18+ Freezable Lunchbox Items to Make Healthy Lunches Easy

Looking for freezable lunchbox items that you can batch-bake, freeze and then just pull out and thaw as needed? Then look no further! I’ve rounded up more than 18 freezable lunchbox items that are easy, quick and healthy to make your life 1,000 times easier.

Does anyone else feel like they’ve given up on healthy lunchboxes before even fully getting started?

Urgh, just the thought is a little overwhelming!

So I’ve been Googling (because that’s the answer to all of my generation’s life problems, right?), and I’m starting to feel more confident.

Not at first, because let’s face it, Bento cutters, kiwi cut into perfect flowers, and elaborate vegetable towers held together by a zillion toothpicks are not exactly what you want to be putting together in your half-awake zombie-like make-up-less state first thing in the morning (no? just me?).

So if searching for healthy lunchbox foods on Pinterest makes you feel as incompetent and guilty as it does me, I have the answer for you:

Freezable lunchbox items.

Nothing fancy, just some healthy wholegrain bakes, veg-packed options and real food items that you can batch-bake, freeze and grab as needed.

Every single option is kid-friendly, really easy (seriously – I make let my kids bake some of these!), quick and the best part? They are adaptable to your family’s preferences and tastes which means this list of 18+ freezable lunchbox items is more like a list of 50+ freezable lunchbox items!

Just make sure to check ingredients on recipes are look out for sugar in all its forms (honey, syrups, dates, dried fruit, fruit juice, etc) – a little is fine, but make sure it’s not loads! And I always like to add a little veg if it’s not in the recipe (even if that’s just adding some fresh veg on the side of it in the lunchbox which I prep at the weekend and keep in the fridge).

This list is saving my life already – I’ve set aside a little time this weekend to batch-bake them, have made a shopping list from the ones I’ve chosen (more on that below), and by Sunday night my freezer will be stocked with healthy lunchbox items we can all enjoy!

So how does it work?

I find the easiest way is:

• Work with a rough template for the week on repeat to make life simpler (for eg, ours is currently: Mon – sandwiches, Tues – soup or salad, Wed – leftover pizza from Tues night or pizza scrolls/bites, Thurs – jacket potato/sweet potato with a freezable topping or leftover, Fri – soup or salad, but it is flexible for using up leftovers or days when the kids would rather have a “snacky lunch” of a selection of freezable items)
• Work out roughly how many lunchboxes and serves you need to make in one session (if it’s one week, you are probably looking at 5 lunchboxes, multiplied by however many people need them – I like to make enough for my husband and I to have some, too – but you could also do it for 2 weeks, 1 month, or more!)
• Choose recipes to fit your template and check serves to make sure you will be making the right amount
• Make a shopping list and get your ingredients
• Set aside some time at the weekend (anything from half an hour to a few hours depending on how many things you are making and how long they take)
• Batch-bake/cook and freeze items in portion sizes to be pulled out at a moment’s notice
• Label everything well and keep a list so you know what is available in the freezer

What do I need?

• a lunchbox (we use these and love them – we went through 2 other sets of cheaper ones before we realised they were worth the investment)
• Thermos or similar flask (we love these ones)
• ice pack(s) and/or cool bag – not essential, but useful, especially on warmer days
• freezer bags or freezer-safe containers (we use a mix of freezer bags, glass containers like these which are freezer-to-oven safe, and random old glass jars – just be careful to not overfill and allow to cool completely before freezing to avoid cracking)

18+ Freezable Lunchbox Items

1. Muffins – savoury or sweet (I love using this as a basic recipe and adding in 2 types of vegetables and a little meat and cheese for savoury and these or these are my favourite sweet options, as most recipes contain a lot of sugar)
2. Pancakes or waffles (bonus points if they contain veggies like these or these – although they do have a fair amount of maple syrup so use less or just a drop or two of liquid stevia instead if you can)
3. Mini frittatas (like these ones, which can be adapted for whatever veg/meat/cheese combinations you like)
4. Homemade sausage rolls (these even have some veg in them)
5. Meat patties, veggie burgers or fritters, or meatballs (favourites include these, these and these)
6. Pizza bites (we use our pizza base recipe and roll into bite-size pizza bases to top with passata and mozzarella cheese and some sweetcorn or mushroom or olives or whatever is on hand)
7. Scrolls – savoury or sweet (we like a pesto or pizza filling for savoury and sugar free jam or low sugar chocolate spread for sweet)
8. Scones (the British version, which I believe are “biscuits” in the US – although the triangular “scones” will work, too – I love these or these)
9. Oatcakes or crackers (like these or these)
10. Bars and bites – cereal bars, date-less bliss balls, truffles, bars, fudge, etc (like these, these, these or these)
11. Smoothie packs (fill freezer bags with the ingredients minus the liquid for your favourite smoothie – we love this, this and this one)
12. Cookies (like these or these)
13. Mini quiches (like these)
14. Breads, frozen sliced (like this or this)
15. Soups (like this or this)
16. Jacket potato fillings – veg-packed sauce, chilli (meat or bean), sugar free baked beans, meat or chickpea curry, etc
17. Cooked grains for salads (couscous, quinoa, spelt, barley, bulgur wheat, rice, and pasta all work well)
18. Cooked meat (pulled meats are especially delicious, and can be added to salads, sandwiches, soups or just served alongside muffins or similar savoury baked items)