23 Gluten-Free & Vegan School Lunch Ideas

These vegan gluten-free lunch ideas are kid-approved and lunchbox ready. From sandwiches and wraps to hot meals and sweet treats, I've gathered my favorite options that make packing school lunches so much easier.

Collage of four gluten-free vegan school lunch ideas: baked chickpea nuggets with ketchup, air fryer buffalo tofu with vegan ranch, hummus with chips, and chocolate chip cookie dough bites

Let's be real. Back to school time is stressful. That is, unless you find rummaging through the collection of folders strewn about the Wal-Mart shelves to find that elusive LOL or Minecraft one your kid MUST have this year a good time, then you'll appreciate a little stress relief in the lunchtime department...especially if you are the parent of a gluten-free, vegan kiddo.

So, without further ado, let's get to the food...

Sandwiches, Wraps & Burgers

close-up of two halves of sandwich stacked on top of each other.
Panera Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich (Copycat)
Time to Make: 10 minutes
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Hand holding a chickpea salad sandwich with olives, walnuts, and lettuce on a white roll over a gray plate on a wood board.
Chickpea Salad with Olives and Walnuts
Time to Make: 10 minutes
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Overhead view of hummus in a white bowl
Avocado and White Bean Hummus
Time to Make: 10 minutes
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close-up hands holding a burger
Vegan Ranch Chickpea Burgers
Time to Make: 20 minutes
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Chickpea Flour Pancakes served and ready to eat topped with strawberries and a fork on a white plate.
Chickpea Flour Pancakes
Time to Make: 20 minutes
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Homemade Allergy-Free Uncrustables served and ready to eat
Homemade Allergy-Free Uncrustables GET THIS RECIPE
Strength & Sunshine

Thermos-Friendly Hot Lunches

close-up overhead of mac and cheese in a white bowl.
Stovetop Gluten-Free Vegan Mac and Cheese
Time to Make: 15 minutes
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Chickpea lentil soup in a white bowl with red lentils, chickpeas, chopped kale, and a spoon, beside lemon wedges on marble
Chickpea Lentil Soup
Time to Make: 35 minutes
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close-up of fried rice on white plate with a fork.
Easy Vegan Fried Rice with Tofu Egg
Time to Make: 15 minutes
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close-up overhead of nuggets on a white plate with cup of ketchup on the plate
Chickpea Nuggets
Time to Make: 40 minutes
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Air Fryer Buffalo Tofu on a plate.
Air Fryer Buffalo Tofu
Time to Make: 35 minutes
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Vegan Curry served with Rice in a white bowl with chopsticks on top
Vegan Chickpea Curry
Time to Make: 30 minutes
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Savory Snacks & Sides

overhead of hummus in bowl with tortilla chips around it
Easy Hummus Without Tahini
Time to Make: 10 minutes
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overhead of two flavors of chickpeas in glass bowls on a kitchen towel
Air Fryer Chickpeas (4 Ways) GET THIS RECIPE
Pile of Almond Flour Biscuits in a white plate
Vegan Almond Flour Biscuits GET THIS RECIPE

Muffins & Scones

front view of single muffin on a kitchen towel
Vegan Double Chocolate Chip Muffins
Time to Make: 28 minutes
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rows of Dairy Free Blueberry Muffins in a white baking pan
Dairy-Free Blueberry Muffins
Time to Make: 30 minutes
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Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Scones served and ready to eat with a lemon wedge on the side
Lemon Poppy Scones with Lavender Icing
Time to Make: 30 minutes
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No-Bake Bites & Sweet Treats

overhead of dough balls in a small white bowl on a kitchen napkin
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites
Time to Make: 15 minutes
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Energy balls in a white bowl with a bite taken out of the top one
Peanut Butter Energy Balls
Time to Make: 25 minutes
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set of 2 pumpkin protein balls on a wooden board with chocolate chips on the side.
Pumpkin Protein Balls
Time to Make: 30 minutes
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overhead of pudding in a white bowl topped with blueberries, bananas and granola
Overnight Chia Pudding
Time to Make: 5 hours 5 minutes
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Vegan-Rice-Krispies-Square-1200x1800
Vegan Rice Krispie Treats
Time to Make: 10 minutes
GET THIS RECIPE

I hope you (and your kids) enjoy these recipes! Have a great school year

Tips for Packing Gluten-Free Vegan School Lunches

Invest in a good Thermos. Hot lunches are a game-changer. Heat the Thermos with boiling water for 5 minutes before adding food, and it stays warm until lunchtime.

Prep on Sundays. I batch cook nuggets, energy balls, and soup on weekends. Mornings go much smoother when everything just needs to be packed.

Keep nuggets crispy. Place a folded paper towel at the bottom of the Thermos to absorb steam. Works for any breaded item.

Pack dips separately. Hummus, ranch, and sauces go in small containers. Kids can dip at lunchtime without soggy sandwiches.

Let them choose. When kids pick from a list of approved options, they're more likely to actually eat lunch. I keep a menu on the fridge.

More Vegan Gluten-Free Recipe Roundups

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10 Comments

  1. Wow what a great list of ideas! They are all so delicious sounding especially the vegan chickpea salad sandwich! This is such a helpful list for all the parents out there! Thanks for sharing Sherri!

  2. Wonderful collection. Can’t believe my oldest baby is starting school soon!! I’ll be trying out several of these recipes. Thanks so much for including my chickpea nuggets!

  3. This is a great round-up. Looks like so many great recipes. Hard to believe that school is starting again.