School Lunch Hacks

Hannah from @CaliforniaToddler is a teacher turned full-time mama focused on sharing how healthy, nutritious, and delicious meals can not only be simple to make, but can be enjoyed by the whole family! Hannah also shares about everyday #momlife & #toddlerlife (from potty training to managing postpartum anxiety).

I know I am not the only Mama out there who feels like all you do some days is make food for your kid/s! Between breakfast, lunch, snacks (and more snacks), and dinner it can be hard to come up with fresh and nutritious meal ideas. As we close out summer and head into Back-To-School lunch packing, I will share with you a few things I have learned about packing lunches thus far!

A lunch box with different sized compartments (a.k.a. Bentgo Box) is key! This helps encourage you to include a variety of healthy options, and the great thing about these boxes is that each section in the box closes completely, so there are no foods mixing together (ex. juice from your strawberries leaking into your sandwich and making it soggy).
Note the amount of time your child has to eat at school/camp/daycare and pack accordingly! They only have a certain amount of time to eat at school, which is typically a lot less than we allow them to spend eating at home. So, If you want your child to eat some of each food included, consider cutting your portions down (for example, pack a ½ a sandwich vs. a full one so that your child has time to eat the sandwich and also has time to eat the strawberries and snap peas you included as well).
Include foods that you know your kids enjoy and will likely eat! Packed lunches are not the time for you to throw in all the foods your kid is refusing at home; rather, you want them to have a yummy lunch that will fuel their body while they are away from you!