Healthy Kids Lunch Box Recipes

75+ Healthy Vegetarian and Vegan Indian Kids School Lunch Box recipes ideas that your kids will love! These recipes are filled with wholesome ingredients, packed with nutrients, and will keep your kids satisfied all afternoon.

You can also find tips on packing school lunchboxes and a list of our favorite lunch box packing tools. Great for preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school-aged kids.

Hello, its back to school time, Here I am sharing healthy, easy, kid-friendly lunches and snacks that I serve my daughter Dhwani Monday to Friday, along with a few tips & tricks here and there. I hope you find this post useful to pack meals for your children.

If you landed on this page, I am sure you got some naughty & playful kids at home 🙂 And we agree that for most kids - The mother is by default a "Lifetime Master Chef".

No wonder we Mothers constantly keep looking for yummy breakfast ideas or lunch ideas, or healthy snack ideas for our kids. This seems like a herculean task. So saluting all these wonderful Mother's, I would like to share my proud collection of 75+ Healthy Kids Lunch Box Recipes.

From pasta, sandwiches, rice, to parathas, you can find a variety of options for your lovely kids. Trust me; your kids will love these Indian Veg lunch box ideas & would ask for more & more.

Got a cute little toddler at home? Coming up with toddler breakfast ideas is also never an easy task. Check out Healthy Toddler Indian Breakfast Ideas.

Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist or a dietician. I am doing what is best for my kid to create a balanced and nutritious lunch.

Why You'll Love These School Lunch Ideas

• Healthy, wholesome, colorful, and attractive fun lunches.
• Packed in Bento-style lunchboxes.
• Balanced lunches with protein, grains, vegetables, fruits & sometimes treats.
• Great for preschool, kindergarten, or elementary school-aged kids.
• Make-ahead tips & tricks.
• Great for hot lunches at home.
• It can be made to allergy-friendly recipes – Nut-Free, Gluten-Free, or Dairy-Free.

Tips For Packing School Lunches

I am sharing a few helpful tips and tricks for packing school lunches and snacks.

• Plan your lunchbox in advance:  Take time on the weekends or the previous night to decide what you'll serve in the days ahead. You can also make handy printables. You can prep the night before as much as possible to ease your stressful mornings. For example - make the dosa batter, chapati dough, filling for paratha, sandwich, cool completely, and refrigerate. You can also chop some veggies, fruits and store them in the fridge.
• Get your kids involved in lunchbox planning – It is an inspiring way for them to learn and try about new foods. You can also ask them to help chop the fruits and veggies, skewer the fruits on toothpicks, make the sandwich, or pack the food in the lunchbox.
• Bento Box - I love using bento-style stainless steel lunchboxes with compartments as it allows me to pack a variety of foods like main lunch meal, snacks like fruits, veggies, sweet treats, and sides like sauce, and dips.
• Thermos: You can pack hot soups and pasta in a thermos to keep the food warm and retain its consistency on a chilly or rainy day.
• Water: Always filtered water, but occasionally I send fresh homemade juice like orange or strawberry.
• Balanced Meal: Pack a well-balanced meal with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, unprocessed foods, carbs, protein, and dairy. Consider the below nutrient-dense foods.

1. Fruits: Always try to pack fresh, colorful, organic seasonal fruits for your child.
2. Vegetables: Try to include a variety of fresh, low-sodium frozen vegetables, including colored, dark green leafy greens.
3. Whole Grains: Choose whole grains, such as whole-wheat bread, quinoa, rice, whole-wheat pasta, and millets.
4. Protein: Choose paneer (cottage cheese), greek yogurt, tofu, lentils, beans, peas, unsalted nuts, and seeds.
5. Dairy: Try to include dairy products, such as milk, plain yogurt, and cheese.

• Switch things up: Repeated lunches can be boring, so try to change the menu weekly by switching things up, be it in main lunch, snacks, veggies, or fruits. Also put, surprise delights including crackers, chips, homemade cakes, cookies, savory snacks, or sweets some days. I also prefer to pack her favorite breakfast food for lunch at times.
• Prevent food from getting soggy: I prefer cooking food just before packing my lunchbox. However, hot food, when packed in the steel lunch boxes, causes condensation and makes the food soggy. To avoid it, allow the food like paratha, grilled sandwich to cool completely before packing.
• Utilize leftovers – make sure to use any leftovers that will work as a cold lunch – pizza, pasta, soups, dips, etc.

