5 lunchbox alternatives for kids who won’t eat sandwiches

Jessica Beaton

Jessica Beaton

Accredited practising dietitian, family mealtime coach, and co-director of One Handed Cooks (a baby, toddler and family food website), Jessica gives parents the knowledge and confidence to navigate the challenges of feeding their children, and whole family, so that mealtimes are nutritious, happy, and enjoyable. She combines her journey as a mum of four fun-loving boys with...
Updated on Feb 04, 2025 · 7 mins read
5 lunchbox alternatives for kids who won’t eat sandwiches

We’ve all been there – the slightly squashed sandwich that’s travelled back and forth from school uneaten.


But here’s the good news: lunch doesn’t have to revolve around the same old slices of bread. 

As we step into a brand new year, it’s the perfect opportunity to refresh your lunchbox game and add a little variety that will leave your children excited to dig in.

To help you get started, we’ve put together five delicious sandwich alternatives that are simple to prepare, packed with nutrition, and guaranteed to bring smiles to the lunchbox.

Savoury baked goods


A freezer stash of savoury baked goods might just be your lunchbox lifesaver this year! Think zucchini slice, savoury muffins (our Hawaiian Pizza Muffins are a must-try), cheesy pizza scrolls, mini quiches, pasta muffins, sausage rolls, or veggie pikelets. 

These baked snacks are perfect for busy families as they’re easy to make in batches, freeze beautifully, and pack a nutritional punch with whole grains, veggies, and proteins.

To keep your savoury stash topped up, bake once or twice a week, flash freeze the individual portions, then transfer them to your ‘baking box’ in the freezer. 

When it’s time to pack lunch, simply grab and go – no last-minute baking stress!


Lovely leftovers


Packing leftovers into lunch boxes is one of our favourite ways to save time and money while reducing food wastage. Pasta, lasagne, meatballs, mini chicken drummies, fried rice, sliced marinated and grilled chicken or red meat can all be transformed into delicious lunchbox meals. 

Pack them warm in a thermos for a comforting hot lunch or serve them cold in a bento box. 

You can also reinvent leftovers into something new. For example, use leftover sliced meat to make rice paper rolls, or turn bolognese and pasta into a protein-packed snack by mixing them with eggs and cheese and baking them in muffin trays.

Dedicate a section of your fridge to lunchbox-friendly leftovers for quick morning grabs. To keep things safe and fresh, ensure proper food hygiene practices, refrigerate leftovers promptly, and use a cooler bag with an ice brick for school lunches.


DIY ‘lunchables’ in bento boxes


For the kids who love a little of a lot try a DIY lunchable packed in their favourite bento box. DIY lunchables in bento boxes are a fun way to serve variety and balance easily for kids who get bored quickly. Pack a portion from each food group, such as wholegrain crackers, pretzels or popcorn; cheese slices, a boiled egg, yoghurt; cherry tomatoes or veggie sticks; some fruit and a dip like hummus or tzatziki. 

Include a sweet snack like a mini-muffin, slice, homemade bliss ball or some dried apricots. Bento boxes allow you to add a creative touch, and kids love the opportunity to mix and match their favourite foods – plus have exposure to foods they’re learning to like. 

 

Prepping a fruit and veggie grab box at the beginning of the week can help streamline your lunchbox game even more and allow you to adapt slightly to each of your children’s preferences with ease. 

Mini cucumbers, capsicum, celery and carrot sticks can all be prepped and stored in the fridge for a few days. Storing the celery and carrots in a jar of water keeps them fresh, crisp and vibrant. Combining this with your baking boxes is a game changer in efficiency.

Wrap it up


Wraps are a great alternative to sandwiches and offer a variety of options for fillings. 

Simple cheese and vegemite; hummus, carrot and lettuce; chicken, cucumber and mayo; and, of course, plain avo. For a fun twist, consider using different types of wraps like wholegrain, spinach, or beetroot tortillas – the colour can add some interest and create engagement for fussy eaters drawn to bright colours. 

Wraps store well in the freezer, so you can make a batch ahead of time, wrap them tightly, and pop them in lunchboxes as you need. 

Sushi sandwich rolls


If all you have is a slice or two of bread but can’t bring yourself to make another sandwich, try making sushi sandwiches. 

To prep your sushi sandwich rolls, cut the crusts off a slice of bread then flatten slightly with a rolling pin. Spread the slice of bread with your preferred spread – mayo, hummus, avocado, vegemite or butter, then, leaving a 1 cm gap at one end top lightly with your preferred toppings – grated carrot or cheese, shredded lettuce, tuna, even vegemite.

Once the fillings are arranged, roll the bread slices up ‘sushi style’. Seal shut with extra spread if required. Cut each roll into two to three rounds and pop into your child’s lunchbox. These are super easy to eat and are a great idea if you have a child who prefers to run and play at lunchtime over sitting down to eat. 

Final thoughts


With these sandwich alternatives, you can refresh your lunchbox game while keeping things as simple and nutritious as possible. There’s something here to suit every family’s taste, whether it’s savoury baked goods, creative leftovers, bento-style lunches, wraps, or sushi sandwiches. 

To help get you started, One Handed Cooks has an exclusive offer to Kiindred parents.

One Handed Cooks Lunchbox Collection: Our hero lunchbox recipes are designed to help you feel organised, inspired and confident prepping lunchboxes your kids love eating. Use KIINDRED at the checkout for 20% off your entire order. 

Lunchbox Tribe: In four easy modules, plus 70+ recipes, you’ll feel confident packing nutritious lunchboxes your kids enjoy eating. This link offers you 20% off with the code KIINDRED or click the link for the discount to be automatically applied. 

Bonus recipe


Hawaiian pizza savoury muffins (freezable)

Makes: 12 muffins

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

2 cups (300g) plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 eggs, lightly beaten

¾ cup (190g) milk

100g butter, melted 

⅔ cup salami or ham, chopped and firmly packed 

½ cup pineapple pieces

1 cup (120g) coarsely grated tasty cheese

¼ cup (70g) tomato paste 

½ cup (40g) finely grated parmesan, to top 

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced) and grease a 12-hole regular muffin tin or line with paper cases.
  2. Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and oregano in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs, milk and butter and mix until just combined.
  3. Gently fold in the salami or ham, pineapple pieces, grated cheese and tomato paste, being careful to not overmix. Spoon the mixture into the muffin tin and top with the grated parmesan.
  4. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and the tops spring back when touched. Lift out onto a wire rack to cool.

Time-saving tip: Grated cheese can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 weeks or in the freezer for up to 2 months, ready for dinners, sandwich fillings and savoury baking.

Storage: Keep muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Alternatively, flash freeze and store in an airtight container or bag in the freezer for up to one month. To freeze for up to 2 months, flash freeze on a tray or plate in the freezer then transfer to a freezer-safe container in layers lined with baking paper. 

Allergies/intolerances: Gluten/wheat: use gluten- or wheat-free flour and baking powder. Egg: use two “chia eggs” as a substitute for the eggs. Dairy: replace the butter with extra virgin olive oil, omit the tasty parmesan cheeses. Vegetarian: omit the ham or salami.

 

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