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    Home » Easy Vegan Back-to-School Lunches » 45 Back-to-School Vegan Packed Lunches

    45 Back-to-School Vegan Packed Lunches

    Published: Aug 6, 2021 · Modified: Aug 11, 2021 by Jacqueline Meldrum · 18 Comments

    These back-to-school vegan lunches for kids will make life easier for busy mums and dads as the new term begins.

    When kids head back to school, it's all about the uniform first, then we think about lunches.

    There isn't always a great selection of vegan lunches available in schools and even if there are a few options, your children might not want to eat them. Let's face it we all have our likes and dislikes.

    That's when lunchboxes come into their own, but we all need new ideas so they aren't eating the same thing every day and it needs to be easy.

    • also check out Kid- Friendly School Lunch Plan for Vegan Kids

    💭 Lunchbox tips

    Before I share some delicious kid-friendly lunch ideas, here are some tips to make lunchtime more successful.

    1. Plan, plan, plan! That's the best piece of advice I can give you. If you have a plan there will be less stress and you will feel more organised.
    2. Make a lunch meal plan for 2, 3 or 4 weeks and then repeat. Each term you can make a new lunch plan. It will give kids enough variety but make life easier for you.
    3. Make a list of the main event (sandwiches, wraps, pasta, pastry etc) and snacks (sweet and savoury), think crunchy veg with dips, fruit, baked goods and easy to add snacks like pretzels, popcorn or breadsticks.
    4. Get your children involved. Ask them what they would like to add to the list and talk about what's on the list, then let them help you plan a 2,3 or 4 week schedule.
    5. Trying something new in their lunchbox? Make sure there is something familiar there too, so it's not so daunting.
    6. Think about bento style boxes. Lots of snack food for a fun lunch, think things like falafel, onion bhaji, tofu popcorn or cooked vegan sausages, along with vegetable sticks, pieces of fruit, a dip and snacks like pretzels or popcorn. Think finger food.
    7. Don't give them too much! This is a common mistake, we give them adult size portions and then get annoyed when food comes home. Remember they have wee tummies.
    8. Make lunch boxes fun, seperate food with colourful silicone muffin cases, add fun food picks or colourful re-usable cutlery.
    9. Add a few note or a joke, to make them smile. You can prepare these ahead and keep them in a jar to add when you make up their lunches.
    10. Make sure they have paper napkins or kitchen paper to wipe fingers on or mop up any spills.

    🥪 Vegan Sandwiches & Wraps

    Try these simple sandwiches and wraps in their lunchbox. If they don't like added extras like salad leaves or tomato slices, leave them out. Tweak the recipes to suit your child.

    vegan sandwiches and wraps

    1. Vegan Cheese & Onion Sandwiches

    from The Vegan Lunchbox

    An easy recipe for the most delicious cheese and onion sandwich. A classic British sandwich.
    Get the recipe
    Vegan Cheese and Onion Sandwiches

    2. Kids Pinwheel Sandwiches

    from The Vegan Lunchbox

    Colourful pinwheel sandwiches filled with kid-friendly vegetables for lunch boxes.
    Get the recipe
    Kids pinwheel sandwiches on a white plate

    3. Vegan Cheese Savoury Sandwich Filler

    from The Vegan Lunchbox

    A vegan version of that traditional British sandwich filling cheese savoury.
    Get the recipe
    Vegan Cheese Savoury Sandwich Filling

    4. Vegan 'Egg' Mayo Sandwiches

    from Vegan Punks

    This vegan egg mayo sandwich could be the quickest recipe on our website! It takes just ten minutes to make. Perfect for lunch in a hurry or make the night before ready for the next day.
    Get the recipe
    vegan egg mayo sandwiches

    5. Vegan 'Tuna' Sandwiches

    from Karen Klein

    5-minute Vegan Tuna Salad Recipe. Delicious plant based filling for sandwiches or wraps and perfect to scoop onto a salad. Just 4 ingredients and it’s totally meal-prep friendly.
    Get the recipe

    6. Carrot & Spinach Crunch Wraps

    from Tinned Tomatoes

    A delicious vegan lunhctime wrap full of colourful veggies and finished with the crunch that makes this wrap one of the best wraps around.

