Back-to-School Lunch Ideas for Busy Families

I hope all you mamas and grandmas are settling back into the swing of school! I feel like even if you don’t have kids or grandkids in school, the shift in routines is felt. It’s so nice to have a little more structure and routine and establish a rhythm to your day. And of course, for those of us packing lunches, it also means getting back into thinking about back-to-school lunch ideas that are easy, balanced, and realistic for busy families. Gosh, even work commutes change because of school traffic, so I know we’re all feeling it!

Recently, my friend said, “We need your lunch packing suggestions!” And we have shared those many, many times. We even have a Back-to-School Lunch Guide. It’s a great guideline for all ages!

My Simple Formula for a Back-To-School Lunch

Here is the basic combination for a well-rounded CCN kid’s lunch:

• 2 proteins, one for snack time and one for lunchtime
• 1 healthy fat; often this is included with the protein
• At least 1 serving of fruit
• At least 1 serving of vegetables
• A grain, which can be in the form of a snack and/or a treat

This ensures they’re satisfied and not envying treats that other kids may have.

Bigger kids might mean after-school snacks before sports or additional substance! You’re the judge, but our Balanced Kid Meal Plan includes additional information on this if you're looking for more direction.

Easy Protein Bars for Busy Days

Some bars that we have gotten used to making meals out of:

• Equip Bar – this is our family’s favorite; you can get them with my discount HERE
• Jacob Bar– we just grab these on Amazon, but I’m more of a fan than my kids
• Aloha Bars – these are available on Amazon or at most grocery stores these days, even Target

The bars make my life a lot easier, and they’re easy for my kids to ingest in their 15 minutes between school ending and practice starting.

But here are some other things that are keeping us sane right now! We’re trying to keep things as minimal as possible as we finish our kitchen renovation and have sports every night of the week.

A Few Things I’m Loving This August

• Leggings
• Tank Top
• Bento Box
• Food Jars
• Denim Top
• The Feel-Good Way Cookbook
• ELAA Superfruit Rejuvenating Moisture Mask

Whether you’re packing lunches for little kids, teenagers, or just looking for easy snack ideas for busy days, I hope these back-to-school lunch ideas, along with a few of my favorite products and recent finds, help make this season feel a little simpler, more balanced, and maybe even a little more fun.