Dreading School Lunch Packing? Tips for Getting the Job Done! -

August is here, which means it’s back-to-school time in my house. This is a big year of transition for us! I have a child starting high school, one starting middle school, and one starting elementary school! Who planned this?! As we make the milestone transitions, we're also making the usual transitions from a summertime schedule to a school schedule.

Back to school means back to packing lunches.

And, with my youngest out of preschool, it means I have one more person to pack lunches for this school year. For me, packing lunches is a chore that I do not enjoy. However, when I stick to these guidelines for myself, it can go a little easier.

Packed lunch of a food jar containing white bean, sausage and kale soup; apples, cheese, and cheddar bunnies.

Tips for Keeping Lunch Packing Simple:

Have the right equipment on hand. Check out our post with some of our favorite lunch packing supplies.
Pack school lunches at night. If I’m scrambling in the morning, the lunch packing seems harder, physically and mentally. When I’m cooking dinner or cleaning up the kitchen in the evening, I may start packing the lunches. I"ll lay out the lunch boxes and start to add the components. Combining these tasks can make lunch packing seem less daunting.
Have a loose plan. It helps me when I know a dinner or two may also be packed in lunches and I keep a meal structure in my head when I’m getting lunches packed. If you are dreading lunch packing as much as I am, we encourage you to check out our E-book: Your Ultimate Guide to Stress Free Lunch Packing. This easy to use ebook walks you through the steps to streamline your meal planning and lunch making.
Pack the same things for everyone. A little tweak here and there is okay, but don’t pack 3 separate lunches. It's okay if one child doesn't love everything packed or even doesn't eat it all. Remember, your feeding jobs and know exposure is an essential part of a child expanding their variety.
Ask for help! Getting kids to help in an age appropriate way is how children can learn how to put together meals. This can be done without a side of diet culture. Check out our post Lunch Packing with Teens & Tweens. for the how-to’s of getting kids involved in lunch packing.

A neoprene lunch bag with 4 containers including a Thermos.

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Bonus Tip!

Pack your lunch when you're packing your kids' lunches. Are you headed into an office or working virtually from home? We're hearing about and experiencing the demands on parents right now, juggling virtual work, school, and quarantines. As the caregiver, keeping yourself fueled is just as important as feeding your children. If you have a packed lunch ready to go to work or to pull out of your own refrigerator between your meetings, you are a step closer to fueling your day.