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15+ Vegan Packed Lunch Ideas

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Ready to shake up your lunchbox game? These vegan packed lunch ideas are just what you need, whether you're packing for yourself or for a kid.

image collage of vegan packed lunches: sandwich, quinoa salad, kale salad, chickpea sandwich
Table of Contents

Y'all, my child is in KINDERGARTEN (Edit: Oh my word, he is now in sixth grade! How did that happen?). I can't believe it. He is loving his school and adjusting like a champ.

Now that he's so big, I feel like I need to adjust his lunches accordingly. Those preschool lunches I was packing just don't feel like they're cutting it anymore. I needed some big kid vegan lunch ideas for this dude!

Of course, not everyone reading this is packing lunches for a child, so the list below includes more adult vegan lunch ideas, too. I tried to include something for everyone!

Whenever I talk about lunches, I get a lot of questions about the containers my family uses. Below the list of vegan lunch box ideas are the actual lunchboxes I use for my son, the meal prep containers Dave uses for his lunches, and a thermos a friend recommended that's on my to-buy list. Her daughter LOVES it!

🥪 Sandwiches

My kid kind of hates bread (I KNOW!), but Dave brings sandwiches a lot. Obviously, you can do sandwiches all kinds of ways, but he tends to make variations on this:

  • whole grain bread
  • hummus or vegan mayo
  • avocado
  • cucumber
  • lettuce
  • vegan deli slices, homemade or frozen falafel, or other protein (sometimes)
  • vegan cheese slice (sometimes)

He'll usually pack an apple and some pretzels or pita chips to go with this.

For our bread-shunning child, sometimes I do a deconstructed sandwich with that Lock & Lock box I mentioned. We call it a vegan Lunchable!

One section has a few rolled up Tofurky slices, one has grape tomatoes and a piece of vegan cheese, and I fill the rest with popcorn or pretzels. He gets an orange or an apple on the side, since you can pack those without a container. It's not the healthiest lunch, but he loves it!

Below, you'll find some additional ideas for vegan sandwiches sprinkled in among the other lunch ideas.

🥪 Tofu Lunch Meat

Tofu lunch meat is a more affordable alternative to store-bought vegan deli slices. It's gluten-free and easy to make with a fantastic texture and flavor!
Get the recipe!
tofu lunch meat on a plate

Vegan Lobster Rolls

Hearts of palm in a creamy old bay dressing are the stars of these easy, delicious vegan lobster rolls. You are going to absolutely love them!
Get the recipe!
vegan lobster rolls on a wooden tabletop sprinkled with green onion and parsley

Tofu "egg" salad sandwiches

When I get it together to make a batch of magical tofu "egg" salad on Sunday, we are set for lunches through Wednesday! Use it to stuff a pita or regular bread, send it solo with pita chips and veggies to dip, or send it as a topping for green salad.
If you do want to use this as a salad topper, I recommend packing the tofu salad in a separate container from the actual salad, so you won't end up with soggy greens. It's easy enough to dump the tofu salad on at lunchtime. Don't forget to pack a fork!
Get the recipe!
tofu egg salad sandwich on a white plate

Chickpea salad

There are lots of ways to make a tasty chickpea salad, but I love this recipe that uses red grapes for a little bit of tart-sweetness. Like a conventional egg salad, you can pack it up as a sandwich, a dip, or a green salad topping.
Get the recipe!
mashed chickpea salad sandwich on a plate with a grape on a toothpick on top

Vegan bacon sandwich

Whip up a batch of my vegan Canadian bacon or whatever vegan bacon you prefer the night before, and you're ready to build the vegan BLT of your dreams! I like mine with lettuce, tomato, avocado, and vegan mayo.
If you're packing lunch for a sandwich-hater, just pair up the bacon with grape tomatoes or carrot sticks, a fruit of their choice, and some kind of starch (pretzels, cubed sweet potato, corn...whatever they like eating).
Get the recipe!
English-style breakfast on a white plate with vegan Canadian bacon

🥗 Salads

Grain, noodle, and bean salads make a great lunchbox addition. You don't even have to worry about keeping them warm!

