Blink, and it’s over. The summer months have come and gone and as we get ready to get the kids back to school, the dreaded pack lunch preparation begins! Whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned pro, getting school lunches ready for the kids, and getting them out the door with them each day is never the easiest of tasks. To help you kick-start the new school year, here are some top tips for prepping the school lunches like a boss!
9 Ways to Save Time When Prepping School Lunches
1. Portion Snacks Using Food Bags
Whether it’s sliced fruit or vegetable sticks, portioning your snacks into food bags can be a great way to save time as you prep lunches for the week. Label the food bags to make it even easier for you to find them from the fridge, allowing you to quickly grab them when you're getting the kids out the door.
2. Wrap Fruit in Cling Film
Fruit is something we all want to include in our kid’s school lunches, and one of the most popular is apple. Slicing your apples can make it easier for your kids to enjoy it in school – we don’t want it ending up in the bin. Sliced apples can go brown quickly, so wrap them in cling film before adding to the lunchbox.
3. Freeze Sandwiches
Bulk prepping in advance can save you precious time throughout the week. Try making your kid’s favourite sandwiches like jam, peanut butter or ham on a Sunday evening and freezing them. Take them out each morning and add to the lunchbox, and by the time they thaw, they’ll be perfect for the little ones.
4. Use Skewers
Lunchtime eating is always that little bit easier for younger kids when there’s an element of fun involved. Use skewers to make it easy for your kids to eat their lunchtime treats. You could place a selection of fruit on a skewer or add their favourite meat, cheese and veg for a savoury alternative.
5. Make your own Cool Pack
Keeping lunches cool when they’re in a bag all day isn’t always the easiest of tasks. Create your own cool pack for your lunch box by freezing juice cartons or fruit in a food bag, and adding it to the lunchbox.
6. Use Sunday to Organise
Sunday becomes a vitally important day in getting everything ready for the coming school week for your children. Try allocating a 30-minute slot on Sunday to prepping the school lunches for the following week. This will prove hugely valuable during the coming week.
7. Divided Lunchbox
The type of lunchbox you use for prepping school lunches can go a long way to making your task a little easier each morning. Using a lunchbox with dividers and compartments for different foods should make it easier and quicker for you to get things ready.
8. Let the Kids Help
Get the kids involved in making their own lunch and make your task a little easier. Things like crackers, meat and cheese or tacos with cold meats and veg can be a great way to get your kids involved in making their own lunch in school. Plus, it’s good fun and a great way to introduce them to preparing food at an early age.
9. Have a Snack Station
We highlighted the importance of snacks in the school lunchbox in our first lunchbox hack, and having a designated snack station in your house for things like fruit, crisps and chocolate will make it a much quicker task in prepping lunches on a daily basis.
Have You Any School Lunch Prepping Tips to Share?
Share your favourite school lunch prepping tips and hacks with us on our Facebook and Twitter page using #SmarterLiving.
