Pasta Salad Lunch Box Ideas (Nut Free)

8 Make Ahead Pasta Salad Lunch Box Ideas that are quick and easy to throw together, and oh so tasty. These make a great pack and go lunch option. Perfect for school lunches for kids (nut free), and great for working adults too.

With back to school season here I have spent a lot of time thinking about lunches. They can be quite the pain. I put together this list of 16 lunchbox ideas that can be prepped ahead, and require absolutely no cooking. And I have been loving them. But I got a lot of requests for nut free options, and more ideas. After quizzing my kids, and doing some research, I realized I needed solutions that were easy, tasty, fun for the kids, and offered nutrition and variety. These Pasta Salad Lunch Box Ideas are it!

Why I love Pasta Salad Lunch Box Ideas:

1. VARIETY: You can have so much variety. Even picky eaters tend to like pasta, so the thing I love is that you can add whatever your kids like, and leave out what they don’t.
2. NOT JUST FOR KIDS: Great for kids and adults. I am not a fan of having to make something for my kids, and something else for me. When I prep these ahead I know I have great lunch options for my kids, and that I can grab one out of the fridge for myself as well. Delicious.
3. EASY: These are easy. While you have to cook the pasta, most of this is about assembling, not cooking, which is so nice when trying to get lunches done for 3 school aged kids each day. I don’t use any homemade dressings, but if you want to, feel free. I love that I can spend an hour or so one night a week prepping these for the week ahead.
4. TASTY: My kids love them! I was super skeptical if these would be a good solution for my kiddos. They are. Not only have my kids LOVED them, but they told me they love them, asked me to keep making them, and even gave me more ideas for combinations they would like to see.
5. FUN: They are fun! I put all the ingredients in, then the kids dump on the dressing and replace the lid then shake it all up. How fun for them to get to shake up their own lunch!

What you need:

To be successful at being able to make these Pasta Salad Lunch Box Ideas ahead for lunches for the week you are going to need a few things:

• 2 ounce portion containers: These are disposable, but there are plenty of options for 2 ounce containers for holding your dressings etc. that aren’t disposable, like this set.  These are great for holding the dressings. I don’t want my pasta salads to get soggy, so I prep them with the veggies and the pasta, and then add a container of the dressing to be added just before serving.

• Lunchbox containers: I love these ones because while they look disposable they are actually totally reusable and a great quality. I love these undivided ones, but the divided ones are amazing too, especially because they come in two colors, green and black. I bought a set of 16, which means I can prep the whole week of lunches ahead for my 3 school aged kids. They are microwave, freezer, and even DISHWASHER safe. I recommend these, but I know that they are plastic. I needed something that gave me quantity so I could prep in large quantities. So while we use them all year, if you want to use something more eco-friendly, feel free. There are tons of options. You can find a variety of disposable and non-disposable options here. My favorite of the bunch, and the ones I use for myself are these glass bento boxes. They are divided and the lids seal nice and tight.

• Reusable ice packs: These aren’t strictly necessary, but I like that these are reusable, easy to wash, and are an excellent way to keep lunches cold until lunch. I pop the containers into an insulated lunch box with an ice pack and they stay cool until lunch.

• Insulated Lunch Box/Bag: If you won’t have access to a fridge, it is good to keep lunches cool. The lunchbox container and reusable ice packs fit into this insulated lunch box. It comes in a few different patterns and colors, and zips closed at the top. So if you need something to keep your kid’s lunch cool, this is a great option.

Things to keep in mind:

• Everyone eats different portion sizes, so adjust these to your needs. What works for my kids and myself may be too little or too much for you. So adjust.
• Nothing is set in stone here. If you hate peppers, leave it out. If you want your own homemade dressing, use it. These are ideas to get you inspired and get you started. Feel free to adjust.
• My kids are 12, 11, 8, and 4 and they all like these. But not every kid does. Not every adult does. If they aren’t for you, that is ok.
• These do not address allergies or intolerances. We don’t have any, so I don’t have to worry about them.  They are, however, nut free because I know many schools do not allow nuts.