Favorite Lunch Box Packing Tools

Below are some of my favorite tools for packing fun school lunches.

• Lunch Box: bento-style stainless steel tiffin box called Lunchbots, which is Eco-Friendly, Dishwasher Safe, and BPA-Free.
• Thermos: retains the temperature of hot or cold meals. Great for soup, pasta, or a cold snack.
• Insulated thermal bags: helps to keep the food warm or cold.
• Small Dip Containers: great for packing snacks, desserts, dips, sauces, and yogurt/raita.
• Silicone Muffin Liners: These are ideal as snack holders to keep food separate in your divided container.
• LunchBots Silicone Bento Cups Set - Keeps liquids from seeping into other sections, so your snacks, like cookies, and crackers, stay crisp.
• Small Cutters: these are great for cutting out fruits, vegetables, and cheese, into different shapes.
• Sandwich Shape Cutters: help to turn any sandwich into a fun shape, bringing joy to your children.
• Ice Pack: helps to keep the lunches cold.
• Water Bottle: to send water cold or warm for lunch.

My other Favorite Kitchen Gadgets

• Instant Pot: electric pressure cooker used for cooking rice, lentils, pasta, soups, and steamed veggies.
• Air Fryer: used for roasting veggies, cookies, and more.
• Panini Press: used for grilling sandwiches, burgers, etc.

