School Lunches

By the time Winter Break arrives I am ready for it in more ways than one.  Mostly I appreciate the break I get from having to prepare school lunches every morning.  The reprieve gives me a chance to be a little less rushed in the morning too. 

I pack my children’s lunch every day for a number of reasons.  It saves me a ton of money, I know what they are eating and I don’t have to wonder about the nutritional value they are getting.  Plus, I know they are getting enough to eat.  I don’t have that same confidence in the school lunch program. 

By the time they are heading back to school next Tuesday I will be ready to tackle packing lunches once again.  I have washed their insulated lunch boxes in the washing machine and allowed them to air dry so they are all set to go.  The thermoses are nice and clean and the drink bottles as well.  This is how I do it: 

·         I buy each one of my children a nice insulated lunchbox and an ice pack for the freezer.  I also get each one an insulated food jar for hot foods.  As they get older and prove their responsibility I upgrade the jar to a Thermos food jar.  It keeps food much warmer longer.  The consequence of losing it is they have to replace it with their allowance money and use their old one in the meantime.

·         I have a collection of inexpensive small plastic (BPA free) containers with lids.  That way if they get lost it is no big deal.  I keep a stack of Ziploc and Rubbermaid ½ cup containers and a couple sandwich size containers.

·         I wrap plastic forks and spoons in a napkin and keep them in a plastic shoe box to grab in the morning.  My girls help me with this on the weekends.  I have enough to last two weeks at a time.

·         At the beginning of the school year I buy a flat of twelve 8 oz. water bottles.  I wash and re-use them to send juice and milk in their lunch every day.  If they lose the bottle it isn’t a big deal.  Keep a baby bottle brush on hand to help you keep them clean.

·         I keep snack sized zipper bags, sandwich sized zipper bags and fold top sandwich bags on hand.  We don’t use them very often so a box of each lasts all year long.  We also re-use them as much as possible to cut down on landfill waste and expense.

·         Each child is responsible to unload their lunchbox every evening. rinse out their dishes and put their ice pack in the freezer.  Then they hang their lunch boxes on a hook in the laundry room so I can find them in the morning.

·         If they forget their lunchbox at school we have a back up lunchbox and an old thermal jar I keep in the pantry.  It is called the Forget Lunchbox.  I’ve even had to use it once – oops! 

Once I have all my supplies gathered up then I am ready to work on what to fill their lunchboxes with:  

·        Make as much ahead of time as possible and include the children in preparing these items.  Fill small containers with store bought or home canned fruit, homemade trail mix, gelatin (plain or with fruit), pudding, applesauce, salad dressing, etc.

·         I use sandwich sized containers for more than just sandwiches.  Salads are great in them too.

·         Fill insulated food jars with boiling water and allow them to sit while you heat up soup or leftovers to put in them.

·         I don’t buy snack sized individual wrapped items unless I am getting them for a steal.  Instead I buy full sized packages of chips or crackers and fill snack sized zipper bags with individual portions.  I keep these bags in a plastic container with a tight fitting lid so I can easily grab them in the mornings.

·         I like to think outside the box instead the usual sandwich, chips, apple & milk.  Leftovers are a huge help with this.  I also make my own “lunchables” with Ritz or Club crackers, sliced cheese, pepperoni or ham slices. 

I brainstorm an idea list for main dishes and sides and ask the kids for input too. 

Main Dishes:

·         Sandwiches – ham, tuna, turkey, peanut butter & honey, peanut butter & banana, peanut butter & jelly, egg salad, turkey or ham tortilla wraps, etc.

·         Leftovers – spaghetti, macaroni & cheese, chicken & rice, soups and stews, turkey & noodles, chicken strips, pizza (my kids like it cold), roast beef & potatoes, pork fried rice, beanie weenies, etc.

·         Crackers with tuna, ham salad, chicken salad or egg salad.

·         Hard cooked eggs and sliced cheese 

Sides: 

·         Chips & salsa, celery with peanut butter or cream cheese, veggies & ranch dressing, baby carrots, snow peas, tossed green salad & dressing, fresh or canned fruit and fruit cups, gelatin or gelatin with fruit, etc.

·         Zucchini, banana, pumpkin or applesauce bread

·         Bran, banana, pumpkin, cornbread or applesauce muffins

·         Potato chips or corn chips

·         Crackers – cheese nips, wheat thins, wheatables, etc.

·         Biscuit or dinner roll

·         Cottage cheese, yogurt 

Drinks: 

·         Milk, chocolate milk, juice, water, flavored water, flavored teas, etc. 

Desserts: 

·         Cookie

·         Cupcake (frosted or unfrosted)

·         Miniature candy bar

·         Peanut M&Ms

·         Trail mix – nuts, sunflower seeds, Cheerios or Kix, chocolate chips, gummy bears, etc.

·         Granola bars

·         Brownie

·         Dum Dum sucker 

When packing their lunches I have a lunchbox rule to include at least 1 protein, 1 grain, 1 to 2 fruit and/or veggie, 1 dairy.  This way I make sure I haven’t forgotten anything.  I try to limit their sugar intake and don’t always include a dessert but a little sweet treat isn’t a bad idea. 

I also like to put a travel size refillable bottle of hand sanitizer in their lunch boxes too so they can clean up before and after they eat.  That about covers it!