What Should Be In your Toddler's Lunchbox According to a Registered Dietitian

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Wondering what to pack in your little one’s lunch box? We get it. Packing lunch for your little one can feel repetitive, overwhelming, time consuming, and confusing.

…but it doesn’t have to feel that way!

You don’t need to create elaborate Pinterest-worthy lunchboxes or make everything from scratch in order to pack a nourishing lunch.

Just starting the giving-my-babe-real-food journey? We’ve got you covered here in this ultimate guide.

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What Should Be In a Lunchbox?

Here’s the good news: You do not have to overthink it.

Kids thrive on the same food that adults do. Healthy fats, proteins, veggies, and fruit fulfill their nutrient needs and promote healthy eating for life. This means that if you’re eating a diet rich in whole foods, your little one’s lunchbox should look similar to your plates, just on a smaller scale! (Unless, of course, they’re going through a growth spurt … they may be eating a TON!).

A good rule of thumb is to run through the following checklist.

Meal Packing Checklist:

1. What protein can I pack?
2. What fruit/vegetable can I pack?
3. What fat can I pack?

See! It can be as easy as 1-2-3.

Consideration 1: Will They Eat It?

If you’re investing time and energy into making lunch, you actually want them to eat it. Seeing a mostly full lunchbox when they get home is frustrating for both you and your little, so make sure the protein, fruit/vegetable, fat you pack is something they’ll actually eat.

Consideration 2: Will It Keep Them Full and Balanced?

Combining protein, veggies/fruit, and healthy fat will help keep their blood sugar more stable so they can focus and hopefully lead to fewer tantrums.

Consideration 3: Can they safely eat that food?

You may need to adapt the texture of certain foods to make it a better fit for where they’re at developmentally. For example, cutting grapes into quarters vs. serving them whole or serving applesauce vs. apple slices. Not sure how to do this? Check out resources like Feeding Littles and Starting Solids for suggestions.

Let’s dive into what this could look like at different ages!

6-12 Month Old’s Lunch/snack box

At this age your little one may be excited about trying new foods. An easy way to add iron-rich foods like beef, bison, poultry, and seafood is to use our pouches. Softer fruits and vegetables like avocados, berries, pumpkin, butternut squash, and sweet potato can also be given in developmentally appropriate ways.

12-18 Month Old’s Lunch box

Between 6-18 months little ones are continuing to develop their palate and preferences for food influenced by the Flavor Window.

18 Month - 2.5 Year Old’s Lunch box

Little ones start to become more picky around this time due to increased independence and desire for autonomy. Offer a variety of options that are still nutrient-dense.

PreK/Kindergartener’s Lunch box

At this point, little ones can consume a wide variety of foods and are often more hungry throughout the day. Pack items that aren’t just “naked carbohydrates” to avoid blood sugar crashes and irritability.

How Do I Know How Much Food To Pack?

Start to pack what you normally see them eating at home. Be observant and adjust as needed.

Disclaimer:

If this looks and feels unrealistic for your little one and/or you’re working on building healthy mealtime habits, take it one step at a time. Changing mealtime dynamics takes time and patience.