AntiPasto Pasta Salad Lunch Box Ideas

This is my personal favorite, I love the variety in it. Delicious. The kids love it too.

• 1 cup mini conchiglie rigate, cooked and tossed with olive oil so they don’t stick together
• 2 ounces salami
• 2 ounces pepperoni
• 2 ounces pepperoncini
• 2 ounces cucumber slices
• 2 ounces roasted red peppers
• 2 ounces red onion, chopped
• 2 ounces green olives
• 2 ounces black olives
• 2 ounces grape tomatoes
• 2 ounces artichoke hearts
• 2 ounces fresh red pepper
• 2 ounces Italian dressing

Greek Pasta Salad Lunch Box Ideas

Oh how I love the flavors of Greek foods. And this pasta salad is the best! It is all those fun things and then some. You could even add some chicken if you wanted.

• 1 cup rotini pasta, cooked and tossed with olive oil to keep it from sticking
• 2 ounces green olives, pimento stuffed
• 2 ounces feta cheese crumbles
• 2 ounces cucumbers, diced
• 2 ounces red onion
• 2 ounces grape tomatoes
• 2 ounces Tzatziki ranch dressing

Pizza Pasta Salad Lunch Box Ideas

What kid doesn’t love pizza? And this pizza pasta salad is so fun that adults will love it too.

• 1 cup rotini pasta, cooked and tossed with olive oil to keep it from sticking
• 2 ounces black olives,
• 2 ounces cheddar cheese chunks
• 2 ounces pepperoni, chunked
• 2 ounces grape tomatoes
• 2 ounces Italian dressing

BLT Pasta Salad Lunch Box Ideas

Bacon…my favorite. This pasta salad is just so much fun with the classic Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato combo!

• 1 cup bowtie pasta, cooked and tossed with olive oil to keep it from sticking
• 2 ounces crispy cooked bacon
• 1 cup romaine lettuce leaves, torn into small pieces
• 2 ounces grape tomatoes
• 2 ounces ranch dressing

BBQ Chicken Pasta Salad Lunch Box Ideas

This is one of my favorites. It is just so amazingly delicious. BBQ chicken flavors with heart black beans, etc. Throw in some tomatoes and avocado if you are feeling wild.

• 1 cup bowtie pasta, cooked and tossed with olive oil to keep it from sticking
• 4 ounces rotisserie chicken breasts, chunked
• 2 ounces green onions, sliced
• 2 ounces black beans
• 2 ounces whole kernel corn
• 2 ounces cheddar cheese chunks
• 2 ounces ranch dressing mixed with BBQ sauce

Rainbow Pasta Salad Lunch Box Ideas

I keep saying this one or that one is my favorite, probably because they are all so easy and tasty, and fun that I love them for different reasons. This one I love because it has so many great veggies, and the kids love it.

• 1 cup bowtie pasta, cooked and tossed with olive oil to keep it from sticking
• 2 ounces pepperoni, chunked
• 2 ounces cucumbers, chunked
• 2 ounces carrots, chunked
• 2 ounces broccoli, chunked
• 2 ounces cheddar cheese chunks
• 2 ounces black olives
• 2 ounces grape tomatoes
• 2 ounces red pepper, diced
• 2 ounces yellow pepper, diced
• 2 ounces red onion, diced
• 2 ounces ranch dressing

Raspberry Chicken Pasta Salad Lunch Box Ideas

There is a restaurant by us called Hug He’s that has this great pasta salad, this one is inspired by it. with the same basic ingredients. Yum!

• 1 cup mini conchiglie rigate, cooked and tossed with olive oil so they don’t stick together
• 2 ounces carrots, chunked
• 2 ounces broccoli, chunked
• 4 ounces rotisserie chicken breast chunks
• 2 ounces raspberry vinaigrette dressing

Caesar Pasta Salad Lunch Box Ideas

Caesar salad in a pasta salad form…I mean…yum! I forgot the croutons. But if you want them, add them in.

