6 Gluten-Free Lunch Ideas for Kids

The need to avoid gluten adds another layer of difficulty to preparing healthy lunches for home or school that your kids will actually eat. These lunch ideas are packed with kid appeal, contain no gluten and can easily be enjoyed on the go.

Here are six gluten-free lunch ideas you can start enjoying right away.

Replace the Wheat

Of course, there is no easier way to go gluten-free in lunches than by replacing the bread in your favorite sandwich. Whether you choose a tasty gluten-free bread, hoagie roll or bun, you can fill with ingredients your kids already enjoy.

Pictured: Three Bakers gluten-free Whole Grain Hoagie Roll

Go Bento

Bento, the Japanese art of boxed lunch, uses a specialty box with multiple compartments to create a healthy lunch that looks as good as it tastes. Choose a box that your child will enjoy and fill it with bite sized fruits, veggies, lunchmeat and cheese roll ups and a GF brownie square. Accessories for bento are inexpensive and give your box plenty of character.

Photo Credit: Sheri Chen, Flickr

Kabob it

Cut bite sized cubes of ham or turkey and cheese, then thread onto a bamboo skewer for a fast, easy and gluten free sandwich replacement. Include several skewers and a cup of salad dressing or dip. Serve with chips and bite-sized fruit for an easy on the go kid’s meal.

Image Source: Buzzfeed

Makeover a Classic

Replacing the noodles in your favorite recipe with macaroni made from corn, rice or other gluten free grains allows you to serve up multiple meals that are gluten-free but still homemade and appealing. Another gluten free trend is to replace spaghetti noodle with zucchini noodles (your picky eaters may not like the looks of zoodles, but trust us, they are tasty!)

Image Source: GetPeeld.com

Embrace Eggs

Eggs are a fantastic staple for the gluten free lunch; hardboiled and chilled eggs can be decorated to match the season with food markers or served up as-is for a protein-filled lunch that packs plenty of staying power for your active kids. Include a slice of Three Bakers 7 Ancient Grains bread and plenty of fresh, seasonal fruit for a to-go lunch that is well-balanced and very healthy.

Image Source: themonnie on Flikr

Go Frittata

Quiche and frittata make wonderful savory hot lunches for kids – once you do away with the crust. Use a traditional filling with egg, cheese and your favorite accents, but replace the crust with a shredded potato base instead. Cut the finished quiche or frittata into kid sized squares and serve with a colorful salad for a well-rounded, kid friendly and glutenless meal.

Image Source: Mom Advice

Just because your family has embraced a gluten-free lifestyle, it does not mean you can’t still have healthy, filling and delicious lunches. We hope you’ve enjoyed these ideas. What are your go-to gluten free lunch ideas? Share them with us on Instagram (@ThreeBakersGlutenFree) using the #GFLunch hashtag.