Do not use plastic lunch boxes for your kids. They are toxic. You can also check my Amazon Shop Page, to find out all my favorite products for packing lunch boxes.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love These School Lunch Ideas
• Tips For Packing School Lunches
• Favorite Lunch Box Packing Tools
• 75+ Indian Kids Lunch Box Recipe Ideas
• 1. Spinach Corn Sandwich + Orange + Almonds & Pistachios
• 2. Mini Paneer Uttapam + Tomato Ketchup + Carrot Sticks
• 3. Carrot Rice + Cucumber + Fruittella
• 4. Potato Spinach Pancakes + Sprouted Moong & Corn Salad+ Red Grapes
• 5. Mayonnaise Veggie Pasta + Strawberries + Peanut Chikki
• 6. Palak Chapati + Jeera Aloo + Orange
• 7. Dal Paratha + Pineapple Raita + Carrot Sticks
• 8. Pineapple Fried Rice + Fryums + Blueberries
• 9. Veg Vermicelli Upma + Peanut Sundal + Mango
• 10. Spinach Coin Dosa + Peanut Chutney + Pineapple
• 11. Avocado Parathas + Beetroot Kurma + Mini Pretzels
• 12. Lemon Idli + Yogurt + Strawberry
• 13. Tomato Rice using Coconut Milk + Carrot Raita + Red Grapes
• 14. Paneer Fried Rice + Mixed Nuts + Biscuit
• 15. Spinach Idly + Peanut Chutney + Potato Chips
• 16. Zucchini Carrot Paratha + Boondi Raita + Dates
• 17. Chole & Jeera Rice + Cucumber-Carrot Salad + Kale Chips
• 18. Spinach Corn Rice + Yogurt + Grapes + Chocolate Brownie
• 19. Methi Paratha + Ketchup + Moong Sprouts & Pomegranate Salad + Dates
• 20. Vegetable Paniyaram + Onion Chutney + Orange
• 21. Drumstick Leaves Paratha + Aloo Gobi + Mixed Nuts
• 22. Capsicum Rice + Yogurt + Protein Bar
• 23. Chole Paratha + Onion Raita + Mixed Fruits
• 24. Coconut Rice + Masala Corn + Blueberries & Black Dry Grapes
• 25. Chapati + Chana Masala + Blueberries
• 26. Beetroot Rice + Yogurt + Dates and Nut Ladoo + Cherries
• 27. Flaxseed Roti + Beetroot and Chickpea Stir Fry + Green Grapes
• 28. Ajwain Paratha + Paneer Bhurji + Carrot & Cucumber
• 29. Palak Poori + Paneer Capsicum Stir Fry + Cookie & Pistachios
• 30. Creamy Spinach Pasta + Caramel Makhana + Raspberries
• 31. Vegetable Quinoa Pulao & Yogurt + Roasted Makhana + Blueberries
• 32. Broccoli Paneer Paratha + Pistachios & Raisins + Veggie Straws
• 33. Mushroom Biryani & Yogurt + Besan Ladoo + Cucumber
• 34. Palak Paneer Paratha + Ketchup + Blueberries
• 35. Mushroom Fried Rice + Fryums + Orange
• 36. Peanut Rice + Carrot & Cucumber sticks + Chocolate Makhana
• 37. Creamy Tomato Pasta + Chocolate & Nut Berry Seeds Mix + Blackberries
• 38. Cabbage Pulao & Yogurt + Potato Chips + Strawberries & Blueberries
• 39. Mac & Cheese + Mint Makhana + Red Grapes
• 40. Beetroot Rice Ball + Guacamole + Tortilla Chips
• 41. Curd Rice + Apple + French Macaroon
• 42. Chapati Noodles + Makhana Raita + Pomegranate
• 43. Makhana Paratha + Potato Sagu + Mixed Nuts
• 44. Rajma Chawal + Yogurt & Chia Seeds + Orange
• 45. Lauki Paratha + Ketchup + Beetroot Tikki
• 46. Butternut Squash Pasta + Dry Grapes + Orange
• 47. Masala Rice + Lauki Raita + Broccoli Smileys
• 48. Bajra Khichdi + Yogurt + Dates
• 49. Flax Seeds Paratha + Rajma Masala + Apple
• 50. Beetroot Carrot Sandwich + Peri Peri Makhana + Orange
• 51. Vegetable Fried Idli + Bourbon Biscuit + Grapes
• 52. Sweet Potato Paratha & Yogurt + Banana Chips + Peach
• 53. Masala Pasta + Rice Krispies + Apple
• 54. Aloo Masala Puri + Aamras + Grapes
• 55. Veg Hakka Noodles + Guacamole + Corn Chips
• 56. Beetroot Paratha + Yogurt + Pear
• 57. Tofu Paratha + Strawberry Chia Jam + Mixed Nuts
• 58. Corn Fried Rice + Cucumber + Murukku
• 59. Mayonnaise Sandwich + Sauteed Paneer + Kiwi Fruit
• 60.Thai Peanut Noodles + Blueberries + Banana Chips
• 61. Peas Pulao + Boondi Raita + Orange
• 62. Podi Idli + Yogurt + Grapes
• 63. Lemon Rice + Yogurt + Carrot & Cucumber
• 64. Pizza Paratha + Carrot + Crispy Tofu
• 65. Vegetable Pulao + Chocolate + Fruits
• 66. Rava Paddu + Coconut Chutney + Peanut Butter Makhana
• 67. Mini Poori + Potato Sagu + Pears
• 68. Rava Idli + Coconut Chutney + Dates & Apricot
• 69. Veggie Burger + Chips + Guacamole
• 70. Chickpea Rice + Greek Yogurt + Mango+ Salad
• 71. White Sauce Pasta + Cucumber + Hummus
• 72. Burnt Garlic Fried Rice + Ketchup + Cherries
• 73. Zucchini Paneer Cheela/Pancake + Yogurt + Fruits
• 74. Butternut Squash Paratha + Mint Raita + Grapes
• Frequently Asked Questions
• More Recipes for Kids Lunchbox
• 75+ Healthy Kids Lunch Box Recipes

75+ Indian Kids Lunch Box Recipe Ideas

Here are some healthy vegetarian and vegan Indian Kids Lunch Box recipes, which will offer you various options to be served in a lunch box for school or at home.

1. Spinach Corn Sandwich + Orange + Almonds & Pistachios

Grilled Spinach Corn Sandwich with mixed nuts and fruit (orange). Replace nuts with veggies or sweet treats for a nut-free option.

