Leftovers for Lunch: 15 Recipes for Kids' Lunch Boxes

Oh god, not another lunch box to fill. Day after day, week after week, I swear I am about ready to put a twenty in my daughter’s lunch box and tell her to call Domino’s. It just gets exhausting, you know? I’m so tired of making the same ol’ sun-butter-and-jelly sandwiches—and she’s got to be sick of eating them, too, right?

I may not love buttering bread and slicing apples, but I do love making dinner, and I am the queen of turning last night’s dinner into a whole new meal. It’s kind of an awesome challenge. Who says pasta has to be reheated as is? Who says rice has to be rice again and again? Why not turn last night’s baked potatoes into today’s potato skins, and put a smile on your kid’s face when he opens his lunch box?

I’ve rounded up some pretty creative, inspiring, and delicious ideas for your kid’s lunch box, all made repurposed from your dinner leftovers. Check out these leftovers for lunch ideas in the slideshow and see what’s on the menu.

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Leftovers for Lunch: 15 Recipes for Kids' Lunch Boxes

Arancini (Rice Balls) with Marinara Sauce

Use leftover rice or risotto and fill your kid's lunch box with these creamy, crunchy, cheesy balls that are insanely delicious.

Get the recipe: Just a Taste

Photo: Just a Taste
Taco French Bread Pizzas

All those fixins from taco night? Load them onto a wedge of french bread and send your kids to school with a Mexican inspired pizza.

Get the recipe: Life in the Lofthouse

Photo: Life in the Lofthouse
Chicken Salad Wrap

Combine leftover chicken and macaroni in this sweet, savory, and crunchy chicken salad that tastes great on its own or bundled up in a wrap.

Get the recipe: Will Cook for Smiles

Photo: Will Cook for Smiles
Pesto Tortellini Skewers

Grab a few cocktail sticks and add sun dried tomatoes and maybe a little cheese to last night's tortellini for a fun-to-munch lunchtime nibble.

Get the recipe: Foody Schmoody

Photo: Foody Schmoody
Thanksgiving Leftovers Quesadilla

Put all the scrumptious flavors from Thanksgiving dinner into a gooey, cheesy, cranberry-infused lunchtime quesadilla.

Get the recipe: Momtastic
Pasta Frittata

Chances are, there's leftover pasta from last night's dinner, so crack a few eggs and toss some spices into it, and make this delicious Italian flavored frittata that tastes great cool or at room temperature.

Get the recipe: Back to Her Roots

Photo: Back to Her Roots
Tilapia Melt

Leftover fish makes a great next-day sandwich. With melted cheese, tomato, and spinach, it's a nice change of pace from tuna salad sandwiches.

Get the recipe: Momtastic
Meatball Sub Sliders

Leftover meatballs in marinara sauce make fantastic meatball sub sliders. They're perfect for lunch boxes and small hands, and packed with rustic flavor.

Get the recipe: Lisa's Dinnertime Dish
Potato Skins

Scoop out last night's baked potatoes, crisp them up, and load 'em with your favorite fixins, from chopped bacon to cheese, scallions, and sour cream.

Get the recipe: The Pioneer Woman

Photo: The Pioneer Woman
Greek Chicken Salad Pitas

Leftover chicken is perfect for chicken salad. This Greek inspired recipe is loaded with kalamata olives, crunchy cucumbers, and creamy feta, and it tastes great in a pita pocket.

Get the recipe: Sarah's Cucina Bella
Loaded Mashed Potato Balls

Garlicky mashed potatoes rolled into balls with bacon and cheese, and then deep fried? Yes, please.

Get the recipe: Damn Delicious

Photo: Damn Delicious
Roast Beef Sliders

These quick and easy roast beef sliders, loaded with cheese, are a great use for leftover roast beef, and they taste great on Hawaiian rolls.

Get the recipe: Recipes for Our Daily Bread

Photo: Recipes for Our Daily Bread
Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese

Sloppy Joes are a great family dinner, and grilled cheese sandwiches are perfect for school lunches, so why not marry the two in this insanely delicious repurposed sandwich?

Get the recipe: The Recipe Rebel

Photo: The Recipe Rebel
Buttermilk Roasted Chicken Sandwich

A batch of buttermilk roasted chicken gets a new lease on life, dressed up in a sandwich with arugula, pesto, and mozzarella cheese.

Get the recipe: Momtastic
Leftover Pasta Fritters

Leftover pasta can be great in lunch boxes if you jazz it up a bit. These scrumptious fritters are the perfect size for little lunch boxes (and hands), and they leave a lot of room for creativity.

Get the recipe: Recipe Tin Eats

Photo: Recipe Tin Eats