Back-to-School Lunch & Snack Ideas

As back-to-school season begins, we know how busy mornings can get. Between packing backpacks, getting everyone out the door on time, and juggling schedules, finding quick, nutritious, and kid-approved lunch ideas can feel overwhelming

That’s where COOKSMART comes in! All of the recipes below are Cooksmart creations, tested and loved by our kids. Many of them have even helped make these lunches and snacks themselves — so you know they’re kid-approved in both taste and fun.

We’ve put together a collection of our favorite simple, healthy, and creative recipes to make school lunches and snacks stress-free this year.

🍎 Top 5 Back-to-School Lunch Ideas

1. Pizza Rolls -  A kid-approved classic! These are easy to prep ahead and pack perfectly in a lunchbox.
   Ingredients:

• Whole wheat tortillas

• Sauce: tomato sauce or pesto

• Veggies : peppers, zucchini, olives, pineapple, green onion, tomatoes,mushrooms

• Cheese: mozzarella or cheddar

• Optional protein: ham, chicken

• Instructions:
  Spread sauce on tortilla, add chopped veggies and grated cheese in a line. Roll tightly, microwave 30 sec, let rest, then slice.

2. Fresh Spring Rolls - Light, crunchy, and colorful — filled with fresh veggies and great with dipping sauce.

Ingredients:

• Rice paper sheets

• 1 avocado, thinly sliced

• 1 cucumber, julienned

• Lettuce leaves

• 2 carrots, julienned

• Vermicelli noodles

• Soy sauce

• Instructions:
  Soak noodles with a splash of soy sauce. Place lettuce, avocado, cucumber, carrots, and noodles on softened rice paper. Roll tightly and serve.
  
  
  
  

3. Breakfast Burrito -  Easy to build and pack all day breakfast
Ingredients:

• Large soft tortillas

• 2 eggs per person

• Butter or oil

• Cheese

• Avocado + lime juice

• Grape tomatoes or salsa

• Optional protein: beans, tempeh

• Seasonings: salt, paprika, cumin, jalapeño (optional)

• Instructions:
  Scramble eggs with seasonings. Mix avocado, lime, tomatoes, and protein. Place filling on tortilla, fold into burrito, toast 2 min each side, slice diagonally.

4. Grain Bowls - A customizable bowl with lots of bright colours … great to help use up fridge leftovers 

Ingredients:

• Grain: rice, quinoa, couscous, pasta, etc.

• 4 colorful veggies (choose): green, yellow, orange, red, purple, white

• Protein: beans, chicken, cheese, tofu, etc.

• Dressing: olive oil + lemon juice + salt + seasonings

• Instructions:
  Cook grain, prep veggies and protein. Layer grain, veggies, protein, drizzle dressing, and add toppings.

5. Minestrone Soup -  A cozy option for colder days — loaded with beans, pasta, and veggies. Pack in a thermos for school. Make ahead and easily reheat 

Ingredients:

• 4 TBSP butter

• 3/4 cup chopped onion

• 1/4 cup chopped celery

• 1/2 cup chopped carrots

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 can cannellini beans

• 1/2 cup cabbage or kale

• 1 can stewed tomatoes + 1 TBSP tomato paste

• 1 1/2 cups potato chunks

• 1 L vegetable broth

• 2 TBSP dried parsley, oregano, basil

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 cup elbow macaroni

• Optional: grated parmesan

• Instructions:
  Sauté onion, celery, carrots in butter. Add beans, cabbage, tomatoes, tomato paste, potatoes, broth, and seasonings. Simmer 1 hr. Add macaroni, cook 15 min. Serve with parmesan.

🥕 Snack Time Favorites

1. Banana Sushi - bite-sized, fun to eat, and packed with energy to keep kids fueled through the school day

Ingredients:

• Tortilla

• Banana (or other fruit)

• Spread: Wow Butter or cream cheese

• Toppings: shredded coconut, chocolate chips, hemp hearts, or other

• Instructions:
  Spread Wow Butter or cream cheese on a tortilla. Place banana at one edge, roll tightly, slice into rounds, and sprinkle with toppings.

2. Power Balls – No-bake oat, Wow butter, and honey bites for a quick energy boost.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup quick oats

• 1/4 cup Wow Butter

• 2 TBSP liquid honey

• 2 TBSP raisins or craisins

• 2 TBSP chocolate chips

• 2 TBSP coconut flakes or sesame seeds

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp vanilla

• Pinch of salt

• Instructions:
  Mix all ingredients. Form into balls or bars, roll in coconut if desired, refrigerate 15–30 min, then store in an airtight container.

3. Apple & Cheese Toothpick Towers – Fun, bite-sized stacks of apple chunks and cheese cubes.

Ingredients:

• Apples

• Grapes

• Cheese

• Optional: Wow Butter or yogurt for dipping

• Instructions:
  Cube fruit and cheese. Alternate on toothpicks to make towers. Serve with Wow Butter or yogurt dip

4. Homemade Salsa & Tortilla Chips – Fresh and crunchy, a snack kids can dip and share.

Ingredients:

• 2 tomatoes

• 1/8 red onion

• 2 TBSP fresh cilantro

• 1 lime

• 1 garlic clove

• 1/2 tsp salt

• Instructions:
  Chop tomatoes, onion, and cilantro. Squeeze lime juice, add garlic and salt, and mix. Can substitute tomatoes with other fruits like kiwi, pineapple, watermelon, or mango.

5. Overnight Oats – A make-ahead snack (or breakfast) that’s creamy, filling, and customizable.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup oats

• 1 TBSP seeds (chia, flax, pumpkin, or hemp)

• 1 TBSP dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, or chopped date)

• 1/4 cup fresh or frozen fruit (blueberries, strawberries, banana)

• 1/2 tsp flavoring (vanilla, cinnamon, turmeric, maple syrup, cocoa, etc.)

• 2/3 cup milk or milk alternative

• 1 TBSP Wow Butter (optional, for extra protein)

• Juice from a lemon wedge

Instructions:
Combine oats, seeds, dried fruit, fresh fruit, flavoring, milk, lemon juice, and optional Wow Butter in a jar. Mix, seal, refrigerate overnight, stir before eating.