Deliciously Organic

Organic, Grain Free, Gluten Free, Paleo Recipes and Thyroid Health

Back-to-School Lunch Ideas (Paleo, GAPs, Grain Free, Gluten Free)

This year I want to focus on grain free lunch ideas. At first I felt awfully limited when packing lunches without grains, but we’ve gotten the hang of it and are really amazed at how many foods you can send.

I think every back-to-school post starts with “I can’t believe the summer is gone!”. That’s exactly how I feel. Summer was great, but all of a sudden it’s time to buckle down, get back to a schedule, and start packing lunches each morning while a bit bleary-eyed, sipping on coffee.

This year I want to focus on grain free lunch ideas. At first I felt awfully limited when packing lunches without grains, but we’ve gotten the hang of it and are really amazed at how many foods you can send.

This year I want to focus on grain free lunch ideas. At first I felt awfully limited when packing lunches without grains, but we’ve gotten the hang of it and are really amazed at how many foods you can send.

This year I want to focus on grain free lunch ideas. At first I felt awfully limited when packing lunches without grains, but we’ve gotten the hang of it and are really amazed at how many foods you can send.

Here are some of my kid’s favorites:

Turkey and cheese wraps (I just discovered these coconut wraps!)
Plain whole yogurt topped with honey, seeds, nuts, fruits, etc.
Vegetable sticks with ranch or other dressing
Berries and other fruits
Make almond butter (or sunbutter) and jelly sandwiches using grain free pancakes as the bread. Our new favorite!
Raw cheeses
Blueberry or Pumpkin Muffins
Hot soup stored in a stainless steel insulated thermos.
Here are some of our favorites:
Tortilla Soup
Cream of Vegetable Soup
Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Soup
Hard boiled eggs, deviled eggs, egg salad, etc.
Seed Crackers with cheese
Graham Crackers
Grain Free Granola
Granola Bars
Coconut Snack Cake
Coconut Almond Candy Bars
Applesauce

This year I want to focus on grain free lunch ideas. At first I felt awfully limited when packing lunches without grains, but we’ve gotten the hang of it and are really amazed at how many foods you can send.

Here’s a list of some of my favorite containers, water bottles and more!
Life Factory Water Bottles
Stainless Steel Small Containers (used in the first picture of this post)
Stainless Steel Insulated Thermos (this is the best for anything hot or cold!)
Lunchbot Stainless Steel Containers 
Insulated Lunch Bag

 

 

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462 Comments

  18. Gianna

    August 20, 2012 at 10:47 am

    My husband and I just made the switch this summer to whole, unprocessed foods. Since I am a school teacher I have had plenty of time to play in the kitchen this summer, but am thinking about how this will translate once I'm back to work in 2 weeks! Some of these ideas are really helpful. Thank you!
    Reply to this comment

  23. Carol

    August 20, 2012 at 10:50 am

    Super cute Lunchskins!!! My daughter takes her lunch everyday and she already gets comments on what she packs them in, which is stainless steel, but oh my, these would get tons of questions about where she got them! Please pick us for winning this!!!!!! :))
    Reply to this comment

  126. Emily Cantey

    August 20, 2012 at 2:20 pm

    You'll love the Lunchskins bags. I've been using them for a year or so now, and they're really durable. Plus, they're super easy to clean (a big plus)! I've tried a couple of other kinds of reusable bags as well, but have found these to be my favorites because of both their durability and their size options.I already follow you on Facebook as well.
    Reply to this comment

  145. karen

    August 20, 2012 at 2:48 pm

    Thanks for posting these annual lunch ideas, I love them and refer to them all the time and we homeschool :o). I'm always lacking for ideas regardless so these are greatly appreciated.Thanks, even though we homeschool, I'd still love to win the cute little lunchskins bags. :o)
    Reply to this comment

  180. Justine

    August 20, 2012 at 5:11 pm

    I love everything about this post! Grain-free is so tough and it's posts like these that make things go smoother. Thanks for all the great tips, I can't wait to try them for my kids AND for myself!
    Reply to this comment

  221. DeAnna L

    August 20, 2012 at 8:00 pm

    These are wonderful. I was just on the lunchskins' site earlier today. too funny. we would love the opportunity to begin our reuseable lunch bag journey with these! THANKS. Love your site too...fun to follow!
    Reply to this comment

  234. Lori Dailey

    August 20, 2012 at 9:09 pm

    Lunchskins are on my shopping list of must-have items for my kids this year. We have just started a gluten free diet and I'm going to be packing lunches every day for both kids. I am also a Facebook fan!
    Reply to this comment

  236. Catie Brow

    August 20, 2012 at 9:31 pm

    These are super cute! Thanks so much for sharing your life and your recipes. We are slowly eating better and better - and feeling better because of it. My girls love your banana bread and we can't get enough of your yummy green beans! :)
    Reply to this comment

  238. JaniceT

    August 20, 2012 at 9:56 pm

    I already follow you on FBWhere can I get the metal (stainless steel?) containers in this article? I use some glass ones now but sometimes they are too big for items like yogurt. These metal ones look perfect.
    Reply to this comment

  253. Jane Shields

    August 21, 2012 at 3:42 am

    After a lot of work to change my diet chasing food allergies, I feel much better. I am also trying to eliminate all bpa products and eat organic. Love new product and new ideas! Thank you :)
    Reply to this comment

  285. Nancy W.

    August 21, 2012 at 8:43 am

    I am so thankful for these grain free lunch ideas and would love to have the reusable lunch bags!!! Thanks so much for the link to the coconut wraps. I am ordering some of those! Wonder if Whole Foods carries them?
    Reply to this comment

  305. Grace

    August 21, 2012 at 11:38 am

    What a great idea! I always feel guilty buying and using all those little plastic baggies! We are trying to rid our house of plastic, slowly but surely and this is a great next step. Thank you!
    Reply to this comment

  364. Beth K

    August 22, 2012 at 2:53 pm

    As a teacher I can say that lunchtime posts are awesome because I also have to get back on schedule-which means I have to pack lunches for myself, too! Those bags look amazing and would definitely help decrease on waste.
    Reply to this comment

  398. Ashley B

    August 23, 2012 at 8:03 pm

    Would love to win these! Thank you for the lunch options--I have one son who is allergic to nuts though :( Makes it a little trickier but I am going to play around and hope that we can find some sort of way to go grain free...
    Reply to this comment

  425. Melinda

    August 26, 2012 at 5:25 pm

    Just found this blog as I was searching for a recipe for whole wheat pizza dough and got sucked in. I have a 4 year old and we are in a lunch rut. Perhaps a few new ideas will not only get him excited to try some new things but I always love getting new little containers to inspire me ;)
    Reply to this comment

  429. the urban baker

    September 2, 2012 at 6:44 am

    So many wonderful lunch box ideas, Carrie. I, too, have these bags and LOVE them. You have inspired me with some great new flavor combos. Isaac is in a new middle school and in just one week, I have had so many inquiries from mom volunteers about Isaac's "waste free" lunch. It's the little stuff like this makes us feel good about doing our part!
    Reply to this comment

    • Deliciously Organic

      January 1, 2013 at 5:54 am

      Some who prescribe to the Paleo/Primal diet eat unprocessed/raw dairy. Mark Sisson talks about this topic in his book "The Primal Blueprint". But if you don't want to eat dairy, then there are great coconut yogurts and some homemade recipes for diary free ranch dressing such as this one: http://onceamonthmom.com/dairy-free-ranch-dressing/
      Reply to this comment

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