101 Vegan Sandwiches - Back to School Kids Lunch Boxes

A list of 101 simple vegan sandwiches for kids (even fussy eaters) that can be added to school lunch boxes with helpful lunch box tips.

Going back to school can strike dread into any parent's heart and it's mostly dread about what to feed them for lunch.

School lunches often have an option or two for vegans, but there's never much choice and if your children aren't keen or prefer homemade lunches, it can be hard to come up with enough ideas, especially if they are fussy eaters.

So with school season approaching (they're already back in Scotland) I've pulled together a list of simple sandwich fillers and needless to say there are some great vegan sandwich ideas for adult packed lunches too!

Of course, you can refer to this list throughout the whole school year!

Jump to:

• 🍱 Back to school lunches for vegan kids
• 🥪 Small portions
• 🥪 Easy sandwich ideas
• 👪 Fussy eaters
• 📋 Grab a notepad
• 🍞 Types of bread
• 🍴 Spread it on!
• 🌯 Wrap them up
• ⏲️ Make them ahead
• 🍉 On the side
• 🧀 Vegan Cheese
• ⭐ 101 vegan sandwiches list ⭐
• 🥪 Vegan Cheese Sandwiches
• 🥪 Beans, Peas & Pulses Sandwiches
• 🥪 Nut butters & chocolate spread sandwiches
• ⭐ pin it for later ⭐
• 🥪 Tofu Sandwiches
• 🥪 Vegetable & Salad Sandwiches
• 🥪 Deli slices on sandwiches
• 🥪 Savoury bites on sandwiches
• 🥪 Fruit in sandwiches
• 💭 Back to school ideas
• Comments

🍱 Back to school lunches for vegan kids

Let's get this out of the way first. You're doing a great job!

The fact you are looking for lunch time ideas means you care.

Kids don't always appreciate our efforts when we try to feed them a healthy diet and sometimes their packed lunch bag comes home hardly touched.

Just remember kids won't starve themselves and you have opportunities at breakfast and dinner to get some good stuff into them.

The sandwiches themselves don't even have to be a healthy option all the time.

If all they want is a butter and jam sandwich then let them have that.

At least they're eating and might be in the mood for something different the next day.

🥪 Small portions

Don't overpack their lunch box then feel surprised when they don't eat it all.

Kids have smaller stomachs than adults, so they don't need as much.

The exception to the rule is when they are growing and taking a stretch, then they always seem to be ravenous and might need a bit extra in their lunch boxes.

Pack a sandwich but add some fruit or dried fruit like raisins or you could add some crunchy veg served with some hummus (or another dip) and don't forget something sweet too.

🥪 Easy sandwich ideas

I've compiled a list of 101 plant-based sandwich fillings so you won't get stuck for school lunchbox ideas again.

Lots of ideas and flavours, but I kept each sandwich simple, so feel free to add extra salad or veg, depending on your child's likes and dislikes.

To plan for the week ahead, grab a notepad or a piece of paper and a pen (or take notes on your phone or PC).

Look through the list with your child (this is good to do with older children and younger children) and let them pick out some sandwich ideas they are interested in for this week and scribble them down.

Then discuss which type of bread they would like (see below for ideas) and ask if they would like to add some salad or sauce/dressing.

Bookmark this page and you can come back to it when you need to.

No need to get stuck in a rut or run out of ideas and they might get excited about trying something new.

🍞 Types of bread

Change up the type of bread and you will end up with a very different sandwich.

Here are some ideas:

• Wholemeal bread - some children don't like seeds in bread so be led by their likes
• Soft white bread - wholemeal bread is healthier, but sometimes only white bread will do
• Gluten-free bread - wraps, bagels or rolls for a gluten-free diet
• Toast - you can make a good sandwich with toast for a bit of crunch
• Tortilla Wraps - try these instead of bread, they come in a variety of flavours
• Rolls - baps, barm cakes, stotty, rowie or morning rolls, whatever you call them
• Baguette - or petit pain for a hearty sandwich
• Bagel - plain or seeded bagels are good
• Hot dog rolls - also called subs
• Pitta bread - white or wholemeal

And then there are all the fancy breads in the in-store bakeries at your supermarket (grocery store) or your local bakery.

🍴 Spread it on!

Using a spread on a sandwich, not only adds flavour, it also acts as a type of barrier for the other ingredients, helping to prevent soggy sandwiches.

Here are a few options (dairy-free versions of course):

• Butter
• Mayo
• Salad cream
• Cream cheese

🌯 Wrap them up

Make sure you wrap those sandwiches firmly, so they don't fall apart in lunch boxes.

