It's back to school time and if you're wondering how to feed your kids and teens a healthy, wholesome meal every day, worry no more. Here are 20 vegan school lunch ideas from the blog that you can make ahead and pack the night before, including snacks, main meals and even healthy desserts. Mix and match these with a side of fruit and you can be sure the lunchbox you so lovingly put together does not end up in the cafeteria trash!
Packing a healthy but tasty lunch box for school
Kids are the world's toughest critics when it comes to food. And you are a busy mom or dad with no time to fuss around in the kitchen every morning. That's why all of the recipes you'll find here are:
- Healthy AND yummy. If your kids are anything like mine, you know that instead of that blue-ribbon meal you just cooked for them they would rather stuff their faces with processed snacks and sodas. Packing school lunches they will eat when you are not around can be a challenge because have you seen how much food - especially homemade food - ends up in the cafeteria trash at lunchtime? My mantra is to give a little to get a little: include alluring things like puff pastry and pizza spin-offs that taste amazing but are still prepared in healthy ways. It's still way better than the stuff they'd get at the school cafeteria.
- Easy. School opens too darn early, so you want to choose foods that can be packed the night before and will hold up until the next afternoon, when they eat it.
- Filling. School days are long and the food you pack has to be enough to keep their tummies full and their brains ticking through the entire day. Adding a variety of elements into the lunchbox will keep your kids happy and full.
- Not messy. Messy meals are best avoided in the lunch box. Some food could end up on clothes anyway but no harm in reducing the chances of embarrassment for them and cleanup for you!
- Adult-friendly too! Who has the time to make separate meals for everyone every day? All of the lunch ideas here can be enjoyed both by kids and adults!
Snacks
Air Fryer Chickpeas
You need just 15 minutes from start to end to make these in the air fryer with a few simple seasonings. They are garlicky, spicy, tangy and absolutely delicious. They are also vegan, gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free.
Check out this recipe
Vegan Harissa Meatballs
These vegan Harissa Meatballs are perfect with a cooling but dashingly flavorful Cilantro Yogurt Sauce and they are healthy too! Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free recipe.
Check out this recipe
Vegan Falafel
Crispy, delicious and traditional, these vegan falafel make the perfect lunchbox snack, or and they can double up as the main meal. Nut-free, soy-free and can be gluten-free.
Check out this recipe
Air Fryer Tofu
This easy air fryer tofu is lightly seasoned with garlic, turmeric and lemon, and it is easy to tweak the flavoring to your child's taste. Nut-free and gluten-free.
Check out this recipe
Edamame Hummus
This yummy, fluffy-as-a-cloud edamame hummus can be scooped up with crackers or crudites! And it's so healthy. It's also gluten-free and nut-free.
Check out this recipe
Air Fryer French Fries
I haven't met a kid who doesn't love French fries.These are not deep-fried but they turn out all crispy and delicious in an air fryer with a minimal quantity of oil. Soy-free, nut-free, gluten-free recipe
Check out this recipe
Top Tip
The description of each recipe on this page includes information about allergens that is based on the meat and cheese substitutes I used. If you have a child with allergies, make sure you are checking the labels of the meatless meat or cheese substitutes you buy for allergy information because this can change from brand to brand.
Main meals
Vegan Pizza Rolls
Packed with veggies nestled in a fluffy pizza dough, these vegan pizza rolls will make you mom or dad of the year in their eyes! Soy-free. Skip walnuts in pesto if nut-free.
Check out this recipe
Vegan Irish Hand Pies
These delicious vegan Irish Hand Pies with a crispy, flaky whole wheat crust and a savory stuffing of cabbage, potatoes and lentils are a great snack, but they also make the perfect lunch box meal! Nut-free, can be soy-free.
Check out this recipe
Vegan One-Pot Pasta
One of my son's favorite recipes, this one-pot, cheesy vegan pasta recipe is SO good. Everything happens in one pan in 30 minutes! Soy-free, can be nut-free.
Check out this recipe
Vegan Tater Tot Casserole
In this one-pot vegan Tater Tot Casserole, a creamy, savory filling of veggies and vegan sausage is blanketed with a golden, crispy layer of tater tots. A fun and easy and very, very kid-friendly recipe that can also be gluten-free and soy-free.
Check out this recipe
Soya Pulao
Made with protein-rich TVP chunks, this spicy, delicious Soya Pulao comes together quickly with pantry ingredients and is one of my son's favorite meals. It's also nut-free and gluten-free.
Check out this recipe
Falafel Burger
These falafel burgers will become your kids'--and your--favorite homemade veggie burgers. They are wholesome but most importantly they are crunchy and delicious. The burger patties are soy-free and can be nut-free and gluten-free.
Check out this recipe
Chili Garlic Ramen Noodles
These vegan Instant Chili Garlic Ramen Noodles take 15 minutes to make and they are a certain kid favorite. I make these with brown rice ramen but regular ramen noodles are fine too! Gluten-free, nut-free and can be soy-free.
