Roundups, Snacks

Top 10 Back To School Lunch Box Snacks

Need help packing lunch for your little ones? Here are my top 10 favorite back-to-school lunch box snacks!
Three images are situated side by side. On the left are homemade microwavable potato chip. In the middle are chocolate and peanut butter cookies. On the right are homemade Rice Krispies bars.

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHAT YOU GET: In this article, you will get a list of 10 easy and delicious homemade lunch box snacks to send with your little ones for a sweet surprise.

It’s hard to know what to pack for lunch — lunch box ideas do not come easily when you’re packing snacks before 8:00 AM! But what kid doesn’t love getting a sweet treat in their lunch box? These 10 treats are my favorite back-to-school lunch snacks — and they’re a lot more delicious than any processed treat — and will make your child the coolest kid in the cafeteria.

Back To School No-Bake Rice Krispies Treats

An image of homemade no-bake Rice Krispies. These homemade Rice Krispies are made with chocolate, caramel, and peanuts, making them a Snickers Rice Krispies.

These Rice Krispies Treats are just what you would expect from Bigger Bolder Baking, and had to be included in the roundup of my best lunch box snacks. They take the basic Rice Krispies treats (which are great to begin with!) and make them even better with bold new flavors such as Snickers, S’mores, and Funfetti. These no-bake Rice Krispies are quick and easy to make — which means they’re the perfect treat to stick in your child’s lunch box.

Homemade Granola Bars

Homemade granola bars with chocolate sit on a cooling rack.

Granola bars are a classic, kid-friendly snack but did you know they are super easy to make at home? I used a combination of dried cranberries, coconut, almonds, and chocolate, but the recipe is very customizable so feel free to add in any flavors you or your kids love. If you want a no-bake version, check out my No-Bake Granola Bars.

Crispy Microwave Potato Chips

A basket of microwavable homemade potato chips, topped with salt.

These Microwave Potato Chips may ditch the deep fryer but they certainly don’t ditch any flavor or crunch you love. My homemade potato chips only require 3 ingredients and can be ready in minutes. I bet you didn’t know chips this delicious could come out of a microwave, but once you start making them, your kids will be begging you to make them every day!

Crazy Muffins

Gemma's Crazy Muffins. A basic muffin recipe is transformed by different add-ins. One batch of muffins can make blueberry and oat, chocolate chip, and banana nut muffins.

Do you have kids who each have a different favorite muffin flavor? Now you can appease them all with my Crazy Muffins recipe. This muffin base can be mixed with different flavors and add-ins to make every muffin in your batch different. I have recipes for all the classic muffins, like banana nut, blueberry and oat, double chocolate, and more, but feel free to get creative and make your own muffin combinations.

Unbeatable Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

A stack of homemade peanut butter and chocolate cookies sit next to a glass of milk.

The combination of chocolate and peanut butter is a huge hit with the kids, and these Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies are no exception. The sweetness from the chocolate perfectly balances out the saltiness of the peanut butter, making an overall delicious dessert. They are chewy and gooey on the inside and crisp on the outside. I can’t think of a better way to send my child to school than with one of these in their lunch box.

3-Ingredient Fruit Leather

Homemade raspberry fruit leather has been cut into 1-inch wide strips and rolled up for a great homemade lunch box snack.

Want a healthier yet still delicious treat to pack your kids at school? Look no further than my 3-Ingredient Raspberry Fruit Leather. They are made nearly entirely of fruit, with just a touch of sugar added, and they are so fun to eat. Also, they are approved by our 2-year-old son George. If he loves them, your kids will too!

Homemade Pop-Tarts

Two homemade Pop-Tarts are on a table. These homemade strawberry Pop-Tarts are next to real strawberries and topped with rainbow sprinkles.

Pop-Tarts are a staple lunch box snack, but they are so much better when you make them from scratch. These are made from quality pastry dough, delicious fillings, and a yummy glaze that tastes like Pop-Tarts were made in a fancy bakery. I teach you how to make classic flavors like strawberry and brown sugar cinnamon and fun flavors like s’mores and apple pie! Although these take a little more time than other treats on this list, they are 1000% worth it!

Healthy Homemade Twix Bars

A homemade Twix recipe that uses healthier ingredients is photographed. Three homemade Twix bars are stacked on each other with a layer of cookie, caramel, and chocolate.

These Healthy Homemade Twix Bars are absolutely delicious and made with ingredients you can feel good about your children eating, such as coconut oil, almond butter, almond flour, and maple syrup. In my opinion, they’re even better than regular Twix, and your kids will never know they are made with healthier ingredients.

Apricot Almond Homemade Larabars

Four homemade Larabars are stacked on each other. These homemade Apricot Almond Larabars are perfect for kid's lunch boxes.

Larabars have been extremely popular in the past few years, but they can be pretty expensive. Making them at home is cheaper  — and they taste even better than the store-bought versions! They are made only with dried fruit and nuts and are surprisingly filling, so you’re kid will be full all day!

Homemade Brownie Brittle

A batch of homemade brownie brittle is broken up into pieces. They are topped with peanuts.

Brownie Brittle is a personal favorite of mine. It has the delicious crunch of a crisp cookie with the flavor of a rich brownie. While store-bought is great, homemade is even better! The only problem is this stuff is so addicting that there might not be any left to put in your kid’s lunch box!

Homemade Cheez-Its

A close-up image of homemade Cheez-Its made with real cheese. They are golden orange with one hole in the center. They are on top of a blue table.

Cheez-Its are loved by kids and adults alike, so who wouldn’t want to open their lunch box to see homemade Cheez-Its? These taste just like the real thing and are made with real cheese — plus no preservatives! They’re super easy to make and are George-approved, like most of these lunch box snacks!

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About Us

Meet Gemma

About Us

Meet Gemma

Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, a cookbook author, and the creator of Bigger Bolder Baking. I want to help you bake with confidence anytime, anywhere with my trusted and tested recipes and baking tips. You may have seen one of my 500+ videos on YouTube & TikTok or as a guest judge on Nailed It! on Netflix or the Best Baker in America on Food Network. No matter your skills, my Bold Baking Team & I want to be your #1 go-to baking authority.

 

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