Five Easy Non Sandwich Lunch Ideas

(This post was updated with a new video.)

Looking for ideas for non sandwich lunches?

Or ideas for packing lunches without bread? 

Packing kids lunch for school doesn’t have to be boring. Sandwiches get old, I know, I’ve made thousands of them. Sometimes you need ideas for lunches to pack that don't use bread.

I've got you covered.

I've been sharing lunch packing tips and easy lunch ideas here on this blog for years and I've packed like a million lunches, most of them without sandwiches. This page - and new video! - have my top five ideas for packing lunches without sandwiches. But I also have dozens more ideas for you. When you are finished here hop on over to this page with links to all of my other posts about non sandwich lunches. I’ve packed so many that they don’t all fit on one page. I promise you’ll never run out of fun lunch packing ideas again.

Here are my top five ideas for lunches that aren't sandwiches. 

1. Homemade Lunchable

This is your homemade version of the kid food classic favorite. Crackers, meat, cheese & a sweet treat.

The possible combinations are endless - with different kinds of crackers, meats, cheese, fruits, and veggies - you could pack this every day and never make the same combo twice. 

Add veggies & fruit on the side to make it a healthy lunch for kids! 

2. Pizza Rolls

Pizza rolls are a big hit - and my post about them is consistently one of the most popular posts on this page. They area perfect kid food, and a family favorite. They are easy to make and basically the perfect non sandwich lunch idea. 

I make these several dozen at a time and freeze them.

When you make lunch the night before - put the frozen pizza rolls in the lunchbox, with a little veggies and fruit on the side.  Put the packed lunch in the fridge overnight, and they will be thawed and perfect room temperature by lunch time. 

3. Quesadillas

Quesadillas, in my opinion, are just about the easiest lunch you can make. All you need are tortillas and cheese, and the possibilities to customize it are almost endless.

I usually use just a basic flour tortilla - but you can use corn tortillas, or whole wheat, or any combination. 

For cheese, we go for a shredded Mexican blend most of the time - these usually have some cheddar, jack, and some Mexican style queso mixed in. You can use basically any kind of cheese you like - get creative. 

The plain cheese quesadilla is the most common for lunch, but if you have a kid who is a little more adventurous, add more stuff to it. Chicken is great, or diced ham. Any other kind of thinly sliced or diced meats work well - leftover steak, or pot roast, or pork chop - you name it! 

You can add beans, or avocado, or other veggies. For lunch packing I just recommend you avoid anything that's going to leach out too much moisture and make your quesadilla soggy. 

As for cooking - you can cook these in the microwave, or in a frying pan, and I've even been known to pop them on the rack in the toaster oven. For make-ahead lunches I prefer to get them a little crispy, so either a pan or toaster oven, because that helps keep them from getting soggy. 

Final tip for quesadilla making - make sure they are totally cool before you close up the lunch box. Any heat will create steam, which will make them soggy. 

To round out the lunch, add some fruit & veggies on the side! 

4. The Pinwheel

This is an easy variation on the sandwich that just helps keep lunch a little more interesting. Basically you just take a tortilla - or any other kind of flatbread - spread out sandwich fillings, roll up, and slice. I like to do these with cheese and ham, or with turkey & cream cheese. One of my kids like butter & cheese. We even do them with peanut butter & jam. You can add almost anything you like, just keep everything sliced thin so it's easy to roll. 

This lunch has some dried seaweed snacks on the side. If you haven't tried these I encourage you to do it! Most kids really like them - they are crunchy and salty. And they are super healthy. 

5. The fruit & cheese box.

This is one of my personal favorites. I love fresh seasonal fruits. Most kids do too, so it's usually a really popular lunch. Buy whatever fruits are fresh & in season, and pair them with some sliced cheese, and maybe a few crackers. It's quick and easy if you've got fresh fruit in the house.