26 School Lunch Ideas Perfect for Field Trips

Read Time: 11 mins

26 School Lunch Ideas Perfect for Field Trips2/26 Peanut Butter, Apple and Raisin Sandwich 1 Review Test Kitchen Approved Peanut Butter, Apple and Raisin Sandwich Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 5 min Servings 1 serving Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Tart, sweet and crunchy, these open-faced sammies are a perfect after-school (or after-work) snack. —James Schend, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin Nutrition Facts: 1 open-faced sandwich: 220 calories, 9g fat (2g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 212mg sodium, 30g carbohydrate (13g sugars, 3g fiber), 7g protein. 3/26 Deli Turkey Lettuce Wraps 2 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Deli Turkey

Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1-1/2 fat, 1 vegetable

Lettuce Wraps Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 25 min Servings 6 lettuce wraps Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: I used to make these during my training days when I worked at a restaurant in Hawaii. They’re low fat, low carb, high protein, quick and delicious—a great choice before or after a workout. —Duncan Omarzu, Astoria, New York Nutrition Facts: 3 lettuce wraps: 270 calories, 16g fat (4g saturated fat), 43mg cholesterol, 799mg sodium, 11g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 4g fiber), 22g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1-1/2 fat, 1 vegetable. 4/26 Cranberry Turkey Wraps 1

Everyone seems to love them!

Review Test Kitchen Approved Cranberry Turkey Wraps Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 15 min Servings 8 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Fruity and flavorful, these hefty grab-and-go handfuls are quick to assemble, easy to handle and low in calories. We often take them in a cooler to the local stock show and eat them in the stands. Everyone seems to love them! —Bobbie Keefer, Byers, Colorado Nutrition Facts: 1 wrap: 374 calories, 12g fat (4g saturated fat), 54mg cholesterol, 1477mg sodium, 40g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 1g fiber), 27g protein. 5/26 Deli-Style Pasta Salad 17

This pasta salad is terrific to serve to company or take to a potluck

Reviews Contest Winner Test Kitchen Approved Taste of Home Total Time 20 min Servings 12 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Pasta provides a base for this tongue-tingling make-ahead salad. It has lots of fresh and satisfying ingredients topped with a flavorful dressing. This pasta salad is terrific to serve to company or take to a potluck. — Joyce McLennan, Algonac, Michigan Nutrition Facts: 1 cup: 273 calories, 18g fat (6g saturated fat), 25mg cholesterol, 536mg sodium, 17g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 1g fiber), 11g protein. 6/26 Fruity Peanut Butter Pitas 5 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Total Time 5

min Servings 2 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator:

min Servings 2 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: My kids ask for these pita sandwiches all the time. They haven’t noticed that as good as the pitas taste, they’re good for them too.—Kim Holmes, Emerald Park, Saskatchewan Nutrition Facts: 1 pita half: 324 calories, 17g fat (4g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 320mg sodium, 36g carbohydrate (13g sugars, 6g fiber), 12g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 fat, 1 starch, 1 fruit, 1 lean meat. 7/26 Lunch Box Pizzas 7 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Lunch Box Pizzas Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 20 min Servings 10 servings

Plus they pack nicely in sandwich bags and travel well, so there’s no mess

Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: When you have these fun-to-make mini pizzas, it’s no challenge finding lunch fare that the kids enjoy. Plus they pack nicely in sandwich bags and travel well, so there’s no mess. —Rhonda Cliett, Belton, Texas Nutrition Facts: 1 each: 94 calories, 4g fat (2g saturated fat), 9mg cholesterol, 292mg sodium, 11g carbohydrate (0 sugars, 0 fiber), 4g protein. 8/26 Turkey Salad on Wheat Bread 2 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Turkey Salad on Wheat Bread Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 15 min Servings 2 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe

The peas, bacon and cheese are such a fun and springy combo

Creator: When one of my favorite lunch spots closed, this recipe let me hold on to more than just good memories. The peas, bacon and cheese are such a fun and springy combo. I make big batches of the salad for parties—turns out I’m not the only fan! —Merrijane Rice, Kaysville, Utah Nutrition Facts: 1 sandwich: 425 calories, 25g fat (5g saturated fat), 57mg cholesterol, 564mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 4g fiber), 23g protein. 9/26 Lunch Box Chicken Wrap Test Kitchen Approved Total Time 10 min Servings 1 serving Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: This lunchbox-friendly wrap

is a tasty way to use leftover chicken and get kids to eat more veggies

is a tasty way to use leftover chicken and get kids to eat more veggies. Using colorful, thin strips of vegetables adds visual interest when the wrap is cut into slices. Suddenly spinach is too pretty to refuse. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen Nutrition Facts: 1 wrap: 324 calories, 10g fat (1g saturated fat), 36mg cholesterol, 441mg sodium, 35g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 7g fiber), 23g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat. 10/26 Mediterranean Vegetable Pitas 7 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Mediterranean Vegetable Pitas Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 20 min Servings