🫙 Quinoa Mason Jar Salad

A quinoa mason jar salad is perfect for meal prep! Fresh veggies, sweet dried mango, and hearty quinoa pair up with smoky, tangy chipotle lime dressing for this grab-and-go lunch.
Get the recipe!

Mediterranean Butter Bean Salad

This flavorful butter bean salad is packed with amazing Mediterranean flavors! It's so good spooned over crusty bread or over salad greens for a quick lunch.
Get the recipe!
mediterranean butter bean salad in a bowl

Cold peanut noodle salad

Cold peanut noodles with edamame, crunchy carrots, and tofu are a great lunchbox addition. It's a filling lunch that you don't need to worry about reheating.
If you need to make this packed lunch peanut-free, just use sunflower seed butter in place of peanut butter to make the sauce.
Get the recipe!
overhead photo of a bowl od noodles with carrots, cabbage, edamame, and tofu

Lentil and quinoa salad

Lentils and quinoa are super versatile, which is why this recipe uses these protein-packed plants in two different ways!
Each of these lentil and quinoa salads pairs them with different roasted veggies, greens, and dressings for two easy lunch salads. These vegan lunches will keep you feeling full and satisfied all week long.
Get the recipe!
meal prep container of quinoa lentil kale salad on a marble table

Taco salad

This hearty taco salad is enough to make a whole meal! To make sure that you store your dressing in a separate container, so the green don't get soggy.
I like these little containers for toting sauces and dressings. They're a good size and dishwasher safe.
Get the recipe!
vegan taco salad with veggies, beans, corn, tortilla chips, and chimichurri

Falafel salad or sandwich

Whip up a batch of easy air fryer or baked falafel, then stuff it into a pita with lots of fresh veggies and a small container of vegan dressing.
If pita pockets aren't your thing, you can pack these with salad greens instead, for an easy, lunchtime falafel salad.
Get the recipe!
green salad topped with air fryer falafel

🍲 Soups and Stews

Hearty soups and stews travel well in a thermos. Perfect for kid and adult packed lunches alike!

Instant Pot Chili or stew

Now's the time to bust out that Thermos! Leftover chili is your friend. Our favorite is my Instant Pot Chili. If tofu isn't your thing, try my easy 3-Bean Chili instead. 
I'm a big believer that stews taste even better the next day. Fill up a thermos with Vegan Chicken Stew or Vegan Beef Stew for a hearty, warm lunch. 
If chili or stew alone doesn't feel like enough, pack a Cornbread Muffin to go with it.
Get the recipe!
bowl of Instant Pot tofu chili with vegan cheddar, sour creamy, and red onion on top

Vegan Chicken Stew

My family can't get enough of this vegan chicken stew. It's packed with veggies and is so simple to make in the Instant Pot or on the stove!
Get the recipe!
vegan chicken stew on a white table with the Instant Pot in the background

🥕 Carrot Ginger Lentil Soup

Creamy, umami-filled carrot ginger lentil soup is easy to make on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot! Serve as a side dish or as an entree with some crusty bread for dipping.
Get the recipe!
bowl of carrot ginger lentil soup topped with green onion and crushed pepper

🍚 Grain Bowls

Grain bowls are another easy make-ahead lunch that travel well.

Burrito bowl meal prep

This easy meal prep makes four lunches, so you are set for almost the whole week! 
Beans and rice, chili lime tofu, and fresh tomato and avocado are an easy, filling meal that's delicious warm or at room temperature.
Get the recipe!
tofu burrito bowl with black beans, rice, avocado, and veggies in a white bowl

Sushi bowl

A sushi bowl makes a great cold lunch. Just fill your box about a third of the way with prepared sushi rice, then pile on all of your toppings. You can use this sushi bowl recipe or just riff with your favorite sushi fillings.
For to-go sushi bowls, I don't pack the seaweed (or seaweed snacks) in the box, since they'll get soggy. Instead, send them in a smaller container on the side. 
If you're using the Lock & Lock, you can just put one of the inner sections in before filling the box with rice and toppings, then cut the seaweed to fit into that little square.
Get the recipe!
tofu sushi bowl with fresh veggies, pickled ginger, and sesame seeds on a marble table