2. Mini Paneer Uttapam + Tomato Ketchup + Carrot Sticks

Paneer Uttapam (soft savory uttapam/pancakes topped up with grated paneer, carrots, onion, tomatoes, and coriander), ketchup, and carrot sticks.

3. Carrot Rice + Cucumber + Fruittella

Carrot Rice, cucumber (cut in star shapes using cutter), and sweet treat.

4. Potato Spinach Pancakes + Sprouted Moong & Corn Salad+ Red Grapes

Potato Spinach Pancakes (or Aloo Palak Cheela) are the Indian version of potato hash browns, Sprouted moong salad, and red grapes.

5. Mayonnaise Veggie Pasta + Strawberries + Peanut Chikki

Mayo Veggie Pasta with peanut chikki and fruit (strawberries). For nut-free snack, you can replace peanut chikki with any healthy sweet treat.

6. Palak Chapati + Jeera Aloo + Orange

Palak Chapati with Jeera Aloo sabji and fruit (orange).

7. Dal Paratha + Pineapple Raita + Carrot Sticks

Dal paratha with leftover dal, Pineapple raita and Carrot sticks.

8. Pineapple Fried Rice + Fryums + Blueberries

Colorful pineapple fried rice with fryums and fruit (blueberries).

9. Veg Vermicelli Upma + Peanut Sundal + Mango

Veg Vermicelli Upma with Peanut sundal and fruit (mango). For a nut-free option, replace peanut sundal with chickpea sundal or any bean sundal for extra protein.

10. Spinach Coin Dosa + Peanut Chutney + Pineapple

Spinach Coin Dosa with Peanut chutney and fruit (pineapple chunks).

11. Avocado Parathas + Beetroot Kurma + Mini Pretzels

Avocado Paratha with Beetroot curry and store-bought pretzels.

12. Lemon Idli + Yogurt + Strawberry

Lemon Idli with homemade yogurt and fruit (strawberries).

13. Tomato Rice using Coconut Milk + Carrot Raita + Red Grapes

Tomato Rice with carrot raita and fruit (red grapes).

14. Paneer Fried Rice + Mixed Nuts + Biscuit

Paneer Fried Rice with roasted nuts and little heart biscuits. You can replace nuts with any healthy snack for a nut-free option.

15. Spinach Idly + Peanut Chutney + Potato Chips

Spinach Idli with peanut chutney and chips. You can replace peanut chutney with onion tomato chutney for a nut-free option.

16. Zucchini Carrot Paratha + Boondi Raita + Dates

Zucchini Carrot Paratha with boondi raita and dates.

17. Chole & Jeera Rice + Cucumber-Carrot Salad + Kale Chips

Jeera rice with Chana masala, Kale chips, and Carrot cucumber salad.

18. Spinach Corn Rice + Yogurt + Grapes + Chocolate Brownie

Spinach Corn Rice with yogurt, grapes, and chocolate brownie.

19. Methi Paratha + Ketchup + Moong Sprouts & Pomegranate Salad + Dates

Methi Paratha with Moong sprouts salad and dates.

20. Vegetable Paniyaram + Onion Chutney + Orange

Vegetable Paniyaram with Onion Chutney and fruit (Orange).

21. Drumstick Leaves Paratha + Aloo Gobi + Mixed Nuts

Drumstick Leaves Paratha with Aloo Gobi, and Nuts. Replace roasted nuts with any healthy snack for a nut-free option.

22. Capsicum Rice + Yogurt + Protein Bar

Capsicum rice with homemade yogurt and protein bar.

23. Chole Paratha + Onion Raita + Mixed Fruits

Chole Paratha with Onion Tomato Raita and fruits (apple, pomegranate).

24. Coconut Rice + Masala Corn + Blueberries & Black Dry Grapes

Coconut Rice with buttered masala corn, raisins, fruit (blueberries).

25. Chapati + Chana Masala + Blueberries

Chapati with Chana Masala and fruit (blueberries).

26. Beetroot Rice + Yogurt + Dates and Nut Ladoo + Cherries

Beetroot rice with dates ladoo and fruit (cherries).

