21 Back-to-School Treats So Easy, You’ll Want to Pack One for Yourself Too
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Back-to-school mornings are chaotic enough without overthinking snacks and treats. These easy grab-and-go options make lunch-packing faster, tastier, and a lot more fun, for kids and grown-ups. With minimal prep and zero fuss, these treats are what you’ll want to sneak into your own lunchbox, too.
Healthy Chicken Salad
A lunch like this creamy, avocado-loaded chicken salad is almost too good not to pack two of. Juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumber, and a yogurt-lime dressing come together in a protein-packed mix that feels refreshing but still fills you up. It’s easy back-to-school treat that parents keep sneaking bites of while packing it up.
Get the Recipe: Healthy Chicken Salad
Smash Burger Taco
Turning weeknight dinner into a lunchtime hit, these smash burger tacos are packed with crispy beef, melty cheese, and soft tortillas that hold up great in lunchboxes. The fun factor alone makes them a kid favorite, but they’re also so tasty and easy, it’s impossible not to sneak one for yourself. Fast, flavorful, and just customizable enough, they check all the school lunch boxes.
Get the Recipe: Smash Burger Taco
Easy Cheeseburger Pie
Cheeseburger pie is that miracle meal that stretches your grocery budget, feeds everyone, and still gets cheers at the table. It’s warm, cheesy, and filling with zero stress, plus it slices perfectly for next-day lunchboxes. Don’t be surprised if the grown-ups start requesting their own slice to-go.
Get the Recipe: Easy Cheeseburger Pie
Avocado Salad
Packing this avocado salad feels like sending a little sunshine to school, it’s bright, fresh, and full of good-for-you ingredients. Creamy avocado, juicy tomato, and crisp cucumber tossed in a vibrant dressing keep the flavor high and the effort low. It’s so good, even the adults will want their own forkful.
Get the Recipe: Avocado Salad
Fish Tacos
Fish tacos might not be traditional lunch fare, but these ones are easy to prep, packed with protein, and loaded with bold, delicious flavor. Wrapped in a soft tortilla with cabbage crunch and creamy avocado sauce, they stay delicious even after a few hours in a lunchbox. Let’s be honest, there’s no way you’ll pack these without making one for yourself.
Get the Recipe: Fish Tacos
Italian Chopped Salad
This colorful Italian chopped salad has the perfect bite-sized mix of meats, cheese, and veggies to make lunch feel more like a treat than a chore. The creamy, tangy dressing brings it all together, and it’s sturdy enough to prep ahead without getting soggy. Make enough to share, or not, because this is one salad you’ll absolutely want to keep for yourself.
Get the Recipe: Italian Chopped Salad
Cheesy Ground Beef Taco Skillet
Cheesy taco skillet delivers serious comfort in under 30 minutes, and it’s packed with flavor that holds up well for reheated lunches. Every bite has tender beef, melted cheese, and that taco-night taste everyone loves. It’s a no-brainer for lunchboxes, and honestly, it’s too good not to stash a portion away for later.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Ground Beef Taco Skillet
Chopped Chicken Salad
With bold crunch, juicy chicken, and a punchy homemade dressing, this chopped chicken salad is everything a lunch needs to feel exciting again. It’s easy to prep in advance and is loaded with enough protein and veggies to actually delicious. Double up when making it, it disappears fast from both the kids’ boxes and the parents’ containers.
Get the Recipe: Chopped Chicken Salad
Quesabirria Tacos
Quesabirria tacos are a rich, cheesy, crispy meal that turns a plain lunch into something worth talking about. Dipped in consommé or packed separately for dunking, they make any midday break feel indulgent and totally delicious. Don’t even think about making a batch without keeping one for yourself.
Get the Recipe: Quesabirria Tacos
Chicken Quesadillas
Chicken quesadillas are a back-to-school lunch that gets zero complaints and zero leftovers. Filled with salsa-seasoned chicken and melty cheese, then folded in golden tortillas, they reheat beautifully and taste just as great at room temp. Pack extras because everyone’s going to want one, including whoever’s doing the packing.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Quesadillas
Ground Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry
This ground beef and cabbage stir fry is a one-pan lifesaver when the schedule’s packed and the fridge is looking sparse. It’s full of savory flavor, comes together in under 20 minutes, and somehow manages to taste even better the next day. Easy enough for a weeknight dinner and bold enough to make your lunchbox feel exciting, this is one of those back-to-school wins you’ll keep coming back to.
