Fun Lunchbox Stuffer Ideas
Our friends at Stasher wrote an excellent guide to fun lunch box stuffer ideas which we think is super handy! We have an awesome range of plastic-free lunchboxes and drink bottles, and this guide takes the work out of what to fill them with.
So grab a plastic-free snack or a loose-leaf tea, and sit down for a read of their excellent lunch box ideas;
One-Bowl Wonders
At the top of our packable-lunch list? One-Bowl Wonders! While you may have heard of one-pot meals (cooking an entire meal in just one pot or pan), Stasher One-Bowl Wonders take things up a notch. Using a Stand up stasher bag, you can prep, cook, store, and transport your little one’s lunch in a single container without having to make other dirty dishes in the process. (Cue: biodegradable confetti.)
One-Bowl “Baked” Potato
You can cook these in stasher stand-up bags in the mircowave by microwaving the potato on high for 5 minutes per side, take it out. Then, cut it in half lengthwise. Mash the inside a little with a fork, and season with salt and pepper. Top each half with cheese and butter. Put the halves back in to cook for another minute until the cheese melts.
After cooking, drop in shredded cheese, greek yogurt or sour cream, and whatever veggies you have on hand.
One-Bowl Pasta
Once you’ve cooked and drained your pasta of choice, you can add cheese and milk for mac & cheese, butter and parmesan, pesto, marinara, Alfredo sauce… You name it! Top with grated parmesan and cherry tomatoes.
One-Bowl Pasta Salad
After cooking and draining you fave pasta or grain alternative, rinse with cold water. Drain it, and then set the bag in the fridge while you chop some veggies like carrots, celery, broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower, or capsicum. Toss the chopped veggies into the Stasher bowl with your cold pasta and add a squeeze of lemon juice, parmesan cheese or bits of mozzarella, and whatever salad dressing you have on hand (can't go past the wise boys dressings). Then just seal the bag and give it a shake!
Finger Food Fruit & Veg Snacks
If your kids are fans of finger foods (who isn’t?!), you can mix and match the following snacks, which are super nutritious and packed full of vitamins and minerals. Chopping and packing finger foods into their stasher bags or lunch boxes is also a great way for your kids to get involved in the DIY lunchbox crudite fun.
- Strawberries
- Cherries (halved and pitted)
- Pineapple chunks
- Apple slices (add some lemon juice or cinnamon and give the bag a shake – the acidity of the lemon prevents the apples from browning, and the cinnamon disguises any browning which may occur)
- Carrot sticks or baby carrots
- Celery sticks with peanut butter
- Capsicum slices
- Cherry tomatoes
- Snap peas
- Cauliflower
- Cucumber slices or mini cucumbers
- Broccoli
Wraps
Customizable, transportable, and super filling, wraps are great lunchbox ideas that you can enjoy hot or cold. All of the foods in this section make for excellent wrap fillings, but there are endless possibilities, so get creative!
- Sliced ham, chunks of roasted chicken, or bacon
- Roasted chickpeas
- Black beans (bean burritos, anyone?)
- Lettuce or spinach
- Capsicum
- Tomato
- Avocado (be sure to add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice on the avocado slices or mash to avoid browning)
- Shredded cheddar cheese or feta cheese crumbles
- Hummus
- Tzatziki sauce
Homemade Trail Mix
Homemade trail mix is one of our go-to lunchbox ideas because it’s easy to make, nutritious, and super snackable! You can also switch up the ingredients for variety and based on what you have on hand. All of the foods in this section are great trail mix add-ins, but if you’re packing a school lunch, be sure to check your child’s school’s allergy restrictions or nut policy.
- Raisins, dried cranberries, or dried blueberries
- Chocolate chips
- Banana chips
- Chopped dried apple rings
- Dried goji berries
- Nuts like almonds, cashews, peanuts, and macadamia nuts
- Pumpkin and sunflower seeds
- Homemade granola
Homemade Vegetable Chips
If you have an air fryer, consider air frying your own vegetable chips for a crunchy, tasty snack. All foods listed here are air-fryer friendly.
- Potato chips
- Sweet potato chips
- Carrot chips
- Kale chips
- Parsnip chips
- Beet chips
- Zucchini chips
- Snow pea chips
- Asparagus chips
Homemade Sweet Treats
What’s a lunch without a sweet treat? Store-bought sweets tend to have high sugar content, are wrapped in plastic, and don’t taste all that fresh. So we’re big fans of DIY baked treats, which can be customized to your kids’ nutritional needs. The foods in this section are ideas to get you started, but the sky’s the limit.
- Banana bread muffins or loaf slices
- Simple muesli bars
- Blueberry crumble slices
- Chocolate-covered fruit
- Chocolate chip pumpkin muffins
- Oatmeal cookies
- Zucchini bread
Happy lunch-packing! We hope your kids enjoy these lunchbox ideas as much as we have — and don’t forget to taste-test everything yourself, too.