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    Home » Back-to-School » Kid-Friendly School Lunch Plan for Vegan Kids

    Kid-Friendly School Lunch Plan for Vegan Kids

    Published: Aug 11, 2021 · Modified: Sep 23, 2021 by Jacqueline Meldrum · 14 Comments

    Tried and tested lunch box ideas for vegan kids that are picky eaters.

    child eating a packed lunch

    I wanted to share my easy meal plan to help other parents.

    While my son eats a good range of food at home, he isn't great with traditional lunch options like sandwiches because he is rather picky.

    There aren't many vegan options provided by the school (even less at the moment) and it's all things he just wouldn't eat and so packed lunches it is.

    Jump to:
    • 👪 Fussy eaters
    • ⭐ You're doing a great job
    • 💭 Lunch is about more than sandwiches
    • 🥪 Let's start with sandwiches
    • 🍔 25 Simple vegan sandwich fillings
    • 🍴 Vegan picky eaters meal plan
    • 📋 Meal Plan Ideas
    • 🍱 Which lunch box?
    • 🍱 Yumboxes
    • 💭 Look for discount codes
    • 🐇 Make lunch fun!
    • 🧾 Building the meal plan
    • 🥟 The main event
    • 🍏 Fruit & Veg
    • 🍵 Dips
    • 🥨 Snacks
    • Comments

    👪 Fussy eaters

    It’s so important to stay calm around fussy eaters and not to make lunchtime (or any other meal) a battleground.

    Most importantly, work with your children to plan their meals and let them help decide what is added with a bit of gentle but firm guidance.

    Good days and bad days

    Remember, there will be good days where they eat lots and bad days when lunchboxes return with hardly anything touched.

    Because let's face it sometimes kids are just not hungry or they want to run out to the playground to play with their friends more than they want to eat lunch.

    ⭐ You're doing a great job

    Remember you are doing a great job just by caring and offering your children different options.

    Will it always go as planned? No, but that’s ok.

    Don't make a big fuss about their uneaten lunches, but do remind them that lunch is important when they are working hard at school.

    It can be hard to do, but you want lunch to be a positive experience.

    kids pinwheel sandwich

    💭 Lunch is about more than sandwiches

    If your child loves sandwiches, that's a great place to start, but if they don't I have the perfect meal plan for you.

    Before we get to that I'm going to give you a list of simple sandwich ideas, then move onto my meal plan, which is mostly little bites of picky food.

    I combine a lot of fresh food with shop-bought items and a few homemade bits and pieces, so it's really stress-free.

    Nibbles of food that can be served bento box style that appeal more to picky eaters.

    Just think about eating at a buffet (a vegan one of course) and how much fun it is to eat a little bit of everything.

    🥪 Let's start with sandwiches

    Before I get to the meal plan, let's look at sandwiches.

    The thing to remember with kids, particularly picky eaters, is to keep the fillings simple.

    Most picky eaters won't touch a sandwich that has lots of salad added to it, but remember you may get away with some crunchy veg on the side.

    Which bread to use for sandwiches?

    Here are a few bread options for sandwiches:

    • Brown bread
    • Soft white bread
    • Toast
    • Baguette
    • Bread roll
    • Finger roll
    • Panini
    • Bagel
    • Tortilla wrap
    • Pitta Bread

    🍔 25 Simple vegan sandwich fillings

    Here is a list of simple vegan sandwich fillings for vegan kids.

    1. Grated carrot and hummus (try easy homemade hummus)
    2. Vegan cream cheese and strawberry Jam
    3. Vegan butter and raspberry jam
    4. Cream cheese and cucumber
    5. Peanut butter and strawberry jam (try this easy peanut butter recipe)
    6. Bangers (cooked vegan sausages) and Hummus
    7. Bangers and tomato ketchup
    8. Grated vegan cheddar and tomato
    9. Chocolate spread and banana
    10. Lentil pate and cream cheese (try this black bean pate)
    11. Refried beans and mashed avocado
    12. Cream cheese and crushed blackberries
    13. Mushroom pate with cucumber (try this mushroom pate)
    14. Cheese savoury and cucumber
    15. Rainbow sandwich (layers of grated or shredded cucumber, carrot and plain beetroot on cream cheese)
    16. Falafel, hummus and grated carrot
    17. Chickpea mash and tomato
    18. Mashed baked beans and vegan cheddar
    19. Toasted pizza sandwich (tomato puree and vegan mozzarella)
    20. Vegan butter and jam pinwheels (rolled wraps, but into spiral slices)
    21. Vegan mayo, tomato slices, salt and pepper
    22. Cream cheese, tomato and baby spinach
    23. Cheese and onion sandwich filler
    24. Biscoff spread and banana
    25. Cream cheese and apple slices (dip the apple in lemon juice so it won't brown)