Get the Recipe: Ground Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry
Blackened Pork Chops
Blackened pork chops bring big flavor with barely any prep, making them a total go-to for busy school nights and fast lunches. With juicy centers, crispy edges, and a simple seasoning blend, they’re an easy dinner that turns into next-day leftovers you’ll actually want to pack. Whether cooked on the grill or stovetop, they’re fast, filling, and definitely too good to reserve just for the kids.
Get the Recipe: Blackened Pork Chops
Canned Salmon Burgers
These canned salmon burgers are quick, crispy, and packed with protein, perfect for school lunchboxes and grown-up snacks alike. Serve them in flatbread, lettuce wraps, or all on their own for a fresh and easy meal that’s ready in just 30 minutes. With their flaky texture and light seasoning, they’re easy to love and even easier to make a second serving for yourself.
Get the Recipe: Canned Salmon Burgers
Ground Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
Ground beef and broccoli stir fry comes together in under 30 minutes and delivers that bold, takeout-style taste without the cost or wait. It’s hearty, balanced, and easy to pack, making it a back-to-school meal that fits perfectly into your weekly routine. Whether you’re filling bento boxes or heating it up at your desk, there’s no denying it deserves a spot in your own lunch too.
Get the Recipe: Ground Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
Ground Beef Egg Roll in a Bowl
This ground beef egg roll in a bowl has all the flavors of your favorite takeout order without the deep-fried wrapper or greasy mess. It’s a one-pan meal that’s just as good chilled or reheated, making it a smart pick for lunchboxes of all ages. Pack it for the kids and save a bowl for yourself, this one never gets old.
Get the Recipe: Ground Beef Egg Roll in a Bowl
Ground Beef Stir Fry
Ground beef stir fry is a back-pocket meal that’s always ready to save the day, especially when time is short and the pantry’s looking bare. Tossed together in one pan with a handful of ingredients, it’s fast, flavorful, and great for lunchbox leftovers. Don’t be surprised if this simple dinner ends up being your new favorite lunch, too.
Get the Recipe: Ground Beef Stir Fry
Shrimp Scampi with Zoodles
Shrimp scampi with zoodles is light, lemony, and loaded with garlic flavor, all made in a single pan in just 20 minutes. It’s perfect for a fast dinner or a fancier-than-usual packed lunch that feels like a little treat. Don’t be shocked if your lunchbox gets more attention than the kids’, this one’s just that good.
Get the Recipe: Shrimp Scampi with Zoodles
Ham and Cheese Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls
Ham and cheese sliders baked on soft Hawaiian rolls are golden, gooey, and gone in seconds at dinnertime, but they reheat beautifully for school lunches too. Each bite is filled with buttery, savory goodness, making them just as tempting for grown-ups as they are for kids. Make a tray, pack a few for lunch, and don’t forget to slip an extra into your own container.
Get the Recipe: Ham and Cheese Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls
Korean Ground Beef
Korean ground beef is sweet, savory, and cooked in under 20 minutes using simple pantry staples. It’s flavorful enough to keep things interesting but easy enough to whip up during hectic back-to-school nights. Whether served over rice or tucked into a wrap, it’s one of those meals you’ll be glad you doubled for leftovers.
Get the Recipe: Korean Ground Beef
Tuna Melt Quesadilla
Tuna melt quesadillas bring crispy, cheesy comfort to lunchboxes with almost no effort at all. Tangy tuna salad meets gooey cheese and golden tortillas for a mash-up that’s as fun as it is delicious. It’s a fast meal that both kids and adults will be fighting over, so go ahead and pack an extra.
Get the Recipe: Tuna Melt Quesadilla
2-Ingredient Burger Buns
These 2-ingredient burger buns are soft, fluffy, and surprisingly simple, perfect for pulling together sandwiches or sliders when you’re short on time. With no fancy steps or ingredients required, they make school lunch prep feel like a breeze. You’ll want to keep a batch around because they’re just as useful for your own grab-and-go meals, too.
Get the Recipe: 2-Ingredient Burger Buns