27. Flaxseed Roti + Beetroot and Chickpea Stir Fry + Green Grapes

Flaxseed roti with beetroot chickpea stir fry and fruit (green grapes).

28. Ajwain Paratha + Paneer Bhurji + Carrot & Cucumber

Ajwain Paratha with Paneer Bhurji and veggies (cucumber & carrot sticks).

29. Palak Poori + Paneer Capsicum Stir Fry + Cookie & Pistachios

Palak Poori with Paneer Jalfrezi, cookies and nuts.

30. Creamy Spinach Pasta + Caramel Makhana + Raspberries

Spinach Pasta, Caramel makhana, and fruit (raspberries).

31. Vegetable Quinoa Pulao & Yogurt + Roasted Makhana + Blueberries

Vegetable Quinoa Pulao with Roasted Makhana, and fruit (blueberries).

32. Broccoli Paneer Paratha + Pistachios & Raisins + Veggie Straws

Broccoli Paneer Paratha, nuts & raisins, and snacks.

33. Mushroom Biryani & Yogurt + Besan Ladoo + Cucumber

Mushroom Biryani, Besan Ladoo, and cucumber slices.

34. Palak Paneer Paratha + Ketchup + Blueberries

Palak Paneer Paratha with tomato ketchup, and fruit (blueberries).

35. Mushroom Fried Rice + Fryums + Orange

Mushroom Fried Rice, fryums, and fruit (orange).

36. Peanut Rice + Carrot & Cucumber sticks + Chocolate Makhana

Peanut Rice, Chocolate Makhana, and veggies (carrot and cucumber sticks).

37. Creamy Tomato Pasta + Chocolate & Nut Berry Seeds Mix + Blackberries

Creamy Tomato Pasta, nuts, chocolate, and fruit (blackberries).

38. Cabbage Pulao & Yogurt + Potato Chips + Strawberries & Blueberries

Cabbage Rice with homemade yogurt, potato wafers, and fruit (strawberries and blueberries).

39. Mac & Cheese + Mint Makhana + Red Grapes

Mac and Cheese, Mint Makhana, and fruit (grapes).

40. Beetroot Rice Ball + Guacamole + Tortilla Chips

Beetroot Rice Ball, tortilla chips with Guacamole to dip in.

41. Curd Rice + Apple + French Macaroon

Curd Rice, store-bought macaroons and fruit (apple cut in star shapes using cutter).

42. Chapati Noodles + Makhana Raita + Pomegranate

Chapati noodles with leftover roti, Makhana Raita, and fruit (pomegrante).

43. Makhana Paratha + Potato Sagu + Mixed Nuts

Makhana Paratha with Potato Curry and nuts.

44. Rajma Chawal + Yogurt & Chia Seeds + Orange

Rajma Chawal with yogurt topped with chia seeds and fruit (orange).

45. Lauki Paratha + Ketchup + Beetroot Tikki

Lauki Paratha with tomato ketchup and Beetroot Tikki.

46. Butternut Squash Pasta + Dry Grapes + Orange

Butternut Squash Pasta with raisins and fruit (orange).

47. Masala Rice + Lauki Raita + Broccoli Smileys

Masala Rice with Lauki Raita and Broccoli Smileys.

48. Bajra Khichdi + Yogurt + Dates

Bajra Khichdi with homemade yogurt and dates.

49. Flax Seeds Paratha + Rajma Masala + Apple

Flax seeds paratha with Rajma Masala and apple.

50. Beetroot Carrot Sandwich + Peri Peri Makhana + Orange

Beetroot Carrot Sandwich with Peri Peri Makhana and fruit (orange).

51. Vegetable Fried Idli + Bourbon Biscuit + Grapes

Vegetable Fried Idli with bourbon biscuit and fruit (red grapes).

52. Sweet Potato Paratha & Yogurt + Banana Chips + Peach

Sweet Potato Paratha with homemade yogurt, banana chips, and fruit (peach slices).

53. Masala Pasta + Rice Krispies + Apple

Masala Pasta with rice krispies and fruit (apple cut in a heart shape using cutter).

