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Original poster

Vegetarian school lunch ideas with more protein beyond sandwiches?

58 replies

Advice5 · 24/03/2026 22:03

I need some ideas please for kids school lunches.. we are vegetarian can have eggs and dairy, no fish or meat. I usually do sandwiches need some inspiration. I need more protein ideas please. Would an omelette wrap work well? Any tips on ensuring the wrap doesnt go soggy? How would you store it in the lunchbox.. any other ideas please? I can't use peanut butter as it is a nut free school. Sandwich filler ideas also welcome. Tia

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Keepingthingsinteresting · 26/03/2026 22:08

Advice5 · 26/03/2026 10:21

Thanks that sounds great. Which brand of tofu do you use? The one I use has water in the pack and it won't peel just break i think lol

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I use tofoo- it’s more expensive but better for stuff like that as it’s extra, extra firm. The smoked one is really nice if they like that sort of flavour.

swifttara · 26/03/2026 11:10

SugarPuffSandwiches · 26/03/2026 10:28

Great ideas but just wanted to point out that pesto usually has nuts in and OP said that it's a nut free school 🙂

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I checked with our school and apparently pine nuts are ok - more of a seed than a nut? But appreciate not all policies will be the same.

BillieWiper · 26/03/2026 10:41

itsthetea · 26/03/2026 09:58

Would you use one wrap or two?

2 slices of bread is much more protein and fibre than one wrap and I normally see people eat one wrap or 2 slices of bread in they lunch

One wrap is around the same calories as two slices of bread? The big ones I think are about 220? Though no harm in having two if you're hungry!

SugarPuffSandwiches · 26/03/2026 10:28

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 24/03/2026 22:16

My dd is veggie and she normally takes pasta and pesto with some chickpeas mixed in.

Or she’ll take leftover curry, soup, pasta with veggie bolognese, bean chilli or whatever we’ve had the night before.

We have those insulated food pots which are good.

Great ideas but just wanted to point out that pesto usually has nuts in and OP said that it's a nut free school 🙂

Original poster
Advice5 · 26/03/2026 10:26

StonwEd · 25/03/2026 05:57

My favorite veggie wrap which thanks to this thread I'm going to make for lunch this week is hummus, beetroot, sweetcorn and spring onion. Homemade hummus for the win! Black pepper essential.

Do you have a recipe for the houmous?

OP posts:
Original poster
Advice5 · 26/03/2026 10:24

JustSawJohnny · 25/03/2026 00:26

Wraps made from grated carrot & tinned corn, topped with grated mozzerella and baked, then spread with cream cheese and roasted, spiced veggies.

Falafel and giant couscous with humus and flatbread.

A mixed bean, veggie or egg salad with nachos to scoop it up with.

Veggie sushi or a rice bowl with satay sauce.

Daal or a bean curry with chapatis.

Veggie chilli and brown rice with nachos and sour cream.

Baked beans and chunks or veggie sausage with cold toast squares.

My son loved days when he has his chubby food flask of sausage and beans!

How do you store the chapattis as imagine they may go hard in a lunchbag?

OP posts:
Original poster
Advice5 · 26/03/2026 10:21

Keepingthingsinteresting · 24/03/2026 23:11

It’s really not a problem @Advice5 . I make my Spanish omelette or egg muffins on a Sunday afternoon, take them out of the fridge each morning and put wrapped in an insulated lunchbox and they are fine all week.

my egg muffins include eggs and egg whites from a packet, a pot of cottage cheese, some porridge oats & baking powder then whatever veg I have on hand sautéed down plus grated cheese then more cheese and halved cherry tomato on top. Cottagw cheese and eggs whites up the protein if your really worried about it but I’ve been veggie since early teens & never had an issue but weight training now so trying to up mine.

As an alternative do tofu deli meat, slice very thinly extra firm tofu (use a peeler) stick in a pan with stock, spices and nooch (more protein) and cook down in a large pan gently til all liquid absorbed and you can in sandwiches. Grated tofu with spices, cornstarch and a bit of oil also roasts up to a nice, crunchy topping for salads.

Edited
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Thanks that sounds great. Which brand of tofu do you use? The one I use has water in the pack and it won't peel just break i think lol

OP posts:
Original poster
Advice5 · 26/03/2026 10:18

Ionlymakejokestodistractmyself · 24/03/2026 22:58

Look up how much protein children of their ages actually need. It's nowhere near what an adult needs.

You could always up the protein at breakfast and dinner to take the stress out of lunch.

Thick Greek yoghurt is high in protein - I serve it with fruit eg berries to make it sweet.

I also make higher protein and fibre sweet snacks like flapjacks with hemp and seeds, muffins with Greek yoghurt in etc.

My DC will eat tofu IF prepared in certain ways. Could you consider that?

We typically do egg, cheese, hummus, tofu sandwich / wraps, 5th day might be a repeat of one of those or it could be eg minestrone or lentil soup and crackers, or maybe pasta and sauce. Yes they eat a lot of wheat, but they need the carbs and don't like rice or cold potatoes.

Ok thank you. How do you store the egg in their packed lunches so it doesn't go off. Can you advise how you made the Flapjacks sounds nice!

OP posts:
ProfessionalsMeeting · 26/03/2026 10:00

Advice5 · 24/03/2026 22:39

How would I store the quiche so it doesnt go off during the day? That's my only concern with egg but would love to do more egg related lunches

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I love omelette sandwiches! I make them the night before and take them out of the fridge when I leave for work at seven and they are absolutely fine at lunch.

itsthetea · 26/03/2026 09:58

Would you use one wrap or two?

