Small Plates

73 Back to School Lunch Recipes

These kid-friendly dishes are easy to make ahead of time and take on the go—perfect for back to school season.
Image may contain Food Lunch Meal Plant Vegetable Broccoli and Dish
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Anya Hoffman, Food Styling by Ali Nardi
  • A stack of two oat and apple pancakes.
    Photo by Alex Lau
    5/73

    Oat and Apple Pancakes with Yogurt

    The oats, nuts, and fruit in this batter make for nutrient-dense pancakes, perfect for making in batches and packing away for a fun breakfast-for-lunch.

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  • Image may contain Plant and Food
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    6/73

    Big-Batch Black Beans

    This simple, large batch of seasoned black beans can be frozen, refrigerated, and repurposed in endless ways for easy, family-friendly meals.

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  • Image may contain Plant Food and Vegetable
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kate Schmidt
    7/73

    Chipotle-Style Cilantro-Lime Rice

    This homemade version of a popular Chipotle restaurant menu item livens up plain white rice with lime juice and tons of cilantro. Pack it away with some of those black beans for a simple bean and rice lunch, or top with cooked vegetables and salsa to make a quick burrito bowl.

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  • One of our favorite sandwich recipes is for this butternut squash sandwich with cheddar cheese and pickled red onion
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog
    8/73

    Butternut Squash Sandwich With Cheddar Cheese and Pickled Red Onion

    Stuff roasted butternut squash, rich white cheddar, tangy pickled red onions, and zesty Dijonnaise into bread rolls for a sandwich that tastes like autumn.

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  • An array of granola bars on a blue tiled surface.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kate Schmidt
    9/73

    Granola Bars with Dried Fruit and Seeds

    A combination of nut butter, dried fruit, and lots of seeds makes these chewy homemade granola bars downright irresistible. For a crispier bar, toast them in the oven after baking.

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  • Image may contain Burger Food and Plant
    Photo by Alex Lau
    10/73

    Green Goddess Tuna Salad Sandwich

    A tuna salad sandwich with an extra zesty, herb flavor punch—and more nutritional value.

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  • Banana coconut muffins on a white plate.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    13/73

    Banana Coconut Muffins

    These moist, easy muffins rely on mashed bananas and flaked coconut for sublime texture and tropical-leaning flavor.

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  • A spread of hummus yogurt cucumber peppers and a complete chicken flatbread.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Monica Pierini
    14/73

    10-Minute Chicken Flatbreads With Hummus and Yogurt

    Pack away chicken, tomatoes, cucumber, hummus, and yogurt sauce in separate compartments of a lunch box along with a piece of pita. Kids can eat the components separately, or assemble their own flatbread at school. To make it even easier, use a rotisserie chicken instead of making the chicken ahead.

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Nuoc Cham Chicken Salad
Nuoc Cham Chicken Salad
A spicy-funky upgrade for lettuce cups, sandwiches, and more.
Korean Street Toast Breakfast Sandwich
Korean Street Toast Breakfast Sandwich
Veggie-packed eggs, gooey cheese, and don't skip the sprinkle of sugar.
Crunchy Veg Salad With Dates and Fried Shallots
Crunchy Veg Salad With Dates and Fried Shallots
Elegant enough for a dinner party centerpiece, sturdy enough to take the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
Cold Silken Tofu With Chili Crisp Dressing
Cold Silken Tofu With Chili Crisp Dressing
A cool, custardy treat for the hottest days and beyond.
No-Mayo Tuna Salad
No-Mayo Tuna Salad
Riff on the lunchbox staple. Mayo-haters deserve tuna, too.
Cheeseburger Fried Rice
Cheeseburger Fried Rice
An immediately familiar and comforting dish from Agnes and Sherman in Houston.
The Most-Saved Recipes on Bon Appétit This Week
The Most-Saved Recipes on Bon Appétit This Week
Like crispy gnocchi caprese and raspberry—brown butter skillet cake.
Green Goddess Harvest Salad
Green Goddess Harvest Salad
So much more affordable than ordering from those fast casual salad chains.
Buckwheat Crepes With Banana-Sesame Jam
Buckwheat Crepes With Banana-Sesame Jam
Practical to make and feels like a total flex.
Glazed Apple Pie Fritters
Glazed Apple Pie Fritters
Apple pie in doughnut hole form? We’re in love.
Giant Garlic Knot
Giant Garlic Knot
This savory babka is braided with a whole head of garlic, fresh parsley, and salty Parmesan.
A Really Big Chicken Parm
A Really Big Chicken Parm
Ground chicken, Parmesan, marinara, and plenty of mozz in a supersize sheet-pan dinner worth sharing.