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    Home » Recipes » kids » 5-Minute DIY Homemade Lunchables

    5-Minute DIY Homemade Lunchables

    Published: Jul 17, 2023 by Chandice · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

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    5-Minute Homemade Lunchables pin
    5-Minute Homemade Lunchables pin
    homemade lunchable pin

    These 5-minute homemade lunchables easy to make and perfect for kids of all ages. More nutritious than the store bought version and customized to fit your child’s needs, these yummy lunches will have them looking forward to lunchtime.

    These lunch boxes are a great way to get creative and involve your child in the preparation process while also offering a healthier alternative to school lunch or pre-made lunchables.



     

    While I love making gluten-free sandwiches as much as the next GF person, they can get old and kids get tired of them. With these lunchables, you’re able to add variety to their lunch almost everyday.

    Although the grocery store lunchables are convenient, their ingredients list is a mile long with words I can’t even pronounce so I opt for a homemade version when I can. This way, I know what my kids are eating and everything in their lunch is something they like!

    One of my favorite things to do is add in a chocolate chip cookie or another treat as a surprise.

    Why you’ll love DIY lunchables

    • You can customize them to your child dietary likes and/or restrictions
    • They’re great for kids of all ages
    • You can involve your child in the preparation process
    • Keep them in the fridge overnight then grab-and-go in the morning or for weekend adventures.

    What you need

    Although these lunchables can be customized however you’d like, these are normally my go-tos.

    • Cheese – One of our favorite cheeses from Tillamook but you can use whatever cheese you’d like. String cheese or cheddar cheese are both good ideas. 
    • Turkey – Turkey – Organic turkey slices, ham slices, chicken slices or any type of deli meat make great sources of protein for the kids. 
    • Crackers– Simple mills crackers are my favorite but use whatever you like. Ritz crackers, saltines, etc. are all popular options.
    • Fresh fruit – Oranges, grapes, apple slices, strawberries, etc.
    • Oreos – Oreos or another little treat is a great pick-me-up for the kids during their school day.
    • Water bottle – A water bottle on the side is always a good idea.

    How to make your own lunchables

    Step 1: Cut the cheese

    Cut the cheese and turkey into small squares. Using a knife is the easiest way but you can also use a cookie cutter for fun shapes. 

    Step 2: Arrange

    Arrange the cheese, turkey, crackers, fruit, and anything else you have in your lunchbox.

    Is it cheaper to make your own lunchables?

    Yes it’s definitely cheaper to make your own healthy lunchables than buying store-bought lunchables. In fact, you probably have most of the ingredients for a classic lunchable already in your fridge so it’s super easy to throw in a lunch box and go. 

    What else can you add to this homemade lunchable?

    As you can see below, I have also cut cucumbers and carrots into little flowers with a mini cookie cutter. It makes eating veggies more fun for sure! Some other things you can add…

    • Applesauce packet
    • Different varieties of cheeses
    • Salami
    • Pepperoni
    • Little packets of mayo and mustard
    • Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
    • Pita bread
    • Cherry tomatoes
    • Hard-boiled eggs
    5-Minute Homemade Lunchables

    What to pack your lunchable in

    ​I love the Planet Box lunch boxes, but you can use any divided container or even meal prep containers. The great thing about making your own homemade lunchables is that you can use whatever you’d like!

    Make homemade lunchables in a snap! These super cute bento box lunches are so much better for your little ones than the store bought version and they can even be made gluten-free! www.glutenfreefrenzy.com

    How long will a lunchable stay good?

    You can prep these easy lunchboxes and keep in the fridge for 1-2 days before taking on the go. I recommend packing your lunchable with an ice pack or not letting it sit at room temperature for longer than 4-5 hours.

    Other bento boxes…

    This pizza grilled cheese monster is so cute and a fun one to do for Halloween. If you’re a pizza fan, you pack mini pizzas for lunch with a small piece of pita bread, some tomato sauce, and parmesan cheese. 