2 slices of bread is much more protein and fibre than one wrap and I normally see people eat one wrap or 2 slices of bread in they lunch

BillieWiper · 26/03/2026 09:55

I would toast the wrap and then it won't be soggy even when cold.
You can get a tortilla cut a line half way down to middle, then put four different fillings in each corner and fold it over itself into a triangle. Then cook in pan on both sides.

Melarus · 26/03/2026 09:48

I've often had cooked egg dishes in my lunch (Spanish omelette etc) that have been at room temperature all morning, and they're fine. It takes longer than that for them to go off.

@Keepingthingsinteresting As an alternative do tofu deli meat, slice very thinly extra firm tofu (use a peeler) stick in a pan with stock, spices and nooch (more protein) and cook down in a large pan gently til all liquid absorbed

That sounds good, which spices do you use?

GetOffTheCounter · 26/03/2026 06:34

Notonmyclock · 25/03/2026 23:17

I freeze yoghurt pouches and they double as an ice block and part of lunch. Only usually bother in the summer.

Falafel wraps
Samosa
Spinach and feta parcels
Hummus
Chickpea/bean salad
Pesto pasta with vegetarian "chorizo" and feta mixed through

I air fry things like samosa and falafel. Also try to pick them up when they're reduced and freeze them for future use.

DD (teen) started refusing to take a hard boiled egg because other people thought it was weird.

A hard boiled egg is 'weird' but egg mayo sandwiches aren't.

Don't you love teens!!

I never thought of freezing samosas. I'll try that!

Notonmyclock · 25/03/2026 23:17

I freeze yoghurt pouches and they double as an ice block and part of lunch. Only usually bother in the summer.

Falafel wraps
Samosa
Spinach and feta parcels
Hummus
Chickpea/bean salad
Pesto pasta with vegetarian "chorizo" and feta mixed through

I air fry things like samosa and falafel. Also try to pick them up when they're reduced and freeze them for future use.

DD (teen) started refusing to take a hard boiled egg because other people thought it was weird.

BooneyBeautiful · 25/03/2026 23:10

Wholewheat couscous with actin of mixed salad beans. I quite often have it for lunch in the summer and it does me for two days.

TheStepboardisfullofbitteroddos · 25/03/2026 23:06

You could add quinoa to salads/ pastas etc. That's a protein isn't it?

I always put an ice pack in the lunch box to keep everything fresh.

WonderingWanda · 25/03/2026 23:04

Quesadillas with refried beans, tomato puree and cheese.
Burritos with bean chili in.
Popcorn tofu bites with dip.
Crudités and hummus
Lentil and cheese scone
Flapjack packed with seeds.
Soup in a food flask- Any veg soup with beans or chickpeas blitzed in.

Talkingfrog · 25/03/2026 22:55

Advice5 · 24/03/2026 22:36

Thanks how did you store the egg muffins so they didn't go off during the school day?

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Just in the lunchbox.

On really hot days we added a small cool pack in the lunch bag (we had small ones shaped like fruit).

ThroughTheRedDoor · 25/03/2026 06:18

The current favourite in our house are pittas with falafel. I toast the pittas, cut them into 2 halves. Open them up. Spread hummus on one side and mango chutney on the other. Then I fill the pittas with spinach, thinly sliced carrot strips and cucumber and falafel.

As for keeping things fresh, an insulated lunch bag with a cold block.

I also do a pasta salad with chickpeas, cherry tomatoes and feta.

I do fritata, quiche, veggie sausage rolls sometimes. But hummus is my go to for added protein.

stample · 25/03/2026 06:12

Cheesey courgetti spaghetti
bulgar wheat or couscous with Mediterranean veg
lettuce cups filled with pasta salad
tofu sandwiches/ wraps/ pitta
hummus and veg sticks
savoury rice

ypu can buy kids thermal flasks to keep things hot.

when I was at school many a years ago a girl used to bring hot noodles in a flask for lunch too!

Catsandbikes · 25/03/2026 06:09

I would check with the school if you're putting tahini in hummus - the sesame can affect some kids with nut allergies too.

GetOffTheCounter · 25/03/2026 06:02

StonwEd · 25/03/2026 05:57

My favorite veggie wrap which thanks to this thread I'm going to make for lunch this week is hummus, beetroot, sweetcorn and spring onion. Homemade hummus for the win! Black pepper essential.

Mmmmmm....... Yum.

GetOffTheCounter · 25/03/2026 06:01

Are you allowed sesame? (Our school is nut and sesame-free).

One of my favourite wraps is tahini with honey and dates or tahini with honey and bananas.

I also like Coronation Chickpeas which is exactly the same as Coronation Chicken but using chickpeas. With lettuce it makes a terrific sandwich IMO.

ETA- i think I'll make this today now. Also delicious in ice berg lettuce cups as a starter or side dish for a BBQ

NormasArse · 25/03/2026 06:00

Advice5 · 24/03/2026 22:35

Thanks, how would I store the omelette safely so it doesnt go off in the day?

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Insulated bag with an ice block. Realistically, it’s only three hours till lunchtime anyway.

StonwEd · 25/03/2026 05:57

My favorite veggie wrap which thanks to this thread I'm going to make for lunch this week is hummus, beetroot, sweetcorn and spring onion. Homemade hummus for the win! Black pepper essential.