    Skip the spinach if your child doesn't like spinach.
    Get the recipe
    Carrot & Spinach Crunch Wrap

    7. Mini Peanut Butter & Jelly Waffle Sandwiches (gluten-free)

    from Strength and Sunshine

    These Mini Gluten-Free Peanut Butter & Jelly Waffle Sandwiches are vegan, fun for kids, healthy & protein-packed! A recipe for all peanut butter lovers and anyone who wants to shakeup their boring sandwich routine!
    Get the recipe
    Peanut Butter & Jelly Waffle Sandwiches

    🍝 Vegan Lunchbox Pasta

    Pasta is a great choice for kids. If you keep the dressing simple the vegetables chopped small, you can get away with a lot. Check out these recipes and tweak them to suit your children.

    Vegan pasta sakad

    8. Cheesy Pasta Salad

    from The Vegan Lunchbox

    This cheese pasta salad is perfect for vegan lunch boxes, but it's also good as a side dish or an option for picnics, BBQs, potlucks & buffets.
    Get the recipe
    Vegan cheesy pasta salad in a blue bowl

    9. Vegan Macaroni Salad

    from The Vegan Lunchbox

    This quick and creamy macaroni salad is great for lunch boxes, picnics, BBQs and as a side salad.
    Get the recipe
    Vegan Macaroni Salad in a bowl

    10. Tomato & Corn Pasta Salad

    from Tinned Tomatoes

    A fresh summery pasta salad with sunblush tomatoes, tomatoes, corn and a herb dressing. So quick to put together and popular with kids.
    Get the recipe
    https://www.tinnedtomatoes.com/2014/07/weeknight-pasta-in-flash.html

    11. Summer Greek Pasta Salad

    from Tinned Tomatoes

    A fresh summer pasta salad that sings with the flavours of Greece. This vegan recipe includes a zingy dressing.
    Get the recipe
    Vegan Greek Pasta Salad

    🍕 Vegan Lunchbox Pizza

    Kids love pizza and there are some really fun twists on pizza you can add to their lunchbox.

    vegan pizza

    12. Vegan Sesame Bagel Pizza

    from The Vegan Lunchbox

    An easy lunch or dinner bagel pizza with tips on changing up the flavours. Serve hot or cold.
    Get the recipe
    Vegan sesame bagel pizza with salad

    14. Mini Margherita Puff Pizza Pies

    from Tinned Tomatoes

    Easy mini Margherita pizza pies that can be made in under 30 minutes. They are easy enough for children to make and they always love to eat them.
    Get the recipe

    15. Vegan Pizza Rolls

    from Nutriciously

    Crispy whole wheat dough with a flavorful veggie-stuffed filling, this classic finger food is perfect for lunchboxes.
    Get the recipe

    16. Vegan Pitta Pizza 3 Ways

    from Health My Lifestyle

    Try these three different varieties or customize your own with the veggies you have on hand and make a healthy and delicious lunch treat.
    Get the recipe

    🥟 Vegan Lunchbox Pastry

    If you really want to treat them add some sausage rolls, pies or tarts to their lunchbox. You can always add some fruit and veg on the side.

    Vegan Pastry Lunch Snacks

    17. Vegan Pesto & Cheese Swirls

    from The Vegan Lunchbox

    Simple lunch box pastries with a filling of pesto and cheese.
    Get the recipe
    Vegan pesto cheese swirls on a baking sheet

    18. Falafel & Onion Pies

    from The Vegan Lunchbox

    Simple falafel and onion pastry pies are super easy to make and are something different to add to your lunchbox. They are also great for lunches at home and picnics.
    Get the recipe
    A square falafel onion pie with cherry tomatoes

    19. Vegan Cheese & Red Pepper Filo Hand Pies

    from The Vegan Lunchbox

    These easy vegan cheese and red pepper filo hand pies are perfect in lunch boxes when you want something different, but are also good served hot for dinner with potatoes and veg.
    Get the recipe
    Vegan cheese red pepper filo hand pies

    20. Mini Tomato Pastry Bites

    from The Vegan Lunchbox

    A succulent wee pastry bite that's simple and fun to make and a real treat in lunch boxes.
    Get the recipe
    Mini Tomato Pastry Bites

    21. Scottish Rumbledethump Pies

    from Tinned Tomatoes

    A simple recipe for Scottish rumbledethump pies made with cabbage, potatoes and veggie or vegan cheese.
    Get the recipe
    Scottish Rumbledethump Pies

    22. Spicy Tattie Puffs

    from Tinned Tomatoes

    Simple sausage roll type snack with a spicy samosa style mashed potato and pea filling.
    Get the recipe

    23. Mushroom & Chestnut Sausage Rolls

    from Tinned Tomatoes

    Golden, puff pastry sausage rolls filled with a delicious mushroom, chestnut and thyme filling. These are perfect for adding to lunchboxes
    Get the recipe
    Mushroom & Chestnut Sausage Rolls

