Homemade Lunchables

These Easy Homemade Lunchables are the meal prep recipe you never knew you needed! Simple to make and the perfect healthy snack for any occasion. Grab them as you are heading out the door for a protein packed lunch everyone will love.

Keep things interesting and switch things up in your lunchable! Add Cinnamon Fruit Dip, Avocado Salsa, or even Pasta Salad for a twist!

Recipe Features

• Easy Snack: These are so simple to put together and ideal for a healthy grab lunch or snack.
• Customizable: See below where we talk about some of our favorite variations.
• Make-Ahead: You can make these up to two days in advance, which can be especially helpful when you have a busy week planned.

I LOVE to snack. It’s my downfall. I’m constantly reaching for anything and everything to curb that craving. Luckily, these DIY lunchables are packed with healthy and pleasing options that never let me down.

We take these EVERYWHERE. My son calls them “snack packs” and regularly requests them for school lunch. I also prep them for pool days, park visits, hikes and more. They’re convenient and I can load them up with healthy options the entire family loves.

Homemade Lunchable Ingredients

Here’s the funny thing, you don’t have to follow any set ingredient list. You can really pick whatever you want and it will work in the recipe. However, I made a few variations to help get you started. For the basic ham and cheese lunchable recipe, this is what you will need:

• Lunch Meat: For this box I used ham. If you can, opt for a more quality ham, or one you know your family will like. We are big fans of almost any Boars Head (not sponsored) meat. I used their Tavern Ham, which was sliced for me at the deli inside of Smith’s.
• Cheese: Explore your stores cheese department. In fact, ask a cheese monger (specialist who should be working by the cheese) what they recommend pairing your chosen meat with. For this photo we used a smoked gouda.
• Crackers: This is another that will depend on personal preference. We almost always have pretzel thins on hand, so that’s what we use. I suggest picking items you already know your family loves. While the thins are a low fat option, they don’t provide many nutritional benefits. So if you want to add even more goodness to your box, reach for a healthier cracker option like Good Thins or Cauliflower Crackers.
• Sides: The one thing I ALWAYS wished my store-bought lunchable had. MORE FOOD. We like to pack ours with fresh fruit and veggies like grapes and snap peas.

How To Make Homemade Snack Packs

The goal for packing a lunchable is 2 proteins, 1 carb, and 1-2 fruits and veggies.

1. PREP: Gather your ingredients. Cut any cheese or meats you’ll be using and wash produce.
2. PACK: In quality containers, pack single rows of each ingredient. I find it helpful to use silicone cupcake liners (affiliate) if you want to include a dip or more soggy fruit like watermelon.
3. ENJOY: Keep refrigerated for up to 2 days and enjoy!

Lunchable Variations

• Ham and Cheddar: A classic that never goes out of stile. Sides for this can include grapes, pasta salad, or sugar snap peas
• Turkey and Provolone: Try serving with a small side of pesto, cucumber slices, and ranch.
• Pepperoni and Mozzarella: This is a great one to serve with mini, or sliced, pita’s and pizza sauce. Toss in some olives and grapes for a winning combination.

Other options:

• Protein: Choose your favorite deli meats such as turkey, ham, chicken, or roast beef. You can also use vegetarian options like tofu, tempeh, or plant-based deli slices.
• Cheese: Select different types of cheese like cheddar, Swiss, pepper jack, or even crumbled feta or goat cheese for variety. For vegan options, consider using dairy-free cheeses made from nuts or plant-based ingredients.
• Crackers or Bread: Instead of traditional crackers, you can use whole-grain crackers, rice cakes, pita bread, tortilla wraps, or even slices of bread or bagels.
• Fruits and Vegetables: Add a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables such as carrot sticks, cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, grapes, apple slices, or berries. You can choose what you enjoy or what’s in season.
• Dips and Spreads: Include condiments like hummus, guacamole, salsa, yogurt-based dips, or mustard for added flavor.
• Extras: Consider adding a small handful of nuts, pretzels, olives, hard-boiled eggs, or pickles to round out your homemade Lunchable.

Helpful Tools

• Packable Containers: I have a set of glass containers (affiliate) that I absolutely love. They come with dividers, which can be ideal for separating the crackers from the more moist ingredients.
• Sauce Containers: These little containers (affiliate) are the perfect size for condiments like ranch, ketchup, or hummus.
• Cookie Cutters: Ok, totally optional, but a fun one if you are making these for kids… Or just like to have fun shapes in your lunchbox. These cutters (affiliate) will cut through meat, cheese, and fruit like butter.

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