loads of fiber from chickpeas and quinoa, this power bowl is the best quinoa salad recipe I've ever tasted!
Full of textures and fresh Mediterranean flavors and done in just 20 minutes! Add in some extra protein like chicken or shrimp if you prefer.
Gluten free pasta salad bursting with healthy vegetables, Italian dressing and gluten free pasta. Throw in some chicken for some extra protein.
Quick and easy to make ahead in less than 15 minutes!
This Quinoa Power Bowl is full of nourishing ingredients like quinoa, chickpeas, spinach and mushrooms!
Instant pot quinoa makes this an easy favorite vegan buddha bowl recipe! Vegan teens will love this one!
Another take on Panera's famous bowl!
Use up whatever grains and veggies you have on hand.
FAQS
Social media time! Teens and adults will love using social media to find new healthy lunch inspiration.
Try searching Pinterest for some fresh lunch inspiration or look up hashtags like #healthylunch #lunchboxideas and #healthylunchideas on Instagram.
Tiktok has also become a great resource for trendy and fun meal ideas to make. You will find a ton of new ideas that will keep you making new things for quite some time.
Making a list of old favorites will definitely help you when the time comes to meal prep! Lunch ideas for teens is much easier to track when you have a list of their favorites.
One of the ways I've catalogued all of our old favorites is to create a meal planning binder. This binder keeps all of our family's favorite recipes organized so I can reference them quickly.
Researching healthy foods and giving teens a choice in what whole foods they want to eat is huge! Everyone likes to have control over their choices so involving teens in menu planning and prepping is helpful.
Having your teen join your in grocery list making and shopping will help to provide a sense of ownership in the process. Researching the nutrition behind different healthy foods will also bring a different spin your teen may enjoy learning more about.
Answering what a 15 year old can make for lunch will largely depend on their interest and involvement in the process!
It was in my teenage years that I began to take an interest in learning simple recipes and making some of my own meals. Learning how to cook gave me pride in my food and I began to make healthier choices.
Time in the kitchen with your teen could be a great bonding experience and set up healthy habits for years to come. Both parents and kids can benefit from these lunch ideas for teens.
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Quick Southwest Chicken Bowl with Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cooked chicken
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- ⅔ cup black beans
- 1 cup cooked peppers
- ½ medium avocado diced
- 1 cup pico de gallo
- ½ cup shredded cheese
- 2 tablespoon Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients into two large salad-style bowls and enjoy.8 ounces cooked chicken, 1 cup cooked brown rice, ⅔ cup black beans, 1 cup cooked peppers, ½ medium avocado, 1 cup pico de gallo, ½ cup shredded cheese, 2 tablespoon Greek yogurt
Notes
- Make vegetarian by omitting meat and increasing beans or adding in tempeh or other plant-based meat. Vegans will also omit cheese and dairy.
- Make low-carb or keto-friendly by making it without rice and subbing in cauliflower rice.
- Storage: store leftover ingredients in airtight containers for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
- Nutrition is an estimate based on toppings listed in the recipe and provided by MyFitnessPal.
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