    24. Spinach & Cream Cheese Parcels

    from Tinned Tomatoes

    Mini puff pastry parcels filled with cream cheese (dairy or vegan), spinach, and a little bit of spice. Perfect for lunchboxes.
    Get the recipe

    25. Samosa Pinwheels

    from Mrs Jones Kitchen

    These samosa pinwheels, with crispy puff pastry and a soft and fragrant vegetable filling, are a simple and tasty lunchbox filler.
    Get the recipe
    samosa Pinwheels

    🥯 Vegan Lunchbox Savoury Bites

    These savoury bites are perfect in lunch boxes. Serve them with some crunchy veg.

    Vegan Savoury Bites

    26. Vegan Eggless Bites

    from The Vegan Larder

    Frittata, Eggless quiche, vegan protein bites, whatever you call these yummy little bites, they are a great vegan snack for lunch boxes.
    Get the recipe
    Eggless bites

    27. Potato & Vegetable Croquettes

    from Nutriciously

    These crispy potato and vegetable croquettes are the perfect finger food for kids at lunchtime.
    Get the recipe

    28. Muffin Tin Sushi Cups

    from Rhian's Recipes

    These Muffin Tin Sushi Cups are super easy to make, so adorable and full of healthy goodness!
    Get the recipe

    29. Baked Popcorn Tofu

    from Tinned Tomatoes

    Crisp little bites of breaded tofu flavoured with spices. Serve with a dip for the perfect lunchtime snack.
    Get the recipe

    30. Kidney Bean Falafel

    from Tinned Tomatoes

    Easy red falafel made with kidney beans, in a blender. Serve with crunchy veg and hummus or in a wrap or pitta with hummus and grated carrot.
    Get the recipe
    Kidney Bean Falafel

    31. Green Edadame Bean & Pea Falafel

    from Tinned Tomatoes

    Crispy green falfel made with edamame beans and peas in a blender. Serve with a vegan yoghurt, cucumber and mint dip or if just plain vegan mayo.
    Get the recipe
    Green Edamame Bean & Pea Falafel

    ⭐ Pin it for later

    45 Back-to-School Vegan Lunches

    Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

    Once you've done that, join my Facebook group Living on the Veg. It's a very friendly community with lots of recipes and chat. I'm in there every day chatting.

    🧁 Vegan Bakes & Cakes

    It's important to add some healthy fruit and veg to lunchboxes, but do give them a treat sometimes.

    It will brighten their day and some of these options are healthier than their shop-bought equivalents.

    32. Blueberry Ginger Muffins

    from The Vegan Lunchbox

    Cupcake size blueberry muffins flavoured with ginger. This vegan treat is perfect for lunch boxes.
    Get the recipe
    vegan blueberry ginger muffins

    33. Strawberry Milkshake Muffins

    from The Vegan Lunchbox

    Soft and easy to make vegan Strawberry Milkshake Muffins. Everyone loves these.
    Get the recipe
    Vegan Strawberry Milkshake Muffins

    34. Lemon Muffins

    from The Vegan Lunchbox

    Light and fluffy vegan lemon muffins topped with lemon icing.
    Get the recipe
    Easy Vegan Lemon Muffins

    35. Chocolate Pretzel Tiffin

    from The Vegan Lunchbox

    A simple fridge cake with no cooking, just a bit of melting. Chocolate is teamed with pretzels, digestive biscuits (Graham crackers) and raisins for a bit of chew.
    Get the recipe
    A stack of vegan pretzel tiffin bites

    36. Banana Pancakes

    from The Vegan Lunchbox

    Easy vegan banana pancakes. Super quick to make and they taste great!
    Get the recipe
    vegan banana pancakes

    37. Easy Choc Chip Banana Bread

    from Tinned Tomatoes

    Use up those bananas and add a slice to lunchboxes for a healthier lunchtime treat.
    Get the recipe
    Easy Choc Chip Banana Bread

    38. Blueberry Lemon Oat Bars

    from Tinned Tomatoes

    Easy blueberry and lemon oaty breakfast bars. These delicious oaty bars or flapjacks as they are known in Scotland, are perfect for snack time or a lunchbox snack.
    Get the recipe
    Blueberry Lemon Oat Bars

    39. Chocolate Chip Oat Cookies

    from Tinned Tomatoes

    An easy recipe for chewy chocolate chip oat cookies. Great for an energy boost that lasts.
    Get the recipe
    Choc Chip Oat Cookies

