It hardly seems possible that summer is over! David heads off to his first day of kindergarten next week (!) and he and I are both excited about packing lunches and snacks! And as much as I’m not looking forward to an early wake up and rushed and frazzled mornings, I am excited to try some new make ahead muffins and oatmeal, and maybe even snack bars. Most of all, I’m looking forward to see David go to school—he LOVES learning, he’s just obsessed with science and reading and numbers and I think he will love it.
^^^ This guy? In kindergarten? Watch out world, here he comes!
I’m still not sure how our lunch making routine will go. I think we’ll try to pack lunch at dinner time while we’re busy in the kitchen. I’ve seen tips to pack all of your lunches on Sunday, eating the more perishable lunches earlier in the week, and that sounds kind of interesting too. Whatever we do, I will try my best not to prep in the morning because I know that time will be tight enough as it is! And what will we be packing? Below you’ll find 22 VEGAN recipes that will be perfect in your kiddos’ lunchbox!
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, right? Here are some easy, make ahead breakfast recipes that will keep little tummies full until lunchtime.
Strawberry Banana Breakfast Muffins—gluten free! via Vegan Huggs
Peach Cornmeal Muffins—drool worthy, and peaches are still in season! via Cupcakes and Kale
Simple Oatmeal—Sometimes I make this the night before and just warm it up in the morning. Better yet, make a double batch so you’ll have plenty for the whole week. Did you know that one serving of oatmeal has the same amount of protein as one egg? Get my recipe here!
Overall Lunch Planning—Becky and Sophia have you covered with lunch plans for a whole week!
Sophia packs her lunches bento box style to give her kids a variety of different foods—via Veggies Don’t Bite
Becky goes for some of her son’s favorites to ensure that he actually eats his lunch! via Glue and Glitter
Main Dishes
Spring Roll Wraps—no crusts to cut off! via Cadry’s Kitchen
Mac and Cheese Bites—nut free and no silverware required! via A Virtual Vegan
Peanut Butter Onigiri—swap some seed butter to keep this nut free if needed! via Elephantastic Vegan
Baked Tofu—whip up a batch of this and it will last all week. Better yet, save some for yourself and add it to a salad! Get my recipe here!
Bars make a great snack, and you can make them at home for a fraction of the cost of prepackaged ones.
Pumpkin Seed Granola Bars—nothing says fall like pumpkin! Get my recipe here!
Tahini Dark Chocolate Vegan Granola Bars—another awesome nut free treat! via Veggie Inspired
Chocolate Pecan Granola Bars—these look so decadent that I might keep some for myself! via The Vegan 8
Blueberry Coconut Bliss Balls—mix it up and take a break from bars with these fun blueberry balls—kids will love helping to make them! via The Unconventional Baker
Treats—with healthy treats like these, you won’t mind if your kiddos dig in to dessert first!
Raspberry Fruit Leather—Alisa has oven instructions as well, if you don’t have a dehydrator. via Go Dairy Free
Jello Jigglers—these were such a treat when I was a kid, and now you can make the vegan version! Get my recipe here!
Tahini Bon Bons—make some of these for your kiddos and save some for yourself! Totally decadent…and healthy too! Get my recipe here!
After School Snacks—when I was a kid I would come home from school absolutely STARVING! My mom had us all gather around the big island and served us snacks. I was always a sucker for a bagel sandwich melt! These healthy versions would totally hit the spot!
Brussel Sprout Quesadilla—my kids love “pretzel sprouts” and quesadillas so these would be a huge hit! via Veggies Save the Day
Simple Vegan Pita Pizza—are these so cute? via Green Evi
Tortilla Pizza—these go from start to finish in under 5 minutes—perfect for ravenous kiddos with a case of the hangries! Get my recipe here!
For the Mamas—having your kids back to school means waking up a little bit earlier—I know I’m going to need a bit of a boost to get myself back in the morning routine!
Jasmine Tea Latte—sweet and creamy, get a boost from some yummy green tea! Get my recipe here!
Cold Brew Coffee Milk—make a batch of this at the beginning of the week and it will be ready for you every morning..because who needs to add one more thing to their early morning routine? Get my recipe here!
Coffee Date Shake—some days I throw a banana into this when I’m blending and it makes it feel like an entire meal! Get my recipe here!
I hope the start of school goes well for your family! Leave a comment below with your best school days tip—whether it’s for getting ready in the morning, packing lunches, or ways to ask your kiddos about their day—I want to hear! Take some pictures of your lunch boxes and tag them with #frieddandelions so that I can see!
These are great recipes for back to school! I don’t have any kid myself but I know parents would love these ideas! Pinning and sharing!
They all look great, and I don’t even have a back to school excuse ???? Those mac and cheese cups especially are calling my name! Thank you for sharing and for featuring my recipe too.
I know! I love the look of Mel’s Mac and Cheese cups—on my must try list! I’m pretty sure you can make these recipes even if you’re a few years out of school 😉
Love this! Thanks for including my granola bars!
Thanks for including me! What a great collection for those going back to school!!
Of course! I think the thing I might be most excited about for the school year is packing lunches 🙂 I wonder how long that will last?
What a great collection of recipes! I know I would have liked them all when I was a kid.
Me too! So many yummy recipes to choose from—I don’t know where to start!