17 Quick & Tasty Vegan Lunches for Kids

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Whether you’re sending your kids back to school in the classroom, via distance learning or at home, one thing is certain: You still have to feed them lunch!

But you’re a busy person these days, so you need a healthy meal you can whip up quickly and with minimal effort. 

Here’s what we’ll cover in this post:

• A general idea of what makes up a plant-based, vegan lunch
• Actual examples of quick vegan lunches for school AND home
• Other easy vegan lunch ideas for kids
• What we use for our to-go lunches

Alright, let’s get packing!

What Do You Pack in Vegan Lunches for Kids?

If you’re new to making plant-based meals for kids, and anything like I used to be, you may feel stumped and intimidated. But trust me, it’s totally doable (and yummy)! 

Let’s first clear up what a vegan lunch is: a lunch without any animal products (meat, dairy, eggs or honey). 

Vegan lunches can include fresh fruits and vegetables, and other foods that give kids energy to get through the rest of their day: beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, etc. 

And if your kids (and you!) have a sweet tooth, feel free to indulge! Being vegan and plant-based doesn’t mean you have to give up dessert (thank goodness)! My kids are stoked when I include a simple treat.

Ok, now that you have a better idea of what we include in our vegan lunches for kids, let me show you some real-life examples!

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17 Quick Vegan Lunches for School, Home or Distance Learning

Whether your kids are going back to school in person, via distance learning or attending home school, the list of vegan lunches for kids below will be a hit. 

How do I know? 

Because my kids loved them when we homeschooled, did distance learning and attended school in person. While most of these pictures include vegan lunch boxes, you can serve any of the meals at home. I wanted to show on-the-go vegan lunches for kids to take to school (or adults to take to work). 

So you’ll see most of the lunches packed into boxes. And the last three are a for-sure win at home! Here are 17 kid-approved vegan lunches!

Vegan Lunch Idea #1: Lovin’ PB&J

I know this seems obvious, and you may even roll your eyes at the obvious PB&J option, but my kids enjoy a good PB&J. I don’t usually use cookie cutters on my sandwiches, but when it’s Valentine’s Day (which it was for this lunch), I like to make it fun. 

This is a peanut butter and jam sandwich on Dave’s Killer 21 Whole Grains and Seeds bread. There are 5 grams of protein in ONE SLICE! All of their products are “vegan, certified USDA organic, non-gmo project verified, meet or exceed the Whole Grains Council Stamp requirements and have no artificial anything” according to their website. They didn’t pay me to say that. I just love their bread and their story. 

We also put green grapes and carrot sticks as well as a fruit wrap for a treat in the lunch.

Vegan Lunch Idea #2: Hummus Dippers

This is one of the easiest vegan lunch ideas for kids.

I recently started making my own hummus, but when I’m in a hurry, throwing one of these hummus cups from Costco in their lunch is great. Plus, each cup is packed with 4 grams of protein. And my kids love dip, so paired with grape tomatoes and cucumber circles, it’s a hit.

I also included sweet potato crackers and a DIY trail mix of cashews, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries and vegan chocolate chips.

Vegan Lunch Idea #3: Chocolate and Chik’n

One of the things my kids missed most when we switched to a plant-based diet was getting the chocolate milk that came with school lunches. And since our school doesn’t serve vegan lunches, I improvised. They enjoy the OWYN dairy-free chocolate milk. 

They also missed chicken nuggets, so when I found these Morning Star Veggie Classics Chik’n Nuggets, the kids were pumped. (Just make sure to get the vegan ones! Some of Morning Star’s products contain milk and eggs.) I also included barbecue sauce in the dip container with the green lid. 

I sliced some cucumber sticks and fruit salad made of red grapes and cantaloupe. And for a treat, I threw a bag of Made Good granola minis in there.

Vegan Lunch Idea #4: Pasta Salad

Leftovers are one of my favorite options for quick vegan lunches for school. We made vegan macaroni salad for a barbecue and had a ton left over. On a hot day, any type of pasta salad makes for a cool and refreshing lunch.

I paired it with carrot sticks (they’re covered by the green top on the dip container), kiwi rounds and a fruit wrap for dessert. As long as I remember a fork, this is one of the kids’ faves. 😅

Vegan Lunch Idea #5: Bean Burritos

We eat tacos every Tuesday, so oftentimes on Wednesdays I use the leftovers to make burritos like I did here. It’s brown rice, vegan refried beans and salsa. If I have sauteed onions and peppers left over, I throw them in too. I put everything inside tortillas the night before and heat them on an electric skillet with a bit of Earth Balance butter so they stay sealed. 

I added a guacamole tub in for dipping. Then some red grapes; a DIY trail mix made of cashews, cranberries and vegan chocolate chips; and a Larabar.

Vegan Lunch Idea #6: Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

I’m a fan of tea sandwiches. And cucumber and cream cheese used to be my favorite. So, after finding a vegan cream cheese, I tried it out with some cucumber circles and dill seasoning and it was a hit. (My oldest likes it without the dill.) And again, it’s on Dave’s Killer Bread. 

