In the busy rush of a weekday morning, it’s easy to forget about packing lunches for yourself and for your kids. You may want to just give your kids lunch money and buy yourself a salad or sandwich, but that costs more money in the long run. Plus, school lunches aren’t always the healthiest or best-tasting options.
Here are five tips for packing lunches so that both you and your kids can have delicious meals with less hassle:
- Plan Ahead – Make a shopping list!
One of the best things you can do for yourself is to plan your meals in advance. That means sitting down before going to the grocery store, planning all your meals and snacks, and making a list of everything you’re going to get for the week. You can consult your local supermarket’s ad for deals and coupons to help you save some money. By making a list and shopping ahead of time, you won’t be scrambling on Wednesday morning when you realize you have no bread. Plus, you’ll save yourself time and money by having a grocery shopping strategy.
- Prepare In Advance- Meal Prep!
Health nuts everywhere have been touting the benefits of “meal prep” for years, but you don’t have to be a gym rat to get in on it. Meal prep simply meals making your meals and dividing them into containers ahead of time. You can make up sandwiches, salads or other items in large batches. Divide them into individual containers and pre-measure snacks into bags for the week. That way you can just grab and go in the morning. At the very least, making up lunches the night before will save some stress in the AM.
- Use Divided Containers
Instead of packing lunch in three or four different Tupperware containers, use ones that have a few different compartments. It’s easy in the morning to forget to grab your sandwich or fruit if you’re sorting through a pile of plastic tubs. If it’s all in one container, you know you won’t forget anything. Plus, you can trust that your kids can get their lunches themselves without worrying that they “forgot” to take their veggies. If you need some help tracking some containers down, Bed, Bath and Beyond has a ton to choose from!
- Stock Staples
You don’t want to eat the exact same thing every single day, but you probably don’t need to eat a completely different lunch every time, either. Keep a few staples on hand that are easy to mix and match into delicious snacks and lunches. Cubes of cheese, cheese sticks, whole-wheat crackers, grapes, carrot sticks, apple slices, and peanut butter are all healthy options. Have apples and peanut butter with carrot sticks one day, then grapes and cheese the next. By keeping staples on hand, you won’t be guessing what snack to pack. Your kids could even go through and pack their snacks themselves!
- Use Leftovers
When you’re preparing dinner, keep leftovers in mind. If you don’t have enough for your whole family to eat an entire meal, you could still use them. Leftovers can make great lunch-sized portions. Instead of popping food right back in the fridge, use it for lunch. Cut up chicken to put in your pre-prepared salad or use leftover meat for sandwiches.
Do you have a kid-favorite lunch that’s fail-proof? Share it in our comments section below! And make sure to visit the GoKid blog for weekly mom-friendly updates.
