Everyday Lunches

One question I get often is whether or not I make themed lunches for my kids everyday. The answer is absolutely, categorically NO!! If you've been following my blog for a while you already know that I work full-timeand the demands on my schedule are fairly intense at this time of year. The first few months of school are easily the hardest as I juggle both businesses along with adjusting to the new school routine. As a result, I don't have a lot of time (or energy) to create themed lunches everyday. Instead my kids often go to school with quick-and-easy lunches that are fairly mindless yet still packed with nutritious foods that fill them up and keep them satisfied throughout the day.

A few tips for packing quick-and-easy lunches:

• Pre-cut fruit and veggies over the weekend and store them in easy to access containers so they are at your fingertips in the morning!


• Keep baked goods in the freezer and pull one out in the morning, by lunch it will be thawed. I typically make a batch of cookies, muffins, and a bar of some kind every Sunday. This keeps the freezer stocked with a variety of "treats" that can easily be added to a lunch box or used for an after school snack.


• Leftovers for lunch! When we have leftovers I store them in individual serving size Lock and Lock containers. I'll re-heat the leftovers in the oven in the morning while I'm making breakfast. Then all I have to do is put them in a Thermos for my boys to take to school which is great when they want a break from traditional sandwiches.


• Make double batches. Often times when I'm making baked goods I'll double the batch just so I have extras on hand.


• Hard boil a dozen eggs over the weekend. My boys love hard boiled eggs and I love having them on hand for a quick side at any meal during the day. They also make a quick and easy snack as they are running out the door!