And since it was grape season when I made these, I paired it with green grapes, and alphabet crackers and a fruit and vegetable pouch. We put my daughter’s water bottle in her lunch box here because she didn’t want to forget it.

Vegan Lunch Idea #7: Chik’n Sliders

I love these mini vegan Morning Star Chik’n patties. I found some slider buns that fit the patties perfectly. I microwave the patties or bake them in the oven the night before and then the kids eat them cold at school. 

I added cantaloupe balls, a fruit and vegetable pouch, carrot sticks (in the dip container with the green lid), and Oreo cookies for dessert.

Vegan Lunch Idea #8: Roll-Ups

My kids love roll-ups. We use nut butters and jams and even bananas in them. I use a toothpick to keep the tortillas closed. I paired it with blueberries, Made Good granola minis, and a dairy-free cashew yogurt.

For my older kids, I include more roll-ups if two isn’t enough. But for my younger kids, one tortilla (two roll-ups) is fine. And my kids are big fans of coconut milk and cashew milk yogurts.

Vegan Lunch Idea #9: Puffed Rice Cake Sandwiches

My kids love these thin puffed rice cakes. I stack them three or four tall for their sandwiches for school. We spread nut butter on them and sometimes a jam like I did here. 

I put it alongside red grapes and a fruit and vegetable sauce pouch. The trail mix I made is cranberries, pumpkin seeds and vegan chocolate chips.

Vegan Lunch Idea #10: Veggie Burgers

My oldest’s favorite school lunch used to be cheeseburgers. And when we became plant-based, he always came home from school upset on the cheeseburger days. So, we found a veggie burger they like, topped it with Follow Your Heart American Slices, tomatoes, dill pickles and ketchup (sometimes avocado and spinach as well). 

In this vegan lunch, we also included strawberries, a Larabar, an apple and potato chips.

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Vegan Lunch Idea #11: Cold Pizza

Thankfully, we didn’t have to give up pizza after becoming plant-based either! Here I used a toasted whole grain English muffin, topped with pasta sauce, vegan mozzarella cheese chunks and grated cheddar cheese, and my kids’ favorite topping: pineapple (it’s canned, making this even easier). 

I heat it up the night before or the morning of so the cheese melts a bit, but the kids eat it cold at school.

To keep the toppings on, I wrap the pizza in foil or cling wrap. 

We paired it with green grapes, alphabet graham crackers, and a fruit and vegetable pouch.

Vegan Lunch Idea #12: Make Your Own Wrap

My daughter loves to create with her food. Whether it’s painting guacamole on a tortilla, or creating her own wrap, she uses it as an opportunity to be artistic. Hence how we came up with this wrap. 

We roll up a tortilla with cling wrap. Then add the vegan Morning Star Chik’n Nuggets, shredded carrots, greens, cucumber sticks, and barbecue sauce. The kids can layer it however they like, wrap it up, and eat it as a roll-up. And anything leftover they can dip in the sauce or eat plain. 

In this lunch, we also added a fruit wrap and the OWYN chocolate milk for a treat.

Vegan Lunch Idea #13: Breakfast for Lunch

We eat breakfast for dinner at least once a week. So when I make Beyond Sausages and plant-based pancakes from Forks Over Knives, I make extra to pack into our vegan lunches for school.

I added my kids’ favorite: gold kiwi. And threw in a couple of carrot sticks and alphabet cookies. And, my daughter has been obsessed with the cheese sticks from Daiya. Although, we wish they were more like a string cheese consistency. 

Vegan Lunch Idea #14: Meatless Meatball Sandwiches

If you have an IKEA near you, check out their plant balls. Made with pea protein, these li’l babies have 9 grams of protein and make for a delicious bite. We had them in pasta the night before so they were already bathed in marinara sauce. (Again, another dinner transformed into vegan lunches for school!)

I stuffed them into a vegan hot dog bun and packed them alongside vegan cookies, raspberries, carrot sticks and chocolate plant-milk (not shown).

Vegan Lunch Idea #15: Baked Potatoes

One of my favorite plant-based meals for kids is loaded baked potatoes. It was one of my 7 vegan family dinner recipes I cooked when we first went plant-based. And since I usually have leftovers, reheating a baked potato for lunch is a real treat. 

I served this one with Earth Balance butter and a vegan sour cream. Sometimes I’ll top it with black beans, guacamole and salsa. I added some leftover steamed broccoli and fruit salad, too.

Vegan Lunch Idea #16: The Obligatory Avocado Toast

While one of the more obvious vegan lunch ideas for kids, it’s also one of the tastiest! Again, I used Dave’s Killer Bread, toasted, sometimes topped with Earth Balance, then a mixture of mashed avocado, pink Himalayan salt and lime juice.

On the side, the kids eat cashew yogurt topped with a pumpkin flax granola and usually berries. 

This lunch is one of the faves when we’re at home. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case at school. The avocado tends to turn brown if I pack it to-go.

