While PB&J may be the old standby, new foods with a balance of protein, starches, fruits, and vegetables can liven up the lunch hour.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT (PRUnderground) October 2nd, 2026
Kids are back in school and work schedules have return, meaning parents might need some fresh ideas for packing sack lunches and how to make them healthy. Intermountain Health Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Kendal Bjella has some ideas to keep things fresh and health.
"Build a balanced lunch with protein, starches, fruits, and vegetables. Your meal doesn't need to be perfect, keep it simple," said Bjella.
She added, "Eating consistently throughout the day and not skipping meals helps you meet your nutrition needs and sets you up for good health. Choose a lunch meal that works for you and meets your nutrition needs."
Fresh ideas for packing sack lunches
1. Make a wrap. Put a fresh twist on your sandwich - instead of using bread, make a wrap with a tortilla.
2. Try different spreads. Try other nut butters, like almond butter, sunflower nut butter, cashew butter, or soy nut butter.
3. Try something new like a wrap with hummus, feta cheese, sliced bell peppers, and fresh spinach leaves.
4. Include some fresh vegetables and whole fruit. Pack a tasty veggie dip.
5. Bring dinner leftovers for lunch.
6. For tacos, use some cooked lentils with taco seasoning and swap cabbage slaw for the lettuce.
7. Do breakfast for lunch. Make overnight oats with chia seeds and berries. Or make a breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs, potatoes, and salsa.
Be sure to pack perishable foods in an insulated bag with ice packs if refrigeration is not available.
Non-perishable options
If your workplace or school doesn't have a fridge, pack non-perishable lunch options that don't need refrigeration. Here are some healthy options.
- Single-serving easy-open cans or pouches of tuna or salmon
- Single serve peanut butter
- Trail mix
- Whole-grain crackers
- Cherry tomatoes
- Whole fresh fruits, dried fruit, or fruit canned in 100% fruit juice.
If you enjoy preparing meals ahead of time, also called meal prepping, experiment with different sauces or different types of vegetables to give variety to meals without increasing preparation time.
For more information about a consultation with a registered dietitian, visit the nutrition services page at intermountainhealth.org
About Intermountain Health
Headquartered in Utah with locations in six states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Health is a nonprofit system of 34 hospitals, approximately 400 clinics, medical groups with some 4,600 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a nonprofit health plan called Select Health with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For up-to-date information and announcements, please see the Intermountain Health newsroom at https://news.intermountainhealth.org/. For more information, see intermountainhealth.org/ or call 801-442-2000.