Air fryer meal prep

If you really want to knock out a bunch of packed lunches at once, meal prepping is your friend. This easy recipe uses quinoa (or grain of your choice) as the base topped with air fryer sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts. 
Get the recipe!
sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts in a meal prep container with quinoa, sauce, and green onions

Sesame noodle bowl

Whip up a big batch of my Cold Sesame Noodles, and you've got the base for all kinds of great vegan lunch ideas, just add protein and veggies! Here are some ideas for how to build your bowl:
Protein: cooked or uncooked tofu, steamed edamame, cashews, almonds, or canned and drained adzuki beans
Veggies: sliced cucumber, carrot sticks, raw or cooked broccoli, raw or cooked kale, snap peas or snow peas, green onion, or shredded cabbage
Optional sauce ideas: Blender Peanut Butter Sauce, Red Curry Almond Sauce, All-Purpose Coconut Curry Sauce
Get the recipe!
sesame udon noodles in a bowl with green onion

💼 Kid-Friendly Lunch Box

For my son, I am still using this Lock & Lock box with four removable compartments. I love this BPA-free modular lunchbox, because my kid can open and close it himself, and I can change up the inner containers to suit what we're packing.

This graphic that I created back when my kid was a preschooler gives you an idea of how I made the most of the inner containers:

image collage of preschool lunches for a veg kid

See how we mix up the configuration to work with what we're packing?

🫙 Meal Prep Containers for Adult Lunches

Dave has been on the hunt for the ideal meal prep container, and he landed on these glass ones. They're nice and big, so there's plenty of room for the huge sandwiches he favors at lunchtime.

When he brings leftovers from dinner, he usually totes them in these lidded Pyrex containers, because we use different sizes of these to store all of our food, and he has access to a microwave to reheat. Why dirty another dish, right?

If we have a bunch of leftovers, I'll divvy them up between a couple of those Pyrex containers, so Dave and I both have portioned-out lunches to grab and eat.

♨️ Thermos for Soups and Stews

I have not personally tried it yet, but my friend, Andrea, says she and her daughter both love this Thermos for bringing in warm leftovers (bonus: it's adorable!).

She reheats leftovers in the morning, then piles them into this baby. My kid isn't big on soups and stews, so I haven't ponied up for a Thermos for him.

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  1. kathryn

    Hello

    Do you have recipes that make you gain weight. I am constantly starving since going vegan. My onconolgist got me a nutritionist. Being a vegetarian for 25 yrs I felt healthy.
    Now being vegan, no energy, constantly starving.
    Cannot keep weight on, keep losing weight.

    Been unhappy so long with this vegan diet...i am starving as I write that. My cholesterol went up and had to go to the cardiolgist. Pinned it down to indian food every other week and the new gardein burgers.

    I take loads of supplements and vitamins. Anyway, i am 98lbs and just lost another 3 lbs which I cannot afford.

    If you could add how to gain weight instead of losing. Not all people want to lost weight thanks

    Reply

    • Becky Striepe

      I'm sorry to hear this, Kathryn, and I do not post about weight loss on my website. This is a body positive space!

      I am not a nutritionist, but I also experienced unwanted weight loss when I first went vegan. For me, the issue was simply not eating enough, because I cut out eggs and dairy without replacing those calories in my diet. What helped me was adding in more healthy fats and proteins. Nuts, seeds, legumes, avocado, whole grains, potatoes, etc. Right now, the only supplement I take is vitamin B12. I hope this helps!

      Reply

    • KT

      You know, since going vegan, my volume of food went up (fruit, veg, grains, legumes) but I always felt satisfied. I would make certain that you are eating lots of different plants, especially beans, to up your intake of fiber. Fiber satisfies, not fat or protein. I hope you can enjoy the vegan lifestyle once again!

      Reply

  2. Cadry

    Becky, this post has made me SO HUNGRY. (After I leave this comment, I'm running to the kitchen. STAT.) There are so many good ideas here, and that thermos is adorable. When I used to do touring children's theatre, it was always a treat when I packed lunch in a thermos. Because there's something immediately special about a warm lunch when you're away from home. Thanks for including my kale salad in your list!

    Reply