1. Freeze Peanut Butter Sandwiches (Uncrustables)

Make and Freeze Peanut Butter Sandwiches ahead of time in a Freezer Bag. Take one out of the freezer each morning and it’s thawed and ready at lunchtime. This will save you so much time each morning by having sandwiches ready to grab and go.

  1. Use Saran Wrap to keep your Apples Slices Fresh

Wrap a Sliced Apple back up with the core using Saran Wrap. By keeping the apple core in tact you reduce the amount of air touching the surface of the apple to reduce browning. When your kids un-wrap the apple it will already be sliced and ready to eat!

  1. Use Empty Bottles for Sauces

These Empty Mio Bottles make a FANTASTIC Way to store and send sauces and condiments. If your kids love things like Ranch Dressing, Italian Dressing or Ketchup then this Is a mess free option.

  1. Use Drinks as Ice Packs

Freeze Capri Suns and other Juice Drinks to use as Ice Packs in Lunchboxes, this frees up space in your kids lunchboxes and also makes them lighter to carry. The drinks will thaw by lunchtime while still remaining cold and helping to keep food fresh.

  1. Make a Snack Station

Create a Snack Station in your Fridge and Pantry, let your older kids make their own lunches by pulling one or 2 of each items and placing them in their lunchbox.

  1. Write Secret Messages in Banana

Here’s a fun Lunchbox Treat you can use a toothpick to write a fun message in a Banana, as it starts to brown the message will be revealed.

  1. Use Toothpicks/Skewers for Meat & Cheese

An easy way to make Meat & Cheese easy for kids to eat is by placing it on a Skewer, You might check with your kids school to see if this is allowed before trying this one, some schools may have rules regarding things like skewers being included in lunches. You can also use Plastic Coffee Sticks for a less sharp option.

  1. Make your own Ice Packs

You can make your own Ice Packs by using Sponges filled with water and frozen then placed in a Ziploc Bags.

  1. Print out Lunch Notes at the beginning of the Month

Save yourself some time and Print & Cut Lunch Notes at the beginning of the month. There are so many different Free Printables Available, Make a bag of pre-cut notes and jokes and then you can quickly grab one each morning and add to your kids Lunchboxes. If you want to add a personal note you can turn the printable over and write something specific to each kid.

  1. Pack Your Own Single Servings
    Let kids help divide big bags into smaller servings to save money on lunchbox snacks. Use a Measuring Cup and Ziploc Bags to make the process quick and seamless.
  2. Roll Up Anything

My kids love making their own Roll ups, Roll Up Cheese & Turkey, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Cheese, Chicken & Salsa and more! You can do this ahead of time or send the ingredients and let kids build their own.

  1. Try Breakfast for Lunch

Use Whole Wheat Pancakes, Fruit & Boiled Eggs to create a fun Breakfast Themed Lunch that’s packed with protein and nutrients.

  1. Find Alternate Sources of Protein

Use things like Hard Boiled Eggs, Nuts & Cheese to create a Balanced meal. Hard Boiled Eggs can be boiled and peeled at the beginning of the week then placed in individual bags to make them easy to grab and go.

  1. Pack Chicken Nuggets in a Thermos

Keep Chicken Nuggets warm by cooking them in the oven then placing them in a Thermos Food Container with a paper towel at the bottom to absorb the extra moisture.

  1. Make Cheese Stick Sushi

Wrap a Cheese stick with Meat and a Tortilla then slice it for a fun twist on a traditional sandwich.

  1. Combine Peanut Butter & Snacks in one container

Save yourself a container and place veggies and pretzel sticks in a jar with the Peanut Butter or Hummus already at the bottom.

  1. Send Hot Dogs in a Thermos

Cut a Hot Dog in Half and place in Hot Water inside a Thermos, You can send a Hot Dog Bun cut in half in a bag and then kids can make their own Hot Dogs at lunch time.

  1. Freeze Ice inside Your Water Bottle

Some Water Bottles are hard to get ice inside, you can fill a Water Bottle ¼ of the way full and then lay on it’s side and freeze. Then you can fill with water and the water stays cold as the ice melts.
19. Make Your Own Fruit Cups

Skip the sugary syrup and cut up your own Fruits ahead of time. Use Cookie Cutters to make fun shapes and find containers with lids to use to store these fruit cups in the fridge for the week.