    💭 Top tip

    Try changing up their sandwiches by cutting them into little squares or triangles or use a sandwich cutter for a shaped sandwich.

    After that, you could even use the TikTok hack and cut them with a glass or cup for partially sealed, round sandwiches.

    🍴 Vegan picky eaters meal plan

    No need to download anything, you don't have to sign up for my plan and you don't need anything fancy to make your own plan.

    picky eaters meal plan in a note book

    You can type it up on your computer or write it up in a notebook as I do. You can see the beginning of a plan above.

    In addition, once you have your plan, you can print it out (or tear the page out of your notebook to pin on the fridge for easy reference when you are making a shopping list or making up lunch from the fridge.

    You need four columns

    • The Main Event - this is usually the savoury element to the lunch
    • Fruit and Veg - crunchy veg sticks and cubes or slices of fruit
    • Dips - this can be savoury or sweet to dip their main savoury snack, their fruit or veg
    • Snacks - these can be sweet or savoury and don't have to be healthy as long as you include fruit and veg as well.

    Before you get started, remember to get your kids involved. Let them give you suggestions for the plan.

    It's ok to include new things and add things to the plan, but make sure there are familiar things they like in their lunch box too.

    Small portions

    We want to make sure their lunchbox is fun but not daunting and remember don't pack too much.

    Packing adult size portions is a common mistake. Kids have smaller stomachs and don't need adult-sized portions. It can also be off-putting for them.

    📋 Meal Plan Ideas

    First, I will share my own Picky Eater Meal Plan with you.

    You can look at it as a starting point, however, make it individual and appealing to your child.

    After that, you can use the list to make a meal plan for the week ahead or you can plan a few weeks of bento-style boxes using the list if you are super organised.

    Last minute lunch box

    If you stock up on a variety of options from the plan, you can even wing it and pull some bits and pieces out of the fridge and make up their lunch just before they head out of the door in the morning.

    Here's a photo of one of my son's bento-style boxes using my meal plan.

    There are a couple of onion bhajis; carrot and red pepper sticks; cubes of melon, pretzels and a few chocolate chips.

    Vegan bento style lunch box

    🍱 Which lunch box?

    There are so many lunchboxes available online and in supermarkets these days and many are split into different compartments, which is handy.

    If you're using what you already have at home and you don't have a bento-style box with different compartments, you can use little silicone (or paper) cupcake cases to separate different dry foods in the lunchbox.

    Then add little tubs (with tight lids) for dips.

    🍱 Yumboxes

    I use Yumboxes, which can be quite expensive compared to supermarket lunchboxes, but worth every penny,

    Each compartment is totally sealed so you can add things like ketchup, mayo or yogurt and it won't leak over the rest of the food.

    Dishwasher safe

    They can be thrown in the dishwasher and I've been using mine for 7 years now and they are still going strong (no I don't work with them, I bought them myself).

    I highly recommend them. I use them for my work lunches sometimes too.

    We have a couple like the one above with a few small compartments and a couple with larger compartments, that will take a sandwich or wrap as well as snacky bits.

    💭 Look for discount codes

    If you do buy decide to buy yumboxes (or any other lunchboxes online) look around to see if there is a discount code first.

    Brands (including Yumbox) sometimes have a discount code for first purchases on their own site.

    lunch box ideas

    🐇 Make lunch fun!

    Make their lunchbox fun with a few of my tips. It doesn't need to cost a lot.