    40. Sunbutter Cookies

    from My Quiet Kitchen

    Easy 5-ingredient Sunbutter Cookies are the perfect combination of sweet, salty, chewy, and wholesome. They're nut-free, oil-free, refined sugar-free, and ready in 25 minutes!
    Get the recipe

    41. 5 Ingredient No-Bake Granola Bars

    from Health My Lifestyle

    Just 5 ingredients and 5 minutes to whip these up. These bars are so easy to make, you'll never buy store-bought granola bars again. They are very filling, boasting 9g of protein using only whole food ingredients, and are vegan and gluten free!
    Get the recipe
    No-Bake Granola Bars

    42. Zucchini (Courgette) Muffins with Choc Chips

    from My Goodness Kitchen

    These zucchinin muffins are super easy and quick to make and perfect for lunch boxes.
    Get the recipe

    43. Blackberry Muffins

    from No Sweat Vegan

    These Vegan Blackberry Muffins are lightly sweetened and topped with a delicious oat streusel! They're whole wheat, oil-free, and refined-sugar-free. Perfect for packed lunches.
    Get the recipe
    Vegan Blackberry Muffins

    44. Coconut Ice

    from The Vegan Lunchbox

    An easy recipe for coconut ice. A sweet coconut fridge cake cut into bite-sized pieces.
    Get the recipe
    Vegan coconut ice cut into squares

    45. Choc Chip Muffins

    from Tinned Tomatoes

    Super easy vegan chocolate chip muffins. They are soft and fluffy and quick to make. Great for kids lunchboxes.
    Get the recipe
    Choc Chip Muffins

    I hope you have found some inspiration for your children's (or maybe your own) lunches.

    You may also want to check out my Packing Lunch Guide.

    Remember to make that plan to take the stress out of it.

    I hope your children have a great back-to-school experience.

    « Vegan Hummus Beet Sandwich
    Back-to-School Easy Vegan Chocolate Muffins »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lindsay

      August 06, 2021 at 3:07 pm

      So many great ideas!! My kids are going to love the mini pizzas. that's one lunchbox trick I haven't used before.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        August 06, 2021 at 3:14 pm

        My son absolutely loves those so I am sure your kids will love them too.

        Reply
    2. Natalie

      August 06, 2021 at 3:07 pm

      Oh wow, what a collection. I just saved a few recipes that I know my son will like. I will give them a tryout before school starts. Thanks for sharing the recipes.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        August 06, 2021 at 3:13 pm

        Oh good. Anything that makes life easier I say. I hope he has a good term back.

        Reply
    3. Joyce

      August 06, 2021 at 3:23 pm

      I'm so glad I found this! I have been using this awesome list for lunch ideas for myself! Thank you so much for sharing this! Lunch time is exciting again for me!

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        August 06, 2021 at 4:28 pm

        They are definitely good ideas for adults as well as kids.

        Reply
    4. Beth

      August 06, 2021 at 3:47 pm

      This is perfect for my kids lunches when they go back to school! They are going to love trying these too! So excited to have found healthier lunches!

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        August 06, 2021 at 4:28 pm

        I hope you found plenty that they will like Beth.

        Reply
    5. Toni

      August 06, 2021 at 7:45 pm

      They all look good! This is a great list! Thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        August 07, 2021 at 6:52 pm

        You are very welcome. Enjoy the recipes.

        Reply
    6. Sharon

      August 07, 2021 at 12:23 pm

      I love this roundup of recipes to send the kids back to school with these healthy recipes. I will be keeping this handy all year long.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        August 07, 2021 at 6:52 pm

        I really hope it helps and inspires you.

        Reply
    7. Mindee Taylor

      August 07, 2021 at 1:27 pm

      This list was so helpful. There were plenty of ideas for each of my kids to choose from. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        August 07, 2021 at 6:51 pm

        Yay! That's excellent, just what I wanted to hear.

        Reply
    8. Kristen

      August 07, 2021 at 1:43 pm

      Thank you for all these great lunch ideas! I'll be using a few this coming school year!

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        August 07, 2021 at 6:51 pm

        You are welcome and enjoy the recipes.

        Reply
    9. serena

      August 07, 2021 at 2:07 pm

      So many great choices! The kids are going to love some of these.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        August 07, 2021 at 6:47 pm

        Oh good, I'm glad it helped.

        Reply

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    JACQUELINE MELDRUM

    Welcome to The Vegan Lunchbox.

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