Episode 39 Lunchbox Tips for Back to School

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Making school lunches is a struggle for me, but I have some tips and tricks that make it a little easier.

1-I use my blue refrigerator bin. You can learn about it in episode 12 “Let’s Talk About Lunch.”

2-My favorite equipment:

1. Vera Bradley Lunch Bags  My favorite is the Lunch Tote.

-Find the containers first and see how they fit in the lunch bags.

b) Get good water bottles. I like the insulated Thermos brand and the small Klean Kanteen water bottles.

                -Buy the same brand for all your kids. It will make filling the bottles much easier.

c) Ice Packs. I like thin ones like these.

d) Thermos for hot food. I like stainless steel ones like this one.

e) 2 Cup Pyrex Measuring Cup.

f) Glass food storage containers.

g) Real Silverware including Forks and Spoons. You can get these at Dollar Tree.

3-The process I use for packing school lunches:

The Night Before

1. During dinner I ask who is having school hot lunch and who is bringing lunch.
2. I ask who wants dinner leftovers
3. I pack dinner leftovers in glass storage containers and put them in my blue bin.
4. I prep fruit and veggies. Wet fruit goes into these Ziploc containers and dry fruit like apples or oranges go into baggies and then it all goes in the blue bin.
5. Any food that can sit at room temperature like chips or peanut butter sandwiches goes directly into the lunchbox.
6. Napkins and silverware go into the lunchbox.

In the Morning

1. Fill all water bottles
2. Take Blue Bin out of refrigerator and start putting items in lunchboxes
3. If I need to heat leftovers I start by heating water in the 2 cup Pyrex cup and then transfer the boiling water to the thermos.
4. Heat the food in the microwave for 3 minutes at 50% power and 30 seconds at 100% power
5. Remove hot water from thermos and add hot food.
6. Place water bottles and thermoses in lunchboxes.
7. Put a napkin between hot and cold items.
8. Put ice packs on the cold side.
9. Make sure there is silverware.

Other Tips

1. Train your kids to bring home everything from the lunch, including trash
2. This lets you know what they are eating and what they aren’t eating.
3. You can reuse uneaten items.
4. It reduces waste.

My Kid’s Favorite Lunchbox Foods

1. Taco meat with tortilla chips. You can add containers of lettuce, tomato and cheese and containers of salsa.
2. Hummus with pretzel crisps
3. Yogurt
4. Apples with peanut butter (sometimes with melted chocolate chips)
5. Homemade Lunchables. Add meat, cheese and crackers.
6. Leftovers

Share what you like to put in lunchboxes and any tips you have for packing lunches.

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