Vegan Lunch Idea #17: Deconstructed Tacos/Tostada

Remember when I said my daughter is an artist with her food? Well, this dish is where she shines! She and her brothers prefer all the ingredients to be separate and they layer them on the tortilla triangles like a mini tostada.

This vegan lunch is basically our leftover tacos from the night before! I grill up the tortillas, reheat the refried or black beans, brown rice, sauteed peppers and onions, and sofritas. Then add some cut spinach, tomatoes, guacamole and olives. 

Some days I serve this in a bowl with tortilla chips if they’re up for having it mixed together.

More Easy Vegan Lunch Ideas for Kids

You saw some of my quick vegan lunches for school (and home). But there are loads of yummy items you can add that your kids may love! And a few other things you may want to consider when packing their lunch.

Use the lists below to quickly find vegan lunch ideas for kids!

Fruit and Veggies to Add to Vegan Lunches

• Berries
• Bananas (I keep ours peeled so they don’t turn brown.)
• Apples
• Pears
• Cantelope
• Watermelon
• Honeydew 
• Kiwi
• Peaches
• Plums
• Apricots
• Cherries
• Dried fruit
• Cucumbers
• Carrots
• Celery
• Broccoli
• Grape or cherry tomatoes
• Squash like zucchini
• Peas 

Main Item Ideas for Vegan Lunches for Kids

• Nut butter and jam sandwiches
• Puffed rice cake sandwiches
• Vegetable sandwiches
• Cucumber sandwiches
• Chik’n nuggets
• Veggie burger
• Hummus and fresh vegetables
• Mini vegan pizzas
• Burritos
• Tacos
• Roll-ups
• Baked potatoes
• Avocado toast
• Vegan quesadillas
• Vegan grilled cheese
• Bagel sandwiches or bagel with vegan cream cheese
• Salads (the dip container keeps it from getting messy or soggy)
• Soft pretzels with dip
• Pasta salad
• Overnight oatmeal 
• Chili or soup

Side, Snack and Dessert Ideas for Vegan Lunches

• Fruit and vegetable pouches
• Popcorn
• Vegan crackers
• Edamame
• Pretzels
• Veggie stick crackers
• Trail mix
• Granola
• Granola bar
• Pancakes
• Waffles
• Chips
• Nut and fruit bars
• Plant-based milks
• Plant-based yogurts
• Vegan cookies
• Fruit wrap
• Vegan candies

Find the Right Vegan Lunch Box

If one of the reasons you became vegan is to help the environment, like me, or if you’re just into green living, you may want to consider using an eco-friendly and vegan lunch box. After trying out a lot of different ones, I decided to go with Planetbox. While the company has several different sizes of lunch boxes, we use the Planetbox Shuttle. (I’m not paid to say that; we just love these.)

We’ve owned the Shuttles for over a year now. We use less baggies, have less leaks AND keep the food colder. And I can pop it in the dishwasher when I need to wash it. Another reason we went with the Planetbox Shuttle is because it fits into almost any other zip-up lunch bag and leaves room for yogurt and a drink, making it the way to store our vegan lunches for kids.

You in no way need this exact vegan lunch box, but finding one that has dividers and creates less waste is definitely a plus. Here are a few other ideas of stainless steel lunch boxes:

• LunchBots
• WeeSprout
• Bits Kits

What if My Kid Doesn’t Want to Eat a Vegan Lunch?

This was my greatest worry. The goal for our family is to eat a whole-food, plant-based diet. However, as vegan newbies and a busy family of 5, starting there proved challenging for us. 

So, after some trial and error, we found our kids did (and still do) well with vegan meat and dairy substitutes when they feel like they’re missing out on what their friends get to eat. 

It’s been challenging for our kids to see their friends at school with foods like chocolate milk, chicken nuggets and cheeseburgers—foods we used to eat all the time. So to quit those foods was tough not only on the taste buds, but on the heart. 

To help our kids (and us!) with transition to a plant-based diet, veggie burgers, chickenless nuggets and non-dairy cheeses and milks were a perfect solution. 

Looking for More Help with Plant-Based Meals for Kids?

If you want more meal inspiration or help with feeding your kids a plant-based diet and living a vegan lifestyle, you may find these posts helpful:

• What Our Vegan Family of Five Eats in a Day
• 7 Easy Vegan Family Dinners Made with 10 Ingredients or Less
• 13 Vegan Fast Food Options – and Our Kids’ Reviews of Each
• How We Talked with Our Kids About Switching to a Plant-Based, Vegan Diet

Final Thoughts: What Plant-Based Items are in Your Lunch?

Now that you have some ideas of what can be found in vegan lunches for kids, I want to hear from you! Let me know in the comments below what’s in your lunch (or your kid’s lunch) that’s vegan! 

And remember, stay mindful, even when your mind’s full,
Chelsea

P.S. Did you like this post? Pin it for later so you can easily find this list of easy vegan lunch ideas for kids! 👇