school lunches isn’t forever.
One day they’ll be too old for heart-shaped sandwiches, football napkins, or little notes tucked inside their lunchbox.
If decorating lunchboxes or cutting sandwiches into fun shapes isn’t your thing, you’re still a great mom!
But I think we’re incredibly lucky to be the ones who get to make childhood feel magical.
A heart-shaped sandwich isn’t really about the sandwich.
A little note isn’t really about the paper.
It’s about reminding our kids, in the middle of a busy school day, that mom is thinking about them.
It’s about making the world feel just a little softer.
And I have a feeling those little moments are the ones they’ll remember.
Fun Lunchbox Ideas for Kids
If you’re looking for easy ways to make school lunches more fun, I’ve already rounded up all of my favorite lunchbox finds in one place.
From sandwich cutters and mini cookie cutters to seasonal napkins, lunchbox notes, food picks, containers, and organization favorites, these are the products I use over and over again.
Shop all of my favorite lunchbox ideas in my Amazon Storefront.
Why I Love Making My Kids’ Lunches Special
Packing lunches can easily become another task on the to-do list.
But somewhere along the way, I realized I could choose to see it differently. I can call it a burden or a blessing. I get to decide how I feel about it!
Instead of one more chore, it’s another opportunity to serve my kids and remind them that they’re loved.
Lunchbox Accessories That Make Packing Lunch Fun
There are a handful of simple things I use all year long that instantly make a lunch feel a little more special.
Some of my favorites include:
- Sandwich cutters
- Mini cookie cutters
- Food picks
- Silicone baking cups
- Bento-style lunch containers
- Reusable snack containers
- Seasonal napkins
- Lunchbox notes
- Fun water bottles
I’ve linked all of my favorite lunchbox accessories in my Amazon Storefront.
Sandwich Cutter Ideas for Kids’ Lunches
One of my favorite ways to surprise my kids is by using cookie cutters on their sandwiches.
Hearts.
Stars.
Pumpkins.
Christmas trees.
Flowers.
Even simple circles somehow make lunch feel exciting.
I also love making DIY Uncrustables using sandwich cutters. They’re easy to make ahead, freeze well, and are always a hit.
Cute Lunchbox Notes for Kids
This might be my favorite tradition of all.
I keep heart-shaped sticky notes in my kitchen year-round, and during holidays I’ll switch them out for pumpkins, Christmas trees, snowflakes, shamrocks, flowers, or whatever season we’re celebrating.
The notes are never long.
Usually it’s something simple like:
“I love you! Love, Mom“
It takes less than thirty seconds, but I hope those little notes become something my kids remember long after they’ve outgrown lunchboxes.
Seasonal Lunchbox Ideas
One of my favorite parenting “hacks” is rotating our lunchbox supplies with the seasons.
Whenever I’m at HomeGoods or TJ Maxx, I always take a quick look at the paper napkins.
If I find cute ones, I grab them.
Some of our favorites are:
- Football napkins
- Halloween napkins
- Christmas napkins
- Valentine’s hearts
- Easter bunnies
- Spring flowers
- Happy faces
- Unicorns
We even use football napkins on ordinary school days during football season. Around here in Oklahoma, football practically counts as its own holiday!
Sometimes I’ll match the napkin to what’s happening after school.
Dance class.
Football practice.
Game day.
The first day of fall.
Little details like that make any day feel a little more fun.
How I Organize My Lunchbox Supplies
One thing that makes this easy is staying organized.
I keep all of my everyday lunchbox supplies together in one drawer so they’re easy to grab each morning.
For seasonal items, I use one large zip-top bag for each holiday.
Halloween.
Christmas.
Valentine’s Day.
Easter.
Football season.
When the season is over, everything goes right back into its bag and gets stored with that holiday’s decorations.
The next year, I simply pull out one bag and instantly have all of our lunchbox supplies ready be put in the lunchbox drawer.
It’s simple, keeps clutter down, and makes changing seasons effortless.
Frequently Asked Questions About Packing School Lunches
How can I make my child’s lunch more fun?
Simple touches make a big difference. Try sandwich cutters, lunchbox notes, seasonal napkins, food picks, or fun-shaped fruit and cheese. It doesn’t have to take much extra time to make lunchtime feel special.
What are the best lunchbox accessories?
Some of my favorites are sandwich cutters, mini cookie cutters, food picks, silicone cups, reusable containers, themed napkins, and lunchbox notes.
Where do you buy cute lunchbox supplies?
Most of my lunchbox favorites come from Amazon, HomeGoods, and TJ Maxx. I love slowly collecting seasonal items throughout the year instead of buying everything at once.
How do you organize seasonal lunchbox supplies?
I keep each holiday’s supplies in a large zip-top bag and store them with my holiday decorations. When a new season arrives, I simply swap out the bag.
More Fun Ideas for Moms
If you love creating meaningful family traditions, you might also enjoy:
It’s Never Really About the Lunch
When my kids look back on childhood, I don’t think they’ll remember every sandwich shape or every pumpkin napkin.
But I hope they remember how it felt.
Loved.
Thought about.
Celebrated.
Motherhood is made up of thousands of ordinary moments.
And every now and then, we get the chance to make one of those ordinary moments feel extraordinary.
How lucky are we to be the ones who get to do that?
Keep up the good and holy work, mamas! <3
— Courtney
Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through my links, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I genuinely love or would happily use with my own family.
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