Have you seen how kids throw their bags about?

Here are some options:

• Sandwich box - or tin, that they fit neatly in, you can wrap them in baking paper first
• Baking paper - I would only use this to wrap sandwiches if they are well packed in with other items, so they don't unravel
• Cling film - or saran wrap
• Kitchen foil
• Waxed paper - you can buy vegan wax-coated paper to wrap sandwiches in

⏲️ Make them ahead

Most sandwiches can be made the night before.

Avoid adding salad leaves as they can go soggy, but most simple fillings are fine when made ahead and left in the fridge overnight.

🍉 On the side

Fruit or crunchy fresh vegetables with a dip make a great lunch box snack.

Hummus is good for dunking veg in and yoghurt makes a good dip for fruit.

It's nice to give them something sweet too, dried fruit, a mini muffin, a flapack or even just a couple of squares of dark chocolate (check out some of my sweet treat recipes).

And don't forget to pop in a paper napkin or kitchen paper for wiping their hands and any spills!

🧀 Vegan Cheese

There's a huge selection of vegan cheese (some good and some bad) available these days.

From cheddar and smoked cheese to cream cheese, parmesan (usually called pasta cheese or hard cheese) and feta (or Greek style as they often call it).

Who doesn't like a cheese sandwich?

Our favourite vegan cheeses are:

• Cheddar - Cathedral City
• Smoked cheese - Applewood
• Feta - Violife (tried others that were good too)
• Cream cheese - Violife or Philadelphia
• Garlic & herb cream cheese - Tesco
• Halloumi - Violife
• Parmesan - Violife (it's called Prosociano and can be frozen) or homemade parmesan

Of course there are lots of other vegan cheese out there and your favourites may be different.

⭐ 101 vegan sandwiches list ⭐

You made it, it's time to share the 101 vegan sandwich filling list. I hope it inspires you.

🥪 Vegan Cheese Sandwiches

Use your favourite vegan cheese and keep the other flavours simple.

1. Cheddar & tomato (cut the tomato slices thinly)
2. Cheddar & pickle (Branston's Small Chunk Pickle is a good option or a tomato chutney)
3. Cheddar & apple (thinly sliced apple tossed in a little lemon juice to prevent browning)
4. Cheddar & beetroot (pickled or vacuum-packed plain beetroot)
5. Cheddar & coleslaw
6. Grated cheddar & spaghetti hoops (don't knock it until you try it!)
7. Cheese savoury
8. Cheese & onion spread
9. Smoked cheese & salsa
10. Smoked cheese & cucumber
11. Smoked cheese & sweet chilli sauce
12. Smoked cheese, lettuce and tomato chutney
13. Cream cheese & strawberry jam (or raspberry jam)
14. Cream cheese & cucumber
15. Cream cheese & quick pickled onions (pink pickled onions only take 10 minutes to make and they are lush)
16. Cream cheese, rocket (arugula) & sweet chilli sauce
17. Garlic & herb cream cheese & tomato slices
18. Vegetable cream cheese (good on toasted bagels too)
19. Whipped feta & cucumber
20. Feta & cranberry sauce
21. Feta & tomato slices (you could add fresh basil)
22. Feta, grated carrot & pickle
23. Grilled halloumi, tomato slices and pesto
24. Halloumi & roasted red pepper (spread the bread with pesto)
25. Mozzarella, tomato slices, dried herbs & tomato puree (tomato paste)

🥪 Beans, Peas & Pulses Sandwiches

Tinned beans, lentils and chickpeas are a good option when making sandwiches. Convenient but nutritious.

🥪 Nut butters & chocolate spread sandwiches

Nut butters like peanut butter are a good option for children's sandwiches, but if your child has a nut allergy or the school enforces a nut-free zone, then skip these.

Replace them with sun butter (Asda sell it as Crave Crunchy P'not Butter) made from seeds instead of nuts or try Biscoff spread, which has a caramel flavour.

⭐ pin it for later ⭐

Add ready-to-use marinated tofu to sandwiches, or try some of my easy tofu recipes.

🥪 Vegetable & Salad Sandwiches

Get that veg in!

🥪 Deli slices on sandwiches

Shop-bought or homemade, there are lots of choices.

🥪 Savoury bites on sandwiches

This is quite a varied list with homemade and store-bought (chilled aisle or freezer section) bites for hearty sandwiches.

You can cook some of these the night before in the oven or air fryer, but some will be ready to eat.

💭 Back to school ideas

• Kid-Friendly School Lunch Plan for Vegan Kids
• 45 Back-to-School Vegan Packed Lunches
• Back to School Vegan Lunches for Kids
• Packing lunch