Find easy camp lunch ideas to make heading out for the day quick and simple. These easy kids lunches require minimal prep time, involve little (to no) cooking, and are easy to store safely in a lunch bag.
Camp Lunch Ideas
I know many of us are in need of lunch ideas for camp that will hold up well, are easy for the kids to eat, and don’t require a ton of work to pull together. This post is here to help! These ideas check those boxes to fit your reality and are also versatile enough that you can make them—or variations of them—according to what you have on hand and what your kids prefer.
Summer Camp Lunch Ideas
Packing lunch for camp is a little different than sending it to school since the environment may be less predictable—and there may not be a fridge or air conditioning where the lunch is stored in the morning.
Which means you might want to use more shelf-stable ideas, more ice packs, and generally keep things a little simpler, if only to ensure that the food you pack can be eaten by the kids at day camp.
These ideas are meant for little kids who may be in summer care on up through elementary-aged kids. Adjust any of them by cutting the food smaller to ensure it’s easy to eat as needed for your unique child.
Uncrustables Lunch
Pack a simple, yet fun, lunch including Uncrustables, drinkable yogurt, Amara Smoothie Melts, strawberries, and cucumbers.
You can make one sandwich at a time, or make a batch of a few to stash in the freezer. Adjust this as needed for your preference.
Pesto Pasta Salad
Pasta salad is an easy make-ahead lunch that can be eaten cold or at room temperature. Add white beans, tomatoes, cheese, chicken, and/or any other mix-in your kids like.
Cheese and Crackers Lunch
Reach for whole grain crackers (or the ones your kids like best), cheese, and easy sides such as sliced or freeze-dried fruit. This is an easy snack lunch to pack that’s usually a hit with the kids.
If this isn’t enough food for your kiddo, you could add a hard-cooked egg or two, a few slices of turkey, or another protein that they enjoy.
Muffin and Yogurt Lunch
Making a lunch around a muffin—whether homemade or store-bought—is such an easy option. This is a sort of breakfast-for-lunch that’s fun for the kids. I often top yogurt or cottage cheese with a few sprinkles to make the meal a little more fun.
Cereal and Smoothie Snack Box
Make a smoothie and freeze it in reusable pouches, then add to a lunch box in place of an ice pack and it will be thawed by lunchtime. We like our Green Smoothie for this option, paired with dry cereal, turkey, and some sliced peppers.
Frozen bananas give the smoothie a creamy, naturally sweet base, though you can make this with a fresh banana as long as the other fruit is frozen. It’s easy to add whatever berries or fruit you have on hand, so customize it for your kiddo.
Hummus Wrap
Fill a whole grain tortilla with hummus, thinly sliced veggies, and cheese (optional) for a filling vegetarian lunch that works as well for kids as it does for adults. Add easy sides to round this out.
Quickly combine a few simple ingredients to make a really yummy lunch wrap. This recipe makes one wrap, so increase the serving size as necessary.
Egg Sandwiches
Layer thinly sliced hard-cooked egg inside bread (cut it out with a cookie cutter to make a fun shape, then save the crusts to make French toast) for a yummy lunch idea.
Learn how to make quick tea sandwiches for kids to have at a tea party or a special lunch or snack. There are 6 filling options here, plus tips for cutting bread, which breads to use, and which tea to pair with the finger sandwiches.
Sandwich Lunch
Simple is often (always?!) best, and an easy sandwich is always a go-to. Fill soft bread with what your kids prefer such as peanut butter and jelly, sunflower seed butter and jam, hummus, cheese, turkey, or anything else! I like to pack a clementine, too, with the peel started so my older kids can finish it on their own—and it will stay fresher.
Bagel and Cream Cheese
Spread a bagel with cream cheese (or a nut or seed butter or jam) as an easy camp lunch option. Add simple sides to round out this easy meal. You can use a mini bagel if that size works better for your kids.
Leftover Pancake Lunch
Pack up leftover breakfast foods, like pancakes or waffles, into a fun lunch for kids. Add applesauce, some easy veggies, and some milk to make it filling.
We like these pancakes topped with a little maple syrup, peanut butter, or additional applesauce. Leftovers make really yummy sandwiches with nut butter or cream cheese in between!
Frequently Asked Questions
Keep camp lunch straightforward by packing a main, a fruit, a veggie, and a side. Plus a drink! That is an easy formula to follow when packing kids lunches.
An easy way to keep food safe when outdoors (whether camping or at camp) is to use an insulated lunch bag and ice packs. That is usually enough to keep the food cold and safe until lunchtime.
The best containers for lunches are ones that are durable, easy to clean, and easy for the kids to open and close. You can read more about our favorite Lunch Boxes for Kids.
Best Tips for Camp Lunches
- Pack food in an airtight container with a tight fitting lid to prevent spills and keep food fresh.
- Pack a lunchbox (or smaller containers) in an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack or two.
- These thin ice packs are great for lunches.
- Do your best estimating how much food to pack for your child, and ask for feedback from their teacher or counselor if you aren’t sure how much they’re eating at lunch.
- Invite the kids to help pack their lunch, even if it’s as simple as letting them choose between two options for part of the meal.
- Pack a drink to help with hydration. (We like these kids water bottles best.)
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback on this post, so comment below to share!
Cereal and Smoothie Lunch
-
Choose your lunch and prepare.
-
Add to a lunch box with desired easy sides such as sliced apple, diced fruit, diced cheese, crackers, sliced bell peppers, yogurt, or a pouch.
-
Pack in an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack.
- Pack food in an airtight container with a tight fitting lid to prevent spills and keep food fresh.
- Pack a lunchbox (or smaller containers) in an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack or two.
- These thin ice packs are great for lunches.
- Opal apples don’t brown when cut. Look for them in your grocery store. They’re a pale yellow in color.
- Do your best estimating how much food to pack for your child, and ask for feedback from their teacher or counselor if you aren’t sure how much they’re eating at lunch.
- Invite the kids to help pack their lunch, even if it’s as simple as letting them choose between two options for part of the meal.
- Pack a drink to help with hydration. (We like these kids water bottles best.)
Calories: 331kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 28mg, Sodium: 456mg, Potassium: 163mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 642IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 253mg, Iron: 2mg
