A list of easy Lunch ideas will help reduce your workload as a stay-at-home mom. I always struggled with what to make my kids for lunch. To make things easier, I created a list of 15 lunch ideas that I recycle every week. You will find each item on my list below.

I’m a very busy mom, so my focus is always on meals that are easy to make and take less than 30 mins to prepare. You will often find me using boxed rice, pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, and frozen mixed vegetables.

These lunch meals may be quick and easy, but they are nutritionally balanced. I always include every item that makes up a balanced diet such as; protein, carbs, vitamins/minerals from fruits or veggies, and fat/oil.  

Now let’s jump right into the list!

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Simple Lunch Ideas for Stay-at-home moms

Make lunch from Leftovers 

This one is the easiest lunch idea ever. All you need is whatever you have in the fridge. If you make meals in bulk, then you will always have leftovers. I usually cook meals that last 3 days. That way, the kids can eat the leftover for lunch or dinner. 

Sandwiches 

I love sandwiches because of how easy they are to make. There are endless ways to make a sandwich so your family will never get bored. Some of my favorite sandwiches are BLT (bacon, lettuce, tomatoes), turkey club, or ordinary turkey sandwiches with cheese and lettuce.

Kid-friendly charcuterie board 

My kids absolutely love my homemade charcuterie board. It’s great because you don’t even need to cook this lunch meal. You can make it with anything you have in the fridge. I like to use soft cheese, ritz crackers, hummus, turkey lunch meat, slices of fruits, and veggies.

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ABC muffins

The ABC stands for apple, banana, and carrot muffins. A simple google search will yield different recipes for this lunch muffin. The good thing about it is that it’s made with no sugar at all. 

All the sugar comes from fruits and veggies. In the past, I’ve used all sorts of fruits and veggies to make this muffin. I like to add pear, blueberries, and blackberries to make it extra sweet. 

Peanut butter and jelly

A peanut butter and jelly sandwich have to be the simplest lunch to make. Peanut is packed with protein, healthy fats, and dietary fibers (Medical News Today). This is our go-to lunch for most lazy days. My kids love it.

Burger with frozen patties

Do yourself a favor and buy frozen patties the next time you go food shopping. I buy mine from Costco so we can save on costs.

When the kids are hungry for a burger, I take a pattie out and pop it into the oven. I usually cook them for 25 min at 450 degrees because I like them well done. All you need to assemble a full lunch are some burger buns, cheese, and some fruits or carrots on the side.

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Mexican rice

Boxed rice is a staple in my house. They are prepackaged with all the seasonings you need, so you can save on time. If you want to reduce the sodium, just use half the seasoning.

I like to buy Mexican rice and beans from a box so the kids get a mix of protein and carbs. If I have leftover meat, I serve it on the side. Sometimes I get rotisserie chicken from the supermarket to use as well.

Rice A Roni with frozen mixed vegetables

Rice A Roni is another prepackaged rice I like to use. This brand comes with rice mixed with macaroni. To make sure the kids get a balanced meal, I add mixed vegetables from the freezer aisle. I also use whatever protein I have in the fridge.

Baked chicken with potato fries, and fruits on the side

For this recipe, all you need is thinly sliced chicken breast. Coat the chicken with your favorite seasoning and bake it in the oven for 20 mins at 360 degrees. 

Now that you have a protein, you just need to find some carbs, fruits, or veggies to go with it. I like to use carrots because we always have them in the fridge. I also heat up some sweet potato fries to use as the carbs.

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Quesadillas

Quesadilla is a great lunch for the whole family. It’s very easy to make and packed with nutrients. A quick Youtube search will show you how to make it. I love to use the rotisserie chicken I get from Costco for this as well.

Easy Chicken tacos

In the same light, you can make tacos with rotisserie Costco chicken. You can probably tell by now how much I love Costco Rotisserie chicken. Your local supermarket may sell taco shells and pico de gallo. I can assemble a taco in 10 mins using all these pre-made ingredients.

Easy burritos 

Making burritos doesn’t have to be complicated. I use canned beans (red or black) to make mine. All you need is leftover rice (white or brown rice), leftover chicken, beans, and Mexican cheese. Roll them all together in a tortilla and place them in the oven. I bake them for 20 mins at 375 degrees.

Pasta and chicken, using sauce from a jar

I love making spaghetti and chicken for the family. It’s such an easy lunch. I get the premade sauce that comes in a jar (my favorite is Rao’s arrabbiata sauce), then mix it with cooked pasta. That’s it. It takes me about 20 mins to make.

You can use chicken or any protein of your choice. I also like to make a quick salad to provide some vitamins and minerals to the diet.

Pizza

Pizza is one of my go-to easy lunch ideas. You can order in or get a frozen pizza from the supermarket. Aldi and Walmart have “take and bake” pizzas that taste just as good as the one you would order.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you and the kids can bake your own pizza. We do this a lot in my home. The kids love eating the delicious fruits of their labor at the end.

Ramen

Ramen is a very underrated meal. We often think of broke college students when we hear the word. Ramen can be very nutritious if you know how to dress it up. 

We use good ramen like Tonkatsu when we make our lunch. You can add eggs, scrap veggies from the fridge as well as meat to make it a balanced diet.

Beef Patty

A beef patty is a simple lunch that everyone will love. You can get the frozen beef patties from the supermarket or order some patties from your local Golden Crust restaurant. I like to a lot of them and freeze them for later use. They reheat well.

Conclusion 

Making lunch for your family doesn’t have to be a complicated task. As a stay-at-home mom, it’s important to make easy meals so that you don’t spend all your day in the kitchen. I find that having a go-to list of simple meals helps make things easier for me. I hope this list of easy lunch ideas can help you make quick and simple meals for your family.

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