Healthy snacks and sides to pack with lunch
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Wondering what healthy snacks and sides to pack with lunch? Check out this comprehensive list of fruits, veggies, homemade and storebought snacks that’ll help you pack a well-balanced lunch for your family.
If you are looking for a printable copy of 30+ ideas for snacks and sides to pack with school or work lunches, click on the button below:
Fruits
When packing fruits, make sure you pack the ones that go bad quickly, like the berries earlier during the week. Also, dry off the rinsed fruit before packing to prevent them from going mushy.
- Apples / applesauce
- Avocados
- Banana
- Blueberries
- Cantaloupe
- Grapes
- Mandarin / Navel oranges
- Melons
- Peaches
- Pineapples
- Pomegranate
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Watermelons
Dry fruits
- Apricots
- Cranberries
- Dates
- Dried figs
- Raisins
Veggies
- Bell peppers
- Broccoli (roasted or raw)
- Brussels sprouts
- Baby Carrots with ranch
- Honey roasted carrots
- Celery sticks
- Cherry tomatoes
- Corn
- Cucumber
- Green beans, stir-fried
- Kale chips
- Leafy green salads
- Peas
- Sugar snap peas
- Roasted sweet potatoes
Protein
- Cheese sticks, cubes or slices
- Chicken nuggets
- Edamame
- Falafel
- Boiled Eggs
- Mozzarella balls
- Milk
- Nuts (assorted mix)
- Nut butter with bread
- Paneer (cottage cheese)
- Seeds
- Tofu
- Yogurt parafait
Store-bought options
When buying store-bought snacks, I lean towards the ones that contain ingredients that I recognize and have no added coloring or preservatives.
- Baked kettle chips
- Coconut water
- Kettle chips
- Larabar
- Pirate’s Booty
- Pita chips with hummus
- Skinny pop
- Whole wheat tortilla chips with salsa
- 100% whole grain crackers
- Wheat Thins
Homemade options
- Date balls
- Banana bread
- Chocolate chia pudding
- Energy balls
- Foxnuts (makhna)
- Granola
- Granola bars
- Guacamole
- Hummus
- Muffins
- Puffed rice (marmara)
- Roasted nuts
- Honey roasted nuts
- Roasted chickpeas
- Trail mix
- Wheat laddoo
- Zucchini bread
Helpful resources
- 10+ reasons why you should pack your lunch
- Stocking your pantry for school / work lunches
- How to pack healthy lunches for school and work
- How to plan and prep for school lunches
- Best lunch supplies for packed lunches
- 10+ smart tips & hacks for packing lunches
