Being an adult seems like an endless stream of decisions. Once you have settled on what to make for dinner, you need to figure out what the kids will take to school for lunch. It just never ends.
As with other things in life, finding good, practical, resourceful hacks for packing school lunches can be a lifesaver.
How do other parents make this much easier (and less of a headache)? Here are some ideas.
Have Some Healthy Drinks
One part of the lunch equation is packing a drink to accompany the lunch. While soda and juice are easy options, they might not be the healthiest.
Consider buying your kids’ yogurt in bulk to last the week. Look for brands rich in calcium, protein, and low sugar content. Similarly, ensure to buy assorted flavors so that the kids have a tasty surprise lying in wait every day of the week.
You can also make healthy smoothies and juices and freeze them overnight.
Create a Lunch Timetable
Wouldn’t it be nice if you just knew what to make every day of the week without having to rack your brain and go through your pantry every day?
Well, a lunch meal plan or a lunch timetable can help you do just that.
Make time to create a meal timetable for lunch options for every day of the week. If some of your kids have allergies, feel free to have different options on different days.
This way, all you need to do is read the timetable and know what to make. Easy does it!
Shop Before The Week Starts
Creating a lunch timetable will help a lot with this step. Knowing exactly what you are supposed to make on which day lets you know the ingredients needed for the entire week.
This will ensure you have everything you need to make whichever meal is listed for any specific day. This will save you the frustration of being short of a few ingredients and having to run back to the store or having to come up with a different menu.
Meal Prep on Sundays
If you can spare an hour on Sundays for lunch meal prep, you can save yourself some time and energy on weekdays, when you are probably tired from work.
You can get a head start by cutting up fruit and veggies that can keep well when refrigerated. You can also cook soups and mix up salads. If you do sandwiches several times a week, you can bag different fillings in Ziploc bags before freezing.
All you will be left with over the week is assembling and packing the meals. Word of caution, though, only prepare and freeze food items that will keep well, taste good, and not lose their nutritional value after freezing.
There You Have It!
Simple, actionable tips that will help make lunch packing easier, faster, and less stressful.
