7 Simple Tips For Packing Healthy Lunches
Packing lunches is a great way of saving time and money, probably more money than you realize. When you take gas, time, and the cost of fast food into the consideration, eating lunches out can really add up. Especially if you are using a menu planning service like No More To Go to create healthy eating and spending habits, it doesn’t make sense to throw that all out the window come lunchtime!
Between busy schedules and tired parents, lunch packing can easily fall to the wayside, but by following these simple tips you can set yourself up for success and pack delicious lunches every day.
Set up a packing center.
This could be anything from a single shelf in your pantry to a cart that holds everything you need. Consider the size of your family and work with the space you have to create a dedicated area for storing containers and food items. Make sure you keep stocked up on all the materials you need. Create an organized healthy meal planning grocery list with all of the materials and foods you will need.
Stock a variety of bags and containers.
Paper bags are fine and dandy, but if you’re serious about packing daily lunches for your family, you’ll need to kick it up a notch or two. Fortunately, that doesn’t mean you need to break the bank! Dollar stores carry both seasonal and year-round items that are perfect for sorting and packing lunches. There are also companies that sell reusable, washable fabric alternatives to plastic sandwich baggies to hold items like sandwiches, fruit, veggies, and chips. For optimum efficiency, stock a selection of disposable and reusable containers.
Embrace the bento.
The bento lunch box is a traditional Japanese meal storage system that has become increasingly popular in the west. The beauty of the bento is in the simple design, with compartments that allow you to arrange an assortment of healthy lunch options and carry them with you in a single box or container. Bento accessories come in all shapes, sizes and colors, and can usually be mixed and matched for variety.
Set some dinner aside.
Almost every dinner has the built-in option of becoming part of the next day’s lunch! For example, add a tortilla or two to your protein dish and turn it into a wrap. If there is something you know would make a great lunch option, rather than waiting to see if there are leftovers just set some aside before serving dinner. Also, when you use a meal planning service like No More To Go, you can anticipate lunches and purchase other items to complement them.
Have some prepackaged and prepared foods on hand.
This one is easy to plan for and will help fill in the gaps and round out your lunches. There is no need for them to be unhealthy! Some things you can do to prepare healthy lunch items in advance are:
– Pop corn and store it in plastic baggies
– Chop vegetables and make or purchase healthy dips like hummus and nut butters
– Slice and store fruit in baggies or small plastic or glass containers
Employ a color coding system and let the children participate.
If you are an ultra-organized person, this one is for you! Purchase colored circular labels and create a simple chart that covers the basic food groups, such as yellow for protein, green for veggies, red for fruits, etc. Then, label each food and allow your children to pack their own lunches by choosing one item from each group. This ensures they enjoy a well-rounded lunch while giving them some autonomy in choosing the specific foods they enjoy. Everybody wins!
Make time for it.
Most importantly, set aside time to pack lunches. If your family tends to be rushed in the mornings, make time at night specifically for preparing lunches. This can be after dinner cleanup, and doesn’t need to take more than 10 minutes. The important thing is to make it a part of your day, and before you know it, you will have formed a positive and healthy habit for your whole family!