If you are looking for inspiration as you packschool lunches, do not, I repeat DO NOT search on Pinterest. What you will find are many pictures of people cutting sandwiches into star and flower shapes, or decorating fruit with googly eyes, and then arranging it all by color to create rainbows. Very few (if any) actual parents have this kind of time. Plus, all of us have seen our perfectly packed lunches chucked into backpacks or swung around on the way to the bus stop.
I think children can be divided into two types of lunch eaters. The formula child is one that likes the exact same thing for lunch every day. Then there is the child that needs variety. I happen to have one of each. The former, the formula child, is obviously much easier to pack for. PB &J every day for a whole week? Easy! I don’t like to make all the sandwiches at once, because by Friday who really wants to eat a five-day old sandwich. But for some, the time to pack all the lunches is on Sunday evenings, and that is ok. Lower your expectations—they are children, and they spend most of the lunch period talking/screwing around.
Pro tip #1—Spread peanut butter on both sides of the bread with jelly in the middle. This way the jelly doesn’t get one side soggy.
A sandwich, protein/granola bar, cheese stick, and a piece of fruit or sliced veggies is the perfect lunch for my formula child.
Pro tip #2—Put a slice of cheese on each side of the bread for cold cut sandwiches with mayo or mustard in the middle to keep the bread from getting mushy.
Now, perhaps you have a child that likes the same thing, but doesn’t like sandwiches. A roll-up can be a great way to get some protein and veggies into their lunch. Take a large tortilla, spread with cream cheese, boursin cheese, or hummus. Next, lay down a layer of deli meat, top with a slice of cheese, then thinly spread spinach, lettuce leaves, or shredded carrots over that. Then roll up starting at one end. Slice cross wise to make pinwheels. Be creative with toppings or spreads—substitute pickles, thinly sliced cucumbers, or bell peppers instead of greens. Avoid tomatoes or other watery vegetables. These rollups don’t get as soggy as a sandwich and last a few days in the fridge. For most elementary-aged children one large tortilla makes enough for two children or one child and a happy spouse who leaves for the office with a packed lunch.
Some kids prefer a hot lunch. Leftover pasta, soups, and stews make great lunches. Yet most younger children do not have access to a microwave at school. How to keep those lunches warm?
Pro tip #3—Fill a thermos with boiling water and place on the counter for 10–15 minutes while you reheat the leftovers in the microwave (and make a cup of coffee for yourself). Pour out the boiling water and fill the thermos with the hot food. It will stay warm for several hours.
My favorite, and the most popular way in our house to pack lunches, is in bento boxes. The YumBox brand is the best in my opinion; it truly does not leak. Salsa, cottage cheese, and yogurt all stay separate in their areas. The small compartments allow you to pack a variety of different foods. For younger kids I have found this to be a particularly successful way to get kids to finish their lunches. Additionally, it is a nice way to use up small amounts of leftovers. Do you have only a little bit of leftover chicken, six grapes, and one scoop of macaroni salad left? All perfect for the small compartments of a bento box.
Some other quick ideas:
• Try premade salads, the kind that come with the fork and dressing. Throw in a lunch bag with a few other “sides.” • Portion out snacks at the beginning of the week. Having five bags of pretzels, gold fish, nuts, etc. ready to go saves a few precious minutes in the mornings. Reusable zipper bags are nice for these types of snacks and cut down on single use plastics.
In summary, learn what works for your family, what your children will eat, and what you have time for. It is better to pack a lunch your child will actually eat than one that is Instagram worthy. Though if it happens to be both, that’s an added bonus!