Put single portion sizes of fruits or veggies in sandwich bags to save time.
You might want to second think handing your kids lunch money if you’ve seen Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. Instead, consider packing a healthy nutritious lunch for the kiddos to bring to school. We know Mommy’s are busy and that’s why we put together easy tips for packing nutritious lunches that will save you time and reduce your stress level.
Fruits & Veggies – After putting away all of the groceries from store, pull out all of the fruits and vegetables that need washing and cutting. Put single portion sizes in sandwich bags. Perfect for carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes, grapes, strawberries, melons, etc. This works great when you’re searching for a healthy addition to easily toss in your child’s lunch box.
Snack Bars & Fruit Snacks – Remove all snack bars and fruit snacks from their respective boxes. Keep contents in an open basket in the pantry. Label basket appropriately according to the category. Small steps such as eliminating the need to open the original box it came in will save you precious time when preparing school lunches.
Create your own lunch box message with duct tape, packing tape and a dry-erase marker.
Sandwich Preparation – We all know the sandwich takes the longest time to pack. Save yourself time and energy by washing and chopping all lettuce and tomatoes at the beginning of the week. If you keep the chopped lettuce and tomatoes in produce saver containers they are guaranteed to stay fresh all week.
Cute Notes – Adding a cute message to your kid’s lunch is a great way to remind them how much you love them. Unfortunately, your message gets tossed away if written on a napkin. Instead, add an erasable label to your kid’s reusable lunch box or bag. Cut a 4-5” piece of colored duct tape (duct tape now comes in over 15 different colors and patterns) and place on the top of the inside of the lunch box. Cut a 6-7” piece of clear packing tape and place over the duct tape. Use a thin dry-erase marker to write your daily note. Use a paper towel to erase.
Pack Lunch at Night – Getting the kids ready for school in the morning can be a rush. Nobody needs the added stress of packing a lunch in the A.M. Instead, try packing the school lunches after dinner but before clean up. Packing lunches the night before saves time in the morning and only adds 5-10 minutes to your dinner routine in the evening.
Using these time saving tips for packing lunches will make getting ready in the morning that much easier. What tips do you follow for packing school lunches?