    • Colourful lunchboxes
    • Patterned paper napkins
    • Reusable coloured cutlery
    • Cute animal or star food picks
    • Animal dip pots
    • Shaped sandwich cutters (think dinosaurs, animals, cars, trains and flowers)
    • A little note or inspirational phrase
    • A quiz question
    • A joke (you can write these or print them off online)

    And remember to add some napkins or wipes for any spills and to wipe their hands on.

    For drinks add water, vegan milkshakes or fruit juice.

    🧾 Building the meal plan

    Here's what I have on my list so far. It will probably be added to before my son starts school next week, but it will give you some ideas to start your plan.

    Do leave me a comment below and let me know what you think or if you have ideas of more bits and pieces I could add for vegan kids.

    🥟 The main event

    The main event is usually a savoury item you build the lunchbox around. Here are my ideas.

    1. Falafel
    2. Quesadilla - with tomato puree, vegan cheddar or mozzarella and little dollops on pesto, cut into triangles
    3. Mini cheese toasties squares - cut a toastie into four bite-sized pieces
    4. Onion bhajis
    5. Vegetable spring rolls
    6. Vegan cheese & pesto swirls
    7. Cooked vegan sausages - cut into bite-sized pieces
    8. Mini pizza - you can make these with tomto puree, vegan mozzarella and any toppings you like on puff pastry, pitta bread or flour tortillas (cut into smaller pieces)
    9. Falafel wrap - a flour torrtilla spread with hummus, topped with falafel, folded and served plain or toasted for a crunchy finish
    10. Mini tomato bites
    11. Vegetable fingers - the breaded vegetable fingers found frozen in supermarkets, cook and allow to cool before chilling in the fridge ready for lunchboxes
    12. Toasted bagel - spread with vegan butter or cream cheese
    13. Pasta salad - drained and cooled pasta (cool under cold water as soon as it's cooked) with pesto, sweetcorn and cherry tomatoes
    14. Couscous salad - with grated carrot, sweetcorn and cherry tomatoes
    15. Mushroom sausage rolls - they won't know they are made with mushrooms, they just taste savoury
    16. Potato scones or farls - toasted and cooled
    17. Potato waffle - toasted and cooled
    18. Mini falafel and onion pies - super easy to make with puff pastry
    19. Popcorn Tofu - make it less spicy by using tomato puree instead of harissa and skip or cut down on the spices in the breadcrumbs, although my son likes them as they are
    20. Noodles - cooked and tossed in a little soy sauce
    gala apples

    🍏 Fruit & Veg

    Make a list of the fruit and veg your children like and maybe experiment with some they haven't tried either cooked or raw. I usually add raw veg.

    1. Carrot sticks
    2. Bell pepper sticks
    3. Cucumber sticks
    4. Broccoli florets
    5. Sweet potato cubes - roasted
    6. Butternut squash cubes - roasted
    7. Fresh peas in a pod
    8. Sweetcorn
    9. Mini corn on the cob - steamed or boiled and cooled
    10. Cherry Tomatoes
    11. Olives
    12. Chickpeas - tinned are fine
    13. Strawberries
    14. Blackberries
    15. Blueberries
    16. Raspberries
    17. Melon chunks
    18. Watermelon chunks
    19. Apple slices - dip them in some water with lemon juice to stop them browning
    20. Pear slices - dip in lemon water too
    21. Banana chunks - same again, lemon water
    22. Clementime segments - or tangerine, mandarin or easy peeler
    23. Mango chunks
    24. Pineapple chunks
    25. Grapes - halved
    26. Dried banana slices
    27. Dried pineapple slices
    28. Raisins
    29. Nuts - if allowed
    30. Seeds
    Vegan lemon chive dip with tortilla chips

    🍵 Dips

    Add some of these dips (savoury and sweet) to dunk their fruit, veg and snacks into.