  1. Make your own Single Serve Macaroni Cups

You can divide a box of Macaroni & Cheese in Half and send in a Microwave Safe Container for kids to make their own lunches. My son begs for these but they are so expensive and this cuts the cost per serving in half! Just measure a box and divide it in half. It’s about 1/2 Cup of Macaroni and 2 1/2 Tablespoons of the Cheese Powder and add 1 Tbsp. of Powdered Milk. You’ll want to put the Macaroni in one bag and the Powder in another bag. Then fill a Microwave Safe Container with about 1 1/2 Cups of Water. They can microwave the pasta for about 4 minutes, then stir in the cheese & milk!

  1. Use Cookie Cutters to Celebrate

You can use Cookie Cutters to shape your sandwiches, fruit & cheese into fun Holiday Shapes and fun Characters. This is a great way to make lunches fun and encourage kids to eat them.

 

  1. Make your own Lunchables

Bento Boxes and Divided Storage Containers are great for making your own Lunchables! You can even leave the space for crackers empty to keep them fresh and keep these stored in the fridge, then add a bag of Crackers in the morning before you pack it in your child’s lunchbox.

  1. Make your Own Fruit Leather

You can make Fruit Leather from Pureed Fruit without all the added chemicals, this is a fantastic way to help keep lunches healthy and my kids eat these up.

  1. Create a Dip Tray

Things like Hummus and Peanut Butter are great additions to all kinds of Veggies and Pretzels, You can create a dip tray for a fun and easy to eat lunch.

  1. 25. Make a List of Lunches Ahead of Time

Start the year off by making a list of 12-15 different lunch ideas, and then rotate through the list when you start feeling stuck during the year.

I like to add my lunch ideas to my menu plan. It helps me stay focused and I can make sure I grab anything I need at the store so I’m not panicking last minute.

  1. Use Rolls or Hot Dog Buns to Create Sliders

You can make Mini Sandwiches that fit perfectly in Lunchboxes and are great for kids by using dinner rolls or hot dog buns cut in half.

  1. Pack Ahead

Use Bento Boxes to pack lunches before the week begins, this makes it easy to grab and go each morning in 5 minutes or less!

  1. Lunch Box Smoothies

Make Smoothies with Fruits & Vegetables and freeze them, they will have a great slushy feel by the time they thaw slightly at Lunchtime. This is a great way to sneak in Nutrients into your kids lunches.

  1. Use Muffin Liners as Separators

Add some color to your kids lunches using Silicone Muffin Liners, these are inexpensive and easy to wash + they help keep foods separate and create additional dividers in your kids Bento Boxes.

  1. Make Your Own Trail Mix

Combine your kids favorite snacks and healthy treats into a Trail Mix. Mix Nuts, Dried Fruits, Yogurt Bites and more for a fun and easy to pack lunch.

  1. Use Bagel Thins to Build Pizzas

You can Bake and Freeze Mini Pizzas, then Wrap in Foil and place in your kids lunches. These are a great item to help you get out of your rut, and there’s so many options that you can include for toppings.

  1. Wrap Sandwiches with a Lunch Mat

Skip the Plastic Bag and use Wax Paper Instead to create a Nice Lunch Space for your Kids to use at School, this will help keep food off the table and give them a larger germ free area to spread out their lunch.

  1. Use a Cookie Cutter to make Mini Tacos

You can use Large Flour Tortillas cut with a Small Round Cookie Cutter to create Mini Tortillas, then use the Silicone Cupcake Liners to create a Build Your Own Taco Bar

 

 

Tired of packing lunches every morning?

Here are some ideas to help make lunches and snack easy for your kiddo’s

Idea 1: Sandwiches

Lay down a piece of wax paper

Sandwich rolls

Your choice of meat and cheese

Place mayo and mustard beside the sandwich before rolling up and storing in the fridge.

Idea 2: Veggie Packs

Chop carrots, celery, bell peppers and place in a snack bag in the fridge along   with some string cheese.

Idea 3: Mini lunchable

Take sandwich meat and cut into squares along with some cheese.

Place these in a bag with some crackers of your choice.

Idea 4: Proportioned fruit

Cut up fruit and place into snack bags in the fridge. These are the perfect serving size and easy for kids to grab.

Cantaloupe, strawberries, apples and oranges are perfect for this.

Juice boxes and yogurt are also good snacks to have handy in the fridge.

 

In the mornings or before bed you can have the kids pull from the fridge already made sandwiches, snacks and drinks for the perfect lunch. Also, if you are always on the go these are easy to grab as snacks in between locations.

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