School Lunches: The Ultimate Guide to Planning, Packing and Carrying

I'm one of those moms who packs lunches for my kids every day. In fact, our elementary school doesn't have a cafeteria, so homemade lunches are mandatory. Here are three ways I'm going to fight the lunchbox blues this year.

Planning:

 

At 7:00 in the morning, before my second cup of coffee, the last thing I want to do is try to figure out what my kids will be willing to eat five hours later. And one thing we know for sure is that kids are more likely to eat food they’ve selected themselves.

 

LaLaLunchbox helps you plan and lets them help pick. Simply select the items you’d like your kids to choose from in four categories (fruit, veggie, protein and snacks) and hand your phone to your child. A cute happy monster interface will let him design his lunches for the week. That lunch plan then magically creates your shopping list. Then, each morning, pull up the day and pack it up. New food "bundles" created by top nutritionists will make planning even easier.

 

 

According to one report, Americans use more than 100 billion plastic bags each year – that’s billion with a B. It’s time to ditch the plastic baggies and new sandwich and snack storage bags from Stasher are a great start. These silicone bags have pinch-press seals that are easy for kids to navigate and are freezer, microwave, oven and dishwasher safe. They had me at dishwasher safe.

 

 

 

We love all-in-one stainless steel bento boxes. Our favorite? Planet Box, which offers a variety of sizes and accessories including their JetPack Backpack, a perfect backpack with a pocket specifically designed to hold everything your kid need for her busy day … including her lunch. And if you’ve struggled to fit your kid’s lunch box in their already overstuffed backpack, you know how awesome this will be!