How to Make Packing School Lunches Easier
Part of the back-to-school routine includes packing school lunches for your kids. This can be easy if your kids aren’t picky, or if they’re like my kids and eat the same thing every day! If your kids have dietary restrictions or food allergies, packing lunches isn’t a choice – it’s a must. Packing a lunch can also allow you to include healthy foods for your child and it doesn’t have to cost any more than what you would be paying for lunch at school. Here are a few ways to make packing lunches easier!
Get The Kids Involved and Make a List
Start by sitting down with your kids and talking to them about what they want in their lunches. Obviously you’ll have the final say on what actually makes it into the lunches. If it were up to my kids they would have pizza and cookies every day! This could include sandwiches and wraps, or even homemade lunch-able. My kids like to eat yogurt so I freeze yogurt sticks for their lunches. By the time lunch comes around the yogurt has thawed almost all the way through but is still cold. You can also add a thermos to the mix to send reheated leftovers or homemade soup. The key is to find lunch foods and snacks that your kids will eat that are also easy to pack.
Don’t Forget About Containers
Once you’ve made a list of what your kids want in their lunches, make sure you have appropriate containers. Re-usable containers come in a variety of sizes for whatever you need to pack. You can also find bento-style containers that have their own little compartments. I find these are best for little kids since they don’t hold a lot of food. When choosing drink containers be sure to pay attention to how easy, or difficult, it is to open the bottles. You want a secure closure so it doesn’t spill, but your kids also need to be able to open it! If you plan on sending hot lunch, you’ll need insulated containers too.
Pack Lunches The Night Before
Mornings are busy and not always the perfect time to have to worry about packing lunches. I pack all of the snacks and dry goods the night before and then make sandwiches or hot items in the morning. If your kids are older, this is a task they can do themselves. You’ll appreciate this habit in the morning when all you need to do is grab a couple of things from the fridge and toss them in the lunch boxes.
Clean Lunch Boxes As Soon As The Kids Get Home
To make lunch prep even easier, when the kids get home from school have them clean out their lunch boxes. My kids put utensils and reusable containers in the sink, then shake out any crumbs into the trash. For the longest time, my youngest son would save any little bit of food that he didn’t eat. One fruit snack, or half a cracker. I always taught my kids not to waste and he was just following my rule, but a little too literally! After they’ve cleaned out their lunch boxes, just it wipe down to remove any stuck-on food. Having everything clean and ready to go will make it easier to pack the new lunches later on in the day.
Stick to these tips and it won’t take you long to get into an efficient lunch packing routine. Getting the kids as involved as possible will make sure that they end up with lunches they will eat. For older kids that may mean making their own lunches (under your supervision of course). Over time you can give the kids more and more responsibility for their lunches. Along the way, you’re teaching them independence and important life skills.
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