Day 3 of My Back-to-School Food Prep Series: Freezer Lunches They’ll Actually Eat!
Get freezer-ready with these fun, protein-packed school lunch ideas for kids! Day 3 of my Back-to-School Prep Series features pizza bagels with viral Greek yogurt dough, mac and cheese muffin bites, and dill pickle chicken salad wraps—all mom-tested and kid-approved.
Creator: Leslie Stokes
Okay moms, we’re in the thick of it now! Day 3 of my Back-to-School series is all about freezer-friendly lunches that are high in protein, quick to prep, and (most importantly) picky-eater approved.
Today I knocked out three different lunches and stashed them in the freezer like the lunch-prepping ninja I pretend to be:
1. Homemade Pizza Bagels (with the viral high-protein dough)
These are everything your kid wants from pizza, without the extra junk. I used the viral 2-ingredient dough—Greek yogurt + flour—and kept it simple with sauce and mozzarella. My kids love them cold, so I wrap them in parchment paper and pack them frozen. By lunchtime? Perfectly defrosted, perfectly delicious.
2. Protein-Packed Mac & Cheese Bites
We’ve made this mac and cheese for years but I finally started freezing it in silicone muffin tins and wow—game changer. Blending cottage cheese and Fairlife milk into the sauce takes it to another level in both protein and creaminess. I just warm these up in the morning and pop them into a thermos. Instant win.
3. Dill Pickle Chicken Salad Wraps
You already know I had to bring back my dill pickle chicken salad. I made a batch and wrapped it up for easy grab-and-go lunches. These go straight from the freezer to the fridge the night before and are good to go by lunch. Zero effort in the morning = my kind of prep.
Why I Freeze Their Lunches
Let’s talk about the real reason I freeze these: because mornings are chaos. Someone’s missing a shoe, the toddler’s crying over a hair tie, and I’m just trying to get everyone out the door with something nourishing in their bag.
By freezing lunches ahead of time, I don’t have to make decisions at 6:30 a.m. I just grab, pack, and go.
And yes, my kids actually eat the pizza bagels cold. No heating, no complaints. Zero effort, full mom win.
High-Protein Pizza Bagels
Ingredients (for dough):
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1 cup self-rising flour (or 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1½ tsp baking powder + ¼ tsp salt)
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1 cup plain Greek yogurt (2% or full-fat)
Topping Ideas:
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Pizza or marinara sauce (clean brand like Rao’s)
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Shredded mozzarella cheese
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Optional: turkey pepperoni, cooked sausage, chopped veggies
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Italian seasoning or oregano
Instructions:
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Make the dough: Mix flour and yogurt in a bowl until shaggy. Knead on a floured surface until smooth.
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Form bagels: Divide into 4–6 balls. Flatten into mini bagel shapes or rounds with a thumbprint center.
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Par-bake: Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes on parchment.
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Top: Add sauce and cheese. Sprinkle with seasoning.
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Bake again: Return to oven for 6–8 more minutes until bubbly and golden.
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Cool & freeze: Let cool fully, wrap in parchment, and freeze. Pack frozen to thaw by lunch.
Nutrition (per bagel if recipe makes 6):
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180 calories
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12g protein
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18g carbs
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6g fat
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1g fiber
Protein-Packed Mac & Cheese Bites
Ingredients:
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1 box Annie’s Mac & Cheese
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¼ cup blended cottage cheese (2% or full-fat)
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¼–⅓ cup Fairlife milk (any variety)
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1 tbsp butter (optional, for richness)
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Optional: 1–2 tbsp shredded cheese
Instructions:
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Cook pasta as directed, drain, and return to pot.
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Blend sauce: Blend cottage cheese and milk until creamy.
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Stir in cheese packet and blended mix to the pasta.
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Optional: Add shredded cheese for extra richness.
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Portion into muffin tins and freeze. Reheat before placing in thermos.
Nutrition (per muffin if you make 8):
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130 calories
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8g protein
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15g carbs
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5g fat
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<1g fiber
Shop my lunchbox essentials here!
Pro Mom Tips:
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Use silicone muffin liners for easy mac & cheese freezing and popping out.
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Wrap everything in parchment before freezing to prevent freezer burn.
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Frozen pizza bagels are perfect for bento-style lunch boxes—no heating needed!
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Pull wraps from the freezer the night before for a hassle-free morning.
Dill Pickle Chopped Chicken Salad
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
- Salt pepper, garlic powder (to taste)
- Drizzle of olive oil
For the Salad:
- 1 cooked chicken breast from above
- 1 dill pickle spear
- 2 slices cooked bacon
- ½ tsp ranch seasoning
- 1½ tbsp mayo use avocado mayo for Whole30 or paleo
- Fresh dill to taste
- Fresh chives to taste
Let's Make It
- Cook the Chicken:
- Slice the chicken breast in half lengthwise to make two thinner pieces. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and drizzle with olive oil.
- Roast on the top rack of your oven at 400°F (convection roast if available) for about 15 minutes, flipping once. Let cool slightly.
- Chop the Salad:
- On a large cutting board, add ONE of the cooked chicken breast, dill pickle spear, bacon, ranch seasoning, mayo, fresh dill, and chives. (if using both pieces of the breast, double the other ingredients)
- Roughly chop everything together until you get a finely chopped, creamy chicken salad.
- Serve:
- Enjoy in a sandwich, with crackers, wrapped in lettuce, or in a gluten-free wrap.
