Healthy School Lunch Ideas (Whole30, Gluten Free)

Need a protein-packed sandwich alternative for your kids’ lunches? I’ve listed my kids’ favorite meals that are terrific healthy school lunch ideas!

These delicious grab-and-go school lunches are perfect for growing kids and teens. All of these make-ahead lunch items can be eaten without utensils and they’re paleo, gluten-free, Whole30 and packed with flavor!

Sonoran Hot Dogs

Crispy bacon-wrapped hot dogs smothered with your favorite Mexican-inspired toppings are a kid-favorite no matter how old they are.

Egg Foo Young

These savory egg pancakes transform any leftover meat and veggies into a delightful lunch. (If your kids still want a sandwich, you can make a grain-free St. Paul Sandwich!)

Curry Turkey Bites with Apricot Ginger Sauce

I experimented in the kitchen with different vegetable and spice combinations to come up with the perfect bite and ended up with these delectable curry turkey bites!

Meatloaf Muffins

Love meatloaf? Your kids will love them even more when they’re mini.

Lazy Devils

Don’t be fooled by their looks: these glam “Lazy Devils” are easy to throw together on the fly—especially if you hard “boil” your eggs in an Instant Pot!

Curried Meat Pies

These better-for-you grain-free and gluten-free hot pockets are filled with a fragrant curried ground beef filling that will make the kids clamor for more. You should definitely make a big batch so you can stock up your freezer.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Frittata Muffins

If these delicious frittata muffins are good enough for actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson, they’re good enough for your kids!

Spicy Tuna Cakes

Inexpensive ingredients like sweet potatoes, canned tuna, and jalapeño peppers are transformed into flavor-packed and nutritious Whole30-friendly seafood bites. I bet your kids can’t stop after eating just one.

Shrimp Stuffed Mushrooms

Love dim sum? These shrimp stuffed mushrooms will scratch that itch and you won’t miss the gluten-y dumpling wrapper.

Asian Meatballs

This East-West fusion-inspired take on classic Sunday meatballs is a hit with our entire family. These nomtastic balls of meat and minced vegetables are a cinch to prepare, and each bite is bursting with umami!

Chinese Chicken Wings

When I was a kid, I loved bringing leftover chicken wings in my lunch. Guess, what? The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree because my boys love it when I pack these wings in their lunches!

Need more healthy school lunch ideas? Check out this epic paleo school lunch roundup!

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Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013) and Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017)!