• 1 cup bowtie pasta, cooked and tossed with olive oil so they don’t stick together
• 2 ounces parmesan cheese
• 1 cup romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
• 4 ounces rotisserie chicken breast chunks
• 2 ounces caesar dressing

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Pasta Salad Lunch Box Ideas (Nut Free)

These make ahead pasta salad lunch box ideas are quick and easy to put together and are oh so tasty!

4.50 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Pasta Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Lunch Box Ideas

Prep Time: 12 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes

Total Time: 12 minutes minutes

Servings: 1

Author: Rachael Yerkes

Ingredients

Antipasto Pasta Salad Lunch Box

• 1 cup mini conchiglie rigate cooked and tossed with olive oil so they don't stick together
• 2 ounces salami
• 2 ounces pepperoni
• 2 ounces pepperoncini
• 2 ounces cucumber slices
• 2 ounces roasted red peppers
• 2 ounces red onion chopped
• 2 ounces green olives
• 2 ounces black olives
• 2 ounces grape tomatoes
• 2 ounces artichoke hearts
• 2 ounces fresh red pepper
• 2 ounces Italian dressing

Greek Pasta Salad Lunch Box

• 1 cup rotini pasta cooked and tossed with olive oil to keep it from sticking
• 2 ounces green olives pimento stuffed
• 2 ounces feta cheese crumbles
• 2 ounces cucumbers diced
• 2 ounces red onion
• 2 ounces grape tomatoes
• 2 ounces Tzatziki ranch dressing

Pizza Pasta Salad Lunch Box

• 1 cup rotini pasta cooked and tossed with olive oil to keep it from sticking
• 2 ounces black olives
• 2 ounces cheddar cheese chunks
• 2 ounces pepperoni chunked
• 2 ounces grape tomatoes
• 2 ounces Italian dressing

BLT Pasta Salad Lunch Box

• 1 cup bowtie pasta cooked and tossed with olive oil to keep it from sticking
• 2 ounces crispy cooked bacon
• 1 cup romaine lettuce leaves torn into small pieces
• 2 ounces grape tomatoes
• 2 ounces ranch dressing

BBQ Chicken Pasta Salad Lunch Box

• 1 cup bowtie pasta cooked and tossed with olive oil to keep it from sticking
• 4 ounces rotisserie chicken breasts chunked
• 2 ounces green onions sliced
• 2 ounces black beans
• 2 ounces whole kernel corn
• 2 ounces cheddar cheese chunks
• 2 ounces ranch dressing mixed with BBQ sauce

Rainbow Pasta Salad Lunch Box

• 1 cup bowtie pasta cooked and tossed with olive oil to keep it from sticking
• 2 ounces pepperoni chunked
• 2 ounces cucumbers chunked
• 2 ounces carrots chunked
• 2 ounces broccoli chunked
• 2 ounces cheddar cheese chunks
• 2 ounces black olives
• 2 ounces grape tomatoes
• 2 ounces red pepper diced
• 2 ounces yellow pepper diced
• 2 ounces red onion diced
• 2 ounces ranch dressing 

Raspberry Chicken Pasta Salad Lunch Box

• 1 cup mini conchiglie rigate cooked and tossed with olive oil so they don't stick together
• 2 ounces carrots chunked
• 2 ounces broccoli chunked
• 4 ounces rotisserie chicken breast chunks
• 2 ounces raspberry vinaigrette dressing 

Caesar Pasta Salad Lunch Box

• 1 cup bowtie pasta cooked and tossed with olive oil so they don't stick together
• 2 ounces parmesan cheese
• 1 cup romaine lettuce washed and chopped
• 4 ounces rotisserie chicken breast chunks
• 2 ounces caesar dressing 

Instructions

• Assemble containers, but putting ingredients for each individual pasta salad into lunch container, and add small 2 ounce portion cup of dressing.
• Just before serving, pour dressing over top.
• Secure lid, and shake.
• Enjoy!

Notes

Prep times depend on which pasta salad you are making and how much chopping is needed.

Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.

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