I have been compensated by Yoplait for this School Lunch Box Ideas post; however, I am sharing my own thoughts, and all opinions are my own.
We’re almost a month into this whole school thing and of all things, packing your kid’s school lunch box daily is making you want to pull your eyelashes out. (But your extensions are so pretty! Please don’t do that!) School lunch packing is just one of those things that no one loves to do. But for you, busy mom, I have a few tips that I hope make the daily chore just a bit easier.
School Lunch Box Ideas – Do’s & Don’ts
Do get in the habit of packing your child’s school lunch box the night before. (Yes, I know you’re tired, but trust me, this will make your busy life easier!)
Don’t pack delicate fruits like raspberries in plastic zip-top bags, trust me from experience. You’ll end up with “Squish Squish-ish” (sung to the tune of Katy Perry’s Swish Swish). Use small plastic containers instead.
Do pack a filling lunch. Many kids eat lunch as early as 10:30am. Pack a nutritious school lunch box complete with protein, fruits and vegetables to help them sustain their energy throughout the school day. Kid friendly favorites like yogurt and cheese sticks are great sources of protein.
Don’t forget the rules. Double check that their school allows nuts or nut products in school lunches. Peanut butter and jelly sounds innocent enough – until an Epi-pen has to get involved. Some schools might not allow treats like cookies or candies in their school lunch box.
Do stock up and prepare for lunches while compiling your weekly shopping list. Multi-packs are a lunch-packing mom’s best friend. On your next Walmart grocery trip, make sure to check out Yoplait’s new easy-open multipacks from Walmart. They easily stack in the fridge and you’ll have an easy grab and go option that you can just pop into their lunch box. You’ll be prepared for the week. Boom!
Don’t forget to label their lunch box, thermos and water bottle. Lost and Found is always full of these items. How do they get there? Nobody knows.
Do add a little note from home. A couple sticky notes and a quick Google search for “funny kid jokes” can go a long way. Here, I’ll even help you with your first one – Q: Why can’t you give Elsa a balloon? A: Because she will Let It Go. Ha!
Don’t get stuck in a sandwich rut. Leftovers like pasta or casseroles are golden in a thermos type container. Wraps and mini pita breads can be used in place of bread as a simple sandwich change-up as well. Cookie cutters are an easy way to make boring turkey and cheese a lot more fun.
Do create a pantry stash of snack sized zip-top plastic bags filled with raisins, pretzels, or other small snackable finger foods. Double bonus: this pantry stash is also perfect for after-school snacks.
Don’t let them lose their cool. Lunch box sized reusable ice packs are available everywhere. Juice boxes which are placed in the freezer when you wake up and allowed to only freeze half-way, will also keep lunches cool as they defrost in time for lunch.
Do you have any school lunch box hacks to add that can help out your fellow busy mom? Tell me in the comments, I can’t wait to hear them! Also, be sure to share your lunch box ideas and hacks socially using #Yoplait and #MomOn!
Comments (9)
Cool tips for a nutritious lunch.
very nutritious and varied, and best of us quick and easy to make for the busy mornings
Thanks for the info. The star shaped sandwiches are adorable!!
very nutritious and varied, out of the monotony of typical school lunches, I like it.
These are such great tips. Definitely a good idea to put a note in their lunch.
The star shaped sandwiches are too cute!
I absolutely love that Yoplait has so many different flavors and ways to serve yogurt for the entire family. Packing a snack pack size for kids’ and parents’ lunches ensures we are getting a healthy snack! Love the cheese skewers idea best!
So much yes!! I honestly am super guilty of forgetting about the peanut and tree nut rule lol!! Clearly we don’t have allergies here! But I have a hard time thinking of fun ideas!! I love the idea of making finder foods fun!
I like your tips. I always packed the lunches the night before. Mostly because I’m not a morning person. lol