    1. Vegan mayo
    2. Vegan garlic mayo
    3. Tomato ketchup
    4. Vegan cream cheese
    5. Vegan salad cream
    6. Russian dressing
    7. Lemon and chive dip
    8. Hummus
    9. Pesto
    10. Broccoli pesto
    11. Vegan sour cream - or creme fraiche
    12. Sweet chilli mayo - stir sweet chilli sauce through mayo, sour cream or plain yogurt
    13. Vegan plain yoghurt - or Greek yogurt
    14. Flavoured vegan yoghurt
    15. Peanut butter - if allowed and no allergy
    16. Almond butter - as above
    17. Jam
    18. Chocolate spread
    19. Biscoff spread
    20. Tahini sauce
    homemade paprika tortilla chips

    🥨 Snacks

    It's good to add some snacks for a bit of crunch or a sweet treat.

    1. Pretzels
    2. Mini breadsticks
    3. Tortilla chips - homemade tortilla chips or shop-bought
    4. Rice cakes
    5. Oatcakes
    6. Crackers
    7. Croutons
    8. Mini pitta bread
    9. Cubes of vegan cheddar
    10. Cubes of vegan smoked cheese
    11. Popcorn
    12. Flapjacks - try these carrot, banana and chocolate flapjacks or these blueberry flapjacks
    13. Muffins - these chocolate muffins are super easy and quick to make
    14. Vegan Pancakes
    15. Slice of banana bread - this is my favourite banana bread recipe, but I make it with plain flour, you can whizz up gluten free oats to make flour to use in this recipe too.
    16. Vegan marshmallows
    17. Square of dark chocolate
    18. Dark choc chips
    19. Chocolate Tiffin
    20. Vegan yoghurt
    21. Easy Danish pastries - made from ready rolled puff pastry.
    22. Hazelnut & Raisin Cookies

    I hope you have lots of ideas now and have fun making your meal plan with the help of your kids.

    Once it's written, if they are wee toots, then let them decorate the edges of the plan with drawings or stickers.

    For more ideas check out my vegan lunch guides - Packing Lunch; 45 Backed to School Packed Lunches for Kids or Back to School Vegan Lunches.

    More Easy Back-to-School Recipes Kids Will Love

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    • Air Fryer Balti Tofu Nuggets
    • Homemade vegan chocolate chip scones.
      Vegan Chocolate Chip Scones - Small Batch
    • Apricot & Coconut Flapjacks (no-bake oat bars).
      Apricot & Coconut Flapjacks (no-bake oat bars)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gillian James

      August 11, 2021 at 9:32 pm

      Jacqueline, these are brilliant ideas, my daughter wouldn't eat all of the things, but there's lots of ideas here that I would never have thought of.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        August 15, 2021 at 11:40 am

        Oh definitely add your own ideas to the list and use those you think she might like to try. It's a jumping off point.

        Reply
    2. Jamie

      August 11, 2021 at 10:24 pm

      I love all the options here and it's perfect timing as school is starting up again! Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        August 15, 2021 at 11:39 am

        No problem. Schools go back this week coming here in Scotland.

        Reply
    3. Biana

      August 11, 2021 at 11:52 pm

      Lots of great ideas here! I always like a dip for lunch, makes it more interesting. And fruits and veggies for color and healthy options.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        August 15, 2021 at 11:38 am

        Yes you are so right. I am with you on that.

        Reply
    4. Katia

      August 12, 2021 at 12:33 am

      I love this! Being a vegan mom, I always struggle with making lunches in the morning. there is so many choices and options here for having something different every day of the month! Thank you so much for making my life so much easier

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        August 15, 2021 at 11:38 am

        That was exactly what I was hoping to do. I am so glad it helps.

        Reply
    5. Denay DeGuzman

      August 12, 2021 at 4:25 am

      What an incredible back-to-school lunch resource! I'm sharing this with my niece whose family adheres to a vegan diet.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        August 15, 2021 at 11:37 am

        Yay! I hope it makes meal planning easier for her.

        Reply
    6. Tavo

      August 12, 2021 at 6:32 am

      Wao! Such a healthy post! I love meal prepping for my nephews when I visit! They when I cook, so this will be my guide to follow... sharing it with my sister too!

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        August 15, 2021 at 11:37 am

        I hope it helps you and your sister.

        Reply
    7. Bethany

      May 24, 2022 at 1:32 am

      This is exactly what I was looking for, simply brilliant!! Thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Meldrum

        May 27, 2022 at 12:03 pm

        I'm so glad it's helpful Bethany.

        Reply

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