30 Kid-Friendly Lunches You Can Make with What’s in Your Pantry

There’s a reason you stocked up on all that quinoa: It makes a mean (and healthy) breading for these bites. Luckily, they only take 30 minutes to whip up, and most of that time is in the oven.

It’s just as delicious as the kind from a blue box, and even easier to make.

If you’re dealing with picky eaters, you can customize the mix-ins with whatever veggie they like. (The raisins are optional too.)

Behold, the ideal opportunity to clean out those leftovers sitting in your fridge. Any veggies and cooked meat will work here.

A simple bowl of buttered noodles would suffice, but sneak in a little nutrition in the form of kale, why don’t you? (If they pick it out, at least you tried.)

No-fork lunches are the best kinds of lunches. Bake a big batch of these and reheat them all week.

Break out the waffle iron and in minutes you’ll have the most golden, melty, crispy-edged quesadilla you’ve ever seen.

You make breakfast for dinner, why not have breakfast for lunch?

Finally, a way to use up the leftover rice that’s been lingering in your fridge. It all comes together in about 20 minutes.

Tell them it’s grown-up macaroni and cheese and leave the pepper out if they insist.

Stand at the stove? You’ve got to be kidding. Luckily, these quesadillas are completely hands-off.

Canned beans and corn are getting the special treatment (and by that we mean the pasta treatment).

PSA: Homemade waffles can be stashed in the freezer. When you want to eat, just pop them in the toaster and wave the store-bought guys goodbye.

You can get pretty far with a humble can of tomatoes and grilled cheese cut into triangles.

They have all the appeal of chicken nuggets (handheld, dippable) but are made with a can of chickpeas.

If you have a bag of frozen broccoli, you’re halfway there. Make a big batch on Sunday, then keep them in the fridge and reheat as needed.

Sometimes it’s more about the presentation than the actual meal. Make these cuties with any crackers, dip and vegetables you have on hand.

A one-pot, 20-minute stovetop pasta is totally feasible at lunchtime. Your kids don’t know how good they have it.

With a tortilla and some hummus, there’s no telling what kind of veggies you can feed your kid without their knowing.

Once again, hummus saves the day, probably because it’s the easiest (or laziest) way to add protein and flavor.

If your kid hasn’t yet discovered the wonders of tuna salad, try chickpea. It’s mild in flavor but just as creamy and filling.

Plain old peanut butter and jelly is just fine, but combining it with another kid favorite will up the ante.

Flour tortillas and jarred tomato sauce help this one come together in all of 25 minutes. Mini pepperoni is optional but encouraged.

The more cheese (and ketchup), the better. Use any kind you have available, but make it a mix of sharp and melty.

Hot tip: If you make it with chickpea pasta, you can add extra protein and they’ll never know the difference.

Soy sauce and rice vinegar are the base for this easy sauce. You can use any noodle shape, so let your kid pick to make it even tastier.

This sure beats the store-bought mac and frozen peas of our childhood.

If you don’t have peppers for stuffing and serving, no worries. The salad is delicious on its own, and can be made with either a rotisserie chicken or leftovers.

Use this recipe as a guideline and customize the pizza as needed. Kids don’t like cauliflower or onions? Swap ’em.

Who’s the greatest parent of all time? You are.