• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Hello Veggie

Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

  • Recipes
    • Alphabetical Recipe Index
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Salads
    • Soups + Stews
    • Snacks + Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • Drinks + Smoothies
    • Sauces + Condiments
    • Recipe Collections
  • Nutrition
  • Tips + Tutorials
    • Things We Love
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

15 Cute and Clever DIY Lunch Box Tricks

1 · Aug 26, 2021 ·

It’s only the 2nd week of school and we’re already hearing complaints about what’s for lunch. Even though I was satisfied with PBJ on Wonder Bread EVERY day for 4 years, kids these days seem a bit more discriminating. The following DIY lunchbox ideas will help make the food you send look and taste more appealing – and will hopefully distract the kids long enough to eat without complaining. If only there was an app for that!

P.S. Ready to get an A+ in lunch prep? Here’s our ultimate guide to healthy school lunches and 10 back to school recipes our kids can’t get enough of! 

15 Cute and Clever DIY Lunch Box Tricks

Fruit Messages from Cake Whiz

1. Fruit Messages from Cake Whiz

Here’s a way to add a fun surprise message to your child’s lunch box. We’d stick with the peel-able fruit, personally.

Open Faced Sandwiches from Flavours Treat

2. Open Faced Sandwiches from Flavours Treat

Cut out white bread or simply use rice cakes to make animal open faced sandwiches the kids will love. 

Sandwich on a Stick from Bless This Mess Please

3. Sandwich on a Stick from Bless This Mess Please

Classic sandwiches can quickly become boring. But put the same ingredients on a stick and your kids will find them fun again. 

Lego Sandwich from Eats Amazing

4. Lego Sandwich from Eats Amazing

What looks like elaborate Lego-shaped sandwiches is actually so easy to make! We don’t know a kid who wouldn’t appreciate these. 

Cheese 'Men' from Lemon & Basil - 15 Cute and Clever DIY Lunch Box Tricks

5. Cheese ‘Men’ from Lemon & Basil

Use your gingerbread men cookie cutters to cut out Monterey Jack (or any other sliced) cheese, and serve them on top of crackers. 

Heart-Boiled Eggs from Rad Megan

6. Heart-Boiled Eggs from Rad Megan

What kid wouldn’t want to taste this little egg? And don’t forget to pack salt and pepper holder with it – you can use a cute contacts carrier for that! 

Panda Sandwich from The Culinary Tribune - 15 Cute and Clever DIY Lunch Box Tricks

7. Panda Sandwich from The Culinary Tribune

Use any fillings for these panda sandwiches, they’re sure to be a hit! The whole thing is made using a kit you can find on Amazon. 

Haunted Chicken Parm Bento from Adventures in Bentomaking - 15 Cute and Clever DIY Lunch Box Tricks

8. Haunted Chicken Parm Bento from Adventures in Bentomaking

Perfect for Halloween, but could totally work anytime of the year. Bento ghosts are easy to make from sliced cheese, and they’ll make any meal “haunted”. 

Mango Kiwi Homemade Fruit Leather from Hello Nest - 15 Cute and Clever DIY Lunch Box Tricks

9. Mango Kiwi Homemade Fruit Leather from Hello Nest

Sometimes kids will find fruit to taste too… “healthy”. That’s when you should pop out the fruit leather – it tastes like candy! Plus you can roll it up and tie with colorful string to make it even more appealing. 

Apple Fruit Yogurt Donuts from Hello, Wonderful - 15 Cute and Clever DIY Lunch Box Tricks

10. Apple Fruit Yogurt Donuts from Hello, Wonderful

Donuts for lunch? Sure, just make them apple donuts instead! They’re topped with yogurt and more fruit and they taste lovely. 

Uncrustable Freezer Sandwiches from Princess Pinky Girl

11. Uncrustable Freezer Sandwiches from Princess Pinky Girl

These PB&J sandwiches couldn’t be more convenient! You can make a big batch and freeze them, then use them for lunch boxes every now and again. 

Cut Fruit in Shapes from Fun With Mama - 15 Cute and Clever DIY Lunch Box Tricks

12. Cut Fruit in Shapes from Fun With Mama

This post has a lot of good lunch box tricks, but we especially love how simple this one is: cut out fruit with cookie cutters, and make them exciting again! 

13. Tangerine Snail from Kraze Magazine

My little one usually needs help peeling his fruit, so this idea accomplishes that while creating a happy little snail lunch box friend.

Baked Apple Chips from Hello Glow

14. Baked Apple Chips from Hello Glow

Got a little chip lover? Skip the fat, salty potato chips, and pack healthier apple chips instead. For a savory version, they might like zucchini or radish chips. 

Cheese and Crackers Bento from Martha Stewart - 15 Cute and Clever DIY Lunch Box Tricks

15. Cheese and Crackers Bento from Martha Stewart

This bento box has more than one good idea inside! We love the strips of deli-sliced ham wrapped around whole wheat pretzels, and the star-shaped cheese on crackers, too. 

1

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

Uncategorized back to school, lunch, lunch box

More Posts from Uncategorized

  • Pistachio Pesto Pasta with Zucchini and Fresh Mozzarella

  • 5-Ingredient Vegan Cheese Dip

  • Air Fryer Toasted Ravioli - Hello Veggie

    Air Fryer Toasted Ravioli Recipe

  • Unbelievably Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

    Unbelievably Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

  • This Sweet + Spicy Stir-Fry Makes Meatless Monday a Breeze

  • Simple Snow Peas with Red Curry Coconut Broth Recipe - Hello Veggie

    Simple Snow Peas with Red Curry Coconut Broth Recipe


Primary Sidebar

Load up on new recipes, exclusive goodies, + more!

Get the exclusive content you crave straight to your inbox.

Featured Recipes

Protein Packed Hummus Wrap Recipe

Power Lunch: Protein-Packed Kale, Avocado Hummus Wrap

3 Tasty Ways to Stuff Your Sweet Potato

Healthy Lunch Wrap with Sunflower Seed Spread - Hello Veggie

Gentle Spring 3-Day Cleanse

Rainbow Veggie Ramen Noodle Bowls

Rainbow Veggie Noodle Ramen Bowls

Turmeric Tortilla

No-Fail Turmeric Tortillas For Epic (Anti-Inflammatory!) Tacos

More

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Hello Glow

Copyright © 2025 · Seasoned Pro

%d