    This pizza grilled cheese monster is going to be any kids favorite lunchbox sandwich! They are going to love the whimsy and fun of opening this up in the lunchroom to a funny face. We love using Canyon Bakehouse bread because it is so tasty that nobody would ever know it is gluten-free. AD

    Our spider sandwich with pretzel stick legs was another fun and spooky sandwich to serve. And if you need more Halloween sandwiches, we’ve got so many cute ideas including a ghost, hotdog worm sandwich and even witches fingers!

    Spider Sandwiches Gluten-Free

    *This post was originally published on September 6, 2017. It has been updated with new photos, helpful instructions and step by step photos. Here is the original photo…

    This rainy day bento box lunch is so cute and super easy to make! Make your little one smile with this easy bento box lunch. www.glutenfreefrenzy.com

    Need an EASY and delicious breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert?
    Take a look at my Sheet Pan Meals and More!

    NEED MORE GOODNESS? Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter for great recipes, entertaining ideas and more!

    5-Minute DIY Homemade Lunchables

    homemade lunchable in silver lunchbox
    5 from 2 votes
    These 5-minute homemade lunchables easy to make and perfect for kids of all ages. More nutritious than the store bought version and customized to fit your child's needs, these yummy lunches will have them looking forward to lunchtime.
    These lunch boxes are a great way to get creative and involve your child in the preparation process while also offering a healthier alternative to school lunch or pre-made lunchables.
    PRINT RECIPE SaveSaved!
    Prep Time: 3 minutes mins
    2 minutes mins
    Total Time: 5 minutes mins
    Course: lunch
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: homemade, lunchables
    Servings: 1 lunchable
    Calories: 305kcal
    Author: Chandice Probst

    Ingredients

    • 2 slices deli turkey
    • 8 gluten-free crackers
    • 1 slice sliced cheese
    • 1 cutie orange or clementine
    • 1 raspberry or blueberry
    • 2 gluten-free Oreos

    Instructions

    • Using a mini circle cookie cutter, you can make rounds from the cheese and turkey if you are using round crackers. OR, you can use a knife like I did here and cut out squares of cheese and turkey to match our square crackers
    • Place turkey, cheese and crackers in the bento box
    • For the fruit flower, simply shape the orange segments into petals and add a raspberry (or blueberry or whatever you have) in the center. So easy! 
    • Place the fruit flower and cookies in the bento box and there you have it, a super easy, homemade lunchable!

    Video

    Notes

    As you can see below, I have also cut cucumbers and carrots into little flowers with a mini cookie cutter. It makes eating veggies more fun for sure! Some other things you can add…
    • Applesauce packet
    • Different varieties of cheeses
    • Salami
    • Pepperoni
    • Little packets of mayo and mustard

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1lunchable | Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 557mg | Potassium: 235mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 171IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 152mg | Iron: 2mg

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    Chandice of This Vivacious Life

    Hi, I'm Chandice!

    Parties, gatherings, gorgeous food and ESPECIALLY holidays with my people are what make my heart pitter patter. Having a place to share our favorite traditions, recipes and celebrations is very important to me. I live each day with unapologetic, authentic happiness and hope to help others do the same. More About Chandice

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lyn says

      September 14, 2021 at 6:44 pm

      5 stars
      These are so cute and easy! Love that they’re GF for my kids. Thanks for the ideas!

      Reply
      • Chandice says

        September 21, 2021 at 4:37 pm

        Aww thanks! So glad that your kiddos loved them too. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Keeley McGuire says

      April 18, 2016 at 5:34 pm

      So adorable Chandice! Love this! 🙂

      Reply
    3. Elle @ Only Taste Matters says

      April 14, 2016 at 8:21 pm

      This is the cutest! It would definitely brighten my rainy day!

      Reply
    4. Kristina says

      April 12, 2016 at 2:45 pm

      I need to look into the bento boxes! I pack my lunch almost everyday so they would help me too! How adorable are those umbrella sandwiches!?! Great idea!

      xo, Kristina

      Reply
      • Chandice says

        April 13, 2016 at 3:11 am

        Aww thanks so much Kristina! I seriously can’t say enough for reusable lunchboxes. They are SO worth the investment!! There are so many great varieties depending on your needs/style preference. 🙂

        Reply
    5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    Chandice of This Vivacious Life

    Hi there, I’m Chandice!

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