This one packs tomato, cucumber, onion and olives

4 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Craving a fast and healthy meal? This one packs tomato, cucumber, onion and olives. Add a touch of cayenne for a punch. —Ivy Abbadessa, Loxahatchee, Florida Nutrition Facts: 2 filled pita halves: 354 calories, 19g fat (4g saturated fat), 8mg cholesterol, 580mg sodium, 39g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 7g fiber), 9g protein. 11/26 Chicken Avocado Wrap Test Kitchen Approved Chicken Avocado Wraps Recipe photo by Emily Davis for Taste of Home Total Time 50 min Servings 4 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: I came up with this chicken avocado

wrap while trying to figure out what to make for lunch one day

wrap while trying to figure out what to make for lunch one day. The recipe is now a favorite at my house. —Shiva Houshidari, Plano, Texas Nutrition Facts: 1 wrap: 329 calories, 14g fat (2g saturated fat), 45mg cholesterol, 416mg sodium, 31g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 5g fiber), 19g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 2 fat, 1-1/2 starch, 1 vegetable. 12/26 Jack-o’-Lantern Sandwiches Test Kitchen Approved Jack-o’-Lantern Sandwiches Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 15 min Servings 8 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Be prepared for happy faces when you make these eye-catching jack-o’-lanterns. We

Editor’s Tip: Make this cute sammie for your child’s trip to the pumpkin patch!

loaded the sandwiches with flavorful fillings, then easily formed fun pumpkin shapes using cookie cutters. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Nutrition Facts: 1 sandwich: 357 calories, 18g fat (5g saturated fat), 50mg cholesterol, 1139mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 4g fiber), 21g protein. Editor’s Tip: Make this cute sammie for your child’s trip to the pumpkin patch! 13/26 PBJ on a Stick 5 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Total Time 10 min Servings 4 skewers Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Take the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich on the go with these skewers. They also make

easy snacks

easy snacks. —Sara Martin, Brookfield, Wisconsin Nutrition Facts: 2 skewers: 415 calories, 14g fat (3g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 368mg sodium, 63g carbohydrate (30g sugars, 7g fiber), 13g protein. 14/26 Rotini Pasta Salad 11 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Taste of Home Total Time 30 min Servings 16 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: For a light meal, we toss rotini pasta with cucumber, zucchini and sweet peppers. Make this cucumber pasta salad into a main dish by adding grilled chicken. —Christine Schenher, Exeter, California Nutrition Facts: 3/4 cup (calculated without olives): 142 calories, 5g fat (1g saturated fat),

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fat

4mg cholesterol, 219mg sodium, 20g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 2g fiber), 5g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fat. 15/26 BLT Wraps 8 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved BLT Wraps Recipe photo by Sarah Tramonte for Taste of Home Total Time 15 min Servings 8 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: My mom and I used to make these easy wrap-ups for summer days at the lake with our entire family. These days, we love to bring them to picnics and days in the park. —Jonnah Burks, Brighton, Missouri Nutrition Facts: 1 wrap: 409 calories, 25g fat (9g saturated fat),

The recipe is easy to

31mg cholesterol, 689mg sodium, 31g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 3g fiber), 15g protein. 16/26 Peanut Butter Granola Pinwheels 3 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Taste of Home Total Time 10 min Servings 16 pinwheels Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: I came across this easy and tasty snack while searching online for healthy munchies for kids. Great for after school, it’s really quick to make and filling enough to hold the kids until dinner. To satisfy heftier appetites or to serve as a power lunch, cut each tortilla into fewer pieces or provide one per child. The recipe is easy to

increase as needed

increase as needed. —Mary Haluch, Ludlow, Massachusetts Nutrition Facts: 1 piece: 60 calories, 3g fat (1g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 48mg sodium, 7g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein. 17/26 Lunch Box Special 1 Review Test Kitchen Approved Lunch Box Special Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 10 min Servings 4 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Dates, orange juice and apples bring zest and crunch to the plain old peanut butter sandwich. —Bernice Morris, Marshfield, Missouri Nutrition Facts: 1 each: 401 calories, 18g fat (4g saturated fat), 1mg cholesterol, 419mg sodium, 51g carbohydrate (22g

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⭐ Expert Tips

• Include seasonal or trendy variations to keep your meals exciting.

• Highlight prep shortcuts or time-saving techniques for busy cooks.

• Consider dietary restrictions and include substitution suggestions.

✅ Key Takeaways

• These dinner ideas are perfect for impressing guests or enjoying special occasions.

• Choose recipes that match your skill level and available kitchen tools.

• Presentation and taste both contribute to a memorable dining experience.

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