54. Aloo Masala Puri + Aamras + Grapes

Aloo Masala Poori with Aamas and fruit (red grapes).

55. Veg Hakka Noodles + Guacamole + Corn Chips

Vegetable Hakka Noodles with guacamole with corn chips (from Trader Joe's).

56. Beetroot Paratha + Yogurt + Pear

Beetroot Paratha with yogurt and fruit (pear slices).

57. Tofu Paratha + Strawberry Chia Jam + Mixed Nuts

Tofu Paratha with Homemade Strawberry Chia Jam, and nuts.

58. Corn Fried Rice + Cucumber + Murukku

Corn Fried Rice with cucumber slices and murukku snacks.

59. Mayonnaise Sandwich + Sauteed Paneer + Kiwi Fruit

Mayonnaise Sandwich with sauteed paneer (sauteed in little olive oil, ginger garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric, and salt) and fruit (kiwi).

60.Thai Peanut Noodles + Blueberries + Banana Chips

Thai Peanut Noodles, banana chips, and fruit (blueberries).

61. Peas Pulao + Boondi Raita + Orange

Green Peas Pulao (Matar Pulao) with Boondi Raita and fruit (orange).

62. Podi Idli + Yogurt + Grapes

Podi Idli paired with plain greek yogurt and fruit (green grapes).

63. Lemon Rice + Yogurt + Carrot & Cucumber

Easy Lemon Rice paired with Yogurt and veggies (carrot and cucumber sticks).

64. Pizza Paratha + Carrot + Crispy Tofu

Pizza Paratha, crispy tofu, and baby carrots.

65. Vegetable Pulao + Chocolate + Fruits

Vegetable Pulao, chocolate, and fruits (orange and green grapes).

66. Rava Paddu + Coconut Chutney + Peanut Butter Makhana

Easy Instant Rava Paddu/Paniyaram paired with Coconut chutney and Peanut butter makhana.

67. Mini Poori + Potato Sagu + Pears

Mini Poori's (Made a large chapati and then cut into a round shape using a cutter and deep-fried) paired with Potato Curry and fruit (pears).

68. Rava Idli + Coconut Chutney + Dates & Apricot

Rava Idli with Coconut Chutney, Medjool dates, and dried apricots.

69. Veggie Burger + Chips + Guacamole

Veggie Burger is made using veggie patties from trader joes. Toasted burger bread and heated frozen veggie patty on a Tawa. Placed a slice of burger, smeared some mayo+ ketchup mixture, placed lettuce and top of it veggie patty and cheese slice. Lettuce helps to prevent burgers from turning soggy. Then added the Served with Tortilla chips and Guacamole.

70. Chickpea Rice + Greek Yogurt + Mango+ Salad

Chickpea rice with plain greek yogurt, veggies (cucumber & grape tomatoes), and fruit (mango chunks).

71. White Sauce Pasta + Cucumber + Hummus

White sauce pasta, cucumber sticks, and store-bought hummus for dipping.

72. Burnt Garlic Fried Rice + Ketchup + Cherries

Burnt Garlic Fried Rice with tomato ketchup and fruit (red cherries).

73. Zucchini Paneer Cheela/Pancake + Yogurt + Fruits

Zucchini Paneer Cheela with yogurt and fruit (green grapes and blueberry skewers).

Recipe for Zucchini Paneer Cheela (Zucchini Paneer Chickpea Flour Pancake)
1 cup shredded zucchini
¼ cup shredded Paneer (cottage cheese)
½ cup besan/gram flour (or Chickpea flour)
2 tablespoons coriander leaves
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon red chili powder
¼ cup water or as needed

Mix everything in a bowl to get pancake consistency, and cook on the Tawa with some ghee or oil.

74. Butternut Squash Paratha + Mint Raita + Grapes

Butternut Squash Paratha with Mint raita and fruit (red grapes).

Frequently Asked Questions

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If you’ve tried this healthy kids lunch box recipe or any other recipe on Indianveggiedelight, then don’t forget to rate the recipe. You can also follow me on Instagram and Facebook to see the latest recipes!