LUXURY FOR LESS GUIDE: School Lunch Essentials
LUXURY FOR LESS GUIDE: School Lunch Essentials
School is back in session! We are trying to get a handle on all the routines over here, and prepping lunch is on my list! Lunch preparation is KEY to having a less rushed and stressful morning.
Here are a couple of quick tips to make lunches to go a little easier!
Make a lunch plan for the week. Check with your kids what days they want school lunch vs home lunch and plan food prep according to that week.
A member of my team goes through the lunch calendar with her kids at the beginning of the month and asks the kids which days they do or do not want school lunch. Then she uses emojis in the Notes app on her phone to keep track and know which days they need to prep. At the beginning of the week, she counts the emojis for the week and preps all the sandwiches and puts them in the fridge. Her kids put together the rest of their lunches. Her kids have more buy-in to help prep since they know they picked to have home lunch for a reason that day, and if they don’t make it they know their alternative will not be as appetizing.
Pack lunches the night before. I like to get the lunches ready before going to bed. I’ll pack what doesn’t need to be refrigerated into the lunch boxes and put the rest in the fridge to grab for the morning.
Use ice packs. This will keep items chilled until your little ones are ready for their lunch! I like these ones because they are thin enough to not take up a lot of space.
Sauce containers. These come in two sizes! I prefer the smaller sizes for the kids because the fit better in their lunch box. They can hold all kinds of sauces like ranch, salsa, peanut butter, dressings… you name it! It’s just the right portion size for little dips! The big sizes work as well to contain fruit or nuts.
Stanley cups. I like the ones that you can engrave their names on. I’ve tried stickers and I’ve also tried writing their names and they always fall off. I love the flip straw, the carrying handle and that it keeps their drinks cold all day!
Bentgo lunch boxes. These have been durable and what we have used with the ice packs for quite a while now!
Freezable Lunch Boxes. This is a new concept I’m so excited to try! My coworker said she uses these with her kids. The icepacks are built INTO the lunch box. So instead of trying to pack around an ice pack, you just freeze the lunch box the night before and the lunch stays cold the next day! I can’t wait for mine to arrive to try them!
Lunch Notes. Most kids love getting notes in their lunch boxes. One of my coworkers fondly remembers her parents leaving notes on her napkin and it was a highlight for the day. Handwritten notes are awesome! But in case you are tight on time, here is another way to make it fun for them, super easy for you and they know you care! Tear-off lunch notes that have a joke. This can really brighten your kids day!
Providing lunches for your family can become a stressful responsibility. Hopefully some of these ideas help ease that stress and make getting ready for school in the mornings a breeze!
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