My daughter gets tired of the standard PB&J for lunch, but getting her to eat traditional sandwiches can be a chore. Sometimes, I have to go the extra mile to introduce a new player in the mix, like a turkey sandwich. With the help of colorful vegetables and other fun foods, we had a blast making these turkey sandwich faces together and she did eat them (with the exception of picking off a few vegetables). They were still cute even after I cut them into smaller squares for her to hold.

You probably have most of these ingredients on hand and if not, they’re inexpensive to buy or you can probably think of substitutes.

Kids Lunches: The Happy Sandwich

Kids Lunches Happy Sandwich
Right? Who wouldn’t want this guy in their lunch. You need:

  • red bell pepper (though any color will do)
  • cucumber slices
  • raisins
  • carrots with skin removed and then peeled the long way (celery works too)
  • cheese square

Kids Lunches: Surprised Sandwich

Kids Lunches Surprised Sandwich
You need:

  • hard boiled egg slices
  • green olives with pimento, sliced
  • Cheerio
  • carrot sticks

Kids Lunches: Tired Sandwich

Kids Lunches Tired Sandwich
You need:

  • salami
  • carrot sticks
  • celery peels (just peel with a peeler)

I cut a hole in one piece of bread with a knife (out of impatience), but you can use a cookie cutter. Slide the salami underneath to look like the inside of a mouth (ewwww).

Kids Lunches: Sandwich With Glasses

Kids Lunches Sandwich Glasses
This one takes a little bit more time, but I thought he was super cute. Cut one slice of bread in the shape of a mouth and slide the salami underneath. You need:

  • cheddar cheese cut in circles
  • cheddar cheese strips
  • edamame
  • salami
  • green olives with pimento, sliced

Tips

One you have the basic features down, it will be easy to identify what you can do with ingredients you already have in your fridge and pantry.

We have a bento-style lunch box that these sandwiches fit nicely into as a Ziploc bag would be tough. With summer here, however, I’m sure you are serving quite a few lunches at home too! A plate is easiest.

For smaller portions, cut off the crust or use a circular sandwich or biscuit cutter and downsize the features.

Oddly enough, our first sandwich face was created during the same time her preschool was studying feelings. I was in a hurry and accidentally cut a crooked mouth on one of the sandwiches that was supposed to be an angry face. She said, “No, he’s a frustrated sandwich” and we had a interesting discussion around it. So, you can actually take this to another level and make it a teaching project (or not).

Pin it for later:

When kids get tired of their normal sandwiches, bust out one of these for lunch.

See more about kids bento lunches.

Enjoy!

Katie Dillon is the managing editor of La Jolla Mom. She helps readers plan San Diego vacations through her hotel expertise (that stems from living in a Four Seasons hotel) and local connections. Readers have access to exclusive discounts on theme park tickets (like Disneyland and San Diego Zoo) and perks at luxury hotels worldwide through her. She also shares insider tips for visiting major cities worldwide, like Hong Kong, London, Paris, and Shanghai, that her family has either lived in or visits regularly (or both).

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One Comment

  1. With summer camp I’m packing kids lunch year round. Thank you for the inspiration! Cute and healthy.