1. Pizza bagel bites
Fresher AND healthier than last night's leftover pizza. Recipe here.
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2. Turkey roll-ups
And if your kid is a picky eater, you can leave out the cranberry cream cheese or just sub it for mayonnaise or ranch dressing. Recipe here.
3. Fried-Egg Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Whip these up while making breakfast. Recipe here.
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4. Spaghetti and meatballs
The perfect recipe to make-ahead and reheat for lunch and dinner all week long. If you do make the pasta ahead of time, remember to drizzle some olive oil onto the batch so your noodles don't stick together. Recipe here.
5. Freezer PB&J sandwiches
Honestly, you don't even need the sandwich cutter to make these freezer sandwiches. Just make sure you spread each side of bread with peanut butter and sandwich the jelly between the two slices — this way the bread won't get soggy overnight. Recipe here.
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6. Bean and cheese quesadilla
Pack with a side of salsa or sour cream for dipping. Recipe here.
7. Cinnamon french toast sticks
Thick-cut bread is essential if you want the sticks to hold their shape. Recipe here.
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8. Cheesy calzones
Either freeze, and reheat these in the morning before throwing them in a lunch bag, or save and bake the calzone dough in the morning with whatever filling (cheese, cooked meat, cooked veggies) you want. Recipe here.
9. Chicken and jack cheese pasta salad
Because ain't nobody got time for an Instagram-perfect meal. Simple and filling, this pasta dish will satiate your kids well into snack time. Recipe here.
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10. Freezable ham, egg, and cheese pockets
The recipe might read tedious but TBH the most time-consuming part of these pockets will be the eggs — which you can totally leave out if you're short on time. Recipe here.
11. Rice with teriyaki chicken and broccoli
If your kids are broccoli-averse, you can also drizzle some of the teriyaki sauce on them to make them a lil' more appealing. Recipe here.
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12. Egg salad
Pack it by itself or as a sandwich. Recipe here.
13. BLT pasta salad
Pack the dressing on the side so it doesn't get soggy by lunchtime. Salads aren't typically kids' favorite foods, but this creamy version will get a thumbs up. Recipe here.
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14. Mac 'n' cheese lunchbox muffins
No fork necessary AND you can eat it cold. Recipe here.
15. Healthier sloppy Joes
Made with agave instead of the usual brown sugar in sloppy Joes. Recipe here.
16. Slow cooker white chicken chili
Use a sturdy temperature-retaining thermos like this one so your kid doesn't have cold soup for lunch. Recipe here.