Check out this recipe
Vegan Indian Kofta
These protein-packed vegan kofta balls - Indian style meatballs - are savory and delicious and can be eaten by themselves or added to your kids' favorite dishes instead of meatballs. Soy-free, nut-free and gluten-free.
Check out this recipe
Mixed Veg Paratha
The best way to eat your veggies is to stuff them into a flaky wrapper. Kids love parathas in their lunchbox--just cut them into fourths and pack a delicious chutney or ketchup to dip them into. A soy-free and nut-free recipe.
Check out this recipe
Vegan Dirty Rice
An easy vegan Dirty Rice recipe that you can cook up in under 30 minutes. Vegan sausage and Cajun seasoning -- along with a few other carefully chosen ingredients -- add all the flavor you can handle. A soy-free, gluten-free and nut-free recipe.
Check out this recipe
Sweet bites
Vegan Chocolate Chip Almond Flour Cookies
These yummy vegan chocolate chip almond flour cookies are naturally sweetened with date syrup and made with healthy almond flour. The dough comes together in five minutes in a single bowl! Gluten-free and soy-free.
Check out this recipe
Vegan Banana Crumb Muffins
Delicious and whole wheat, these Vegan Banana Crumb Muffins are a yummy and healthy snack or dessert for the lunchbox. A vegan, nut-free, soy-free recipe.
Check out this recipe
Vegan Almond Flour Cookies
These healthy vegan almond flour cookies are naturally sweetened with dates. They are also scented with cardamom and vanilla, and ready in under 20 minutes. Soy-free and gluten-free.
Check out this recipe
Vegan Brownies
The perfect vegan brownies! They have no added oil and are wholegrain, making them a healthy treat for dessert or a snack. The brownies are sweet and fudgy and get chewier as they stand. And they are super chocolatey! A soy-free recipe.
Check out this recipe
Vegan Applesauce Muffins
These vegan applesauce muffins are the perfect snack/dessert. They are tender and delicious and infused with the flavor of apples and crunchy almonds. Soy-free and can be nut-free.
Check out this recipe
Also check out these vegan lunch box ideas for back to school and 66 kid-friendly vegan recipes: a vegan mom's guide to stress-free, fun and healthy meals for the family.
Olga says
Vaishali, these recipes are amazing! I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to post them! There is so much to build on. My mostly vegan 5 year old is quite picky, and besides that, her school doesn't have a dedicated cafeteria, the kids just sit on benches to eat their lunch. (Go figure!) Your abundant lunch ideas are not messy, won't go soggy, and will survive being transported by a young child. They are just what I've been searching for!
Vaishali says
Hi Olga, hope you try! I just updated the list with new recipes.
Jacinda Gordon says
I love your site. BUT the advertisment they are putting on your page is Ozpig bbq. With two great big slabs of meat on the bbw. ? obviously the media dont care its a vegan page. But its very of putting and distasteful.
I understand you need funds to keep up your great work.
I love your page. But maybe give the marketing manager a hint. No one from a vegan page is going to be clicking that link on purpose.
Vaishali says
Thanks for pointing it out, Jacinda. I will mention this to my ad folks. Appreciate the heads up.
Todd says
Having recently embraced a vegetarian diet, one of my biggest challenges has been lunch...no fast and easy sandwiches! PB & J gets old. And I don't want to have to heat up a lunch everyday...that is the same as the dinner I'll be eating. Can't wait to try these recipies!
Sneha says
This is a great list, Vaishali! My only remaining problem is that the school does not offer a microwave so I don't know how some of these would be at room temp?
Vaishali says
Hi Sneha, the rice dishes taste fine at room temperature, if that's what you're thinking about. Or you can always pack them in a thermos container if you absolutely want hot.
Anonymous says
Great! Thankyou very much you made my day!
Vaishali says
Thanks! 🙂
Namrata says
Wow !! This is the most amazing post ever! I'm child-free but pack my own lunches, so these recipes are going to be my saviors. Thanks a lot for putting together this very useful list. You rock Vaishali 🙂
Vaishali says
Thanks Namrata!
Jason says
Thank you for such a well thought out and helpful article (and plan).
Vaishali says
Thanks, Jason. 🙂
Ambica says
Thank you Vaishali! I love that these are make ahead. How do you pack these lunches? Are they good at room temperature? ( I am looking at the burger and pita pocket recipes)
Vaishali says
Hi Ambica, yes, they are all fine at room temperature, including the burger and pita packets. I just pack them in his regular lunchbox.
chessiepique says
Vaishali, will you be my mom forever? 😀 These all look sooooo good!
I'll bet some magazine somewhere would be excited to get this post and the recipes with it.
Vaishali says
Catherine, I'll adopt you any day. 🙂
Namrata says
Adopt me too 😉
Vaishali says
Yes! 🙂 The more people to feed the merrier.
Christina says
Thank you, Vaishali! My hubby and I take our lunch to work every day in order to ensure that we have a healthy vegan meal. I'm excited to try these recipes for "us big kids". The pictures look amazing.....
Vaishali says
Thanks, Christina. These are loved by the big kids in our home as well. 🙂