I found these super cute Lunchbox kits on Amazon
I have a confession to make. I have been horrible this year at keeping up with my kids lunches, and every morning live in chaos before racing my kids to the bus because I just don’t have it together! Soooo. . . I thought I’d remind you all (and myself!) of how to get ahead on lunchbox duty. (I’m determined to get my fridge back in lunchbox shape over the weekend!)
When I saw this post last year from Money Saving Mom, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought to make at least a week’s worth of PB&J’s instead of pulling out all the lunch supplies each day. (Duh???) You might even try making sandwiches ahead for the entire month and freezing them, but we start by preparing a week’s worth of lunches each Sunday afternoon . . .
Note the “C” for Caroline – she likes only peanut butter, Jackson can’t survive without jelly 
I’m not quite up for those homemade Uncrustables (thankfully my kiddos enjoy their crust . . . however I do applaud you mommas who de-crust your children’s sandwiches!) Just taking a few minutes though to prepare our lunch supplies makes such a difference in our mornings, so I’m determined to get my act together again. When I’m completely on top of things, here’s what our lunch stash looks like in the fridge . . .
The drawer below this one holds the fruit stash: fresh apples and strawberries. I could definitely use some tips though on how to pack fruit like strawberries or grapes ahead of time so that they don’t get soggy, because I have a very picky eater who keeps complaining about soggy grapes. If you have any ideas on keeping fruit fresh for lunches, I’d love to hear them!
I also try to keep items wrapped up for snacks – popped popcorn and wrapped homemade brownies make great inexpensive treats, as well as a few pre-packaged items found on sale . . .
My goal is to pack their lunches as soon as those lunch boxes are unpacked after school each day, which only takes a minutes when I have my supplies in order. My kids can even pack their own lunches when I take the time to catch up, so this one is definitely on my to-do list for the weekend. . . I’m so ready for more peaceful mornings around here!
Do you have any great tips on handling lunch box duty (and suggestions besides PB&J for your children’s lunch box meal?) I’d love to hear them, so take a minute and leave a comment to share!
Looking for some super cute lunch box ideas? Check these out . . .
These are all way fancier than I’m up for . . . we’re just sticking with the basics here. But aren’t they so stinkin’ cute???
Freeze the grapes and they won’t be soggy by lunch
I wash fruit then place them in the Rubbermaid small bowls with easy find lids or glad/Ziploc bowls. The fruit is not exposed to extra air and is conveniently ready to throw in lunch boxes. My kids have never complained about the fruit except when I accidently let the stash run out :/
It also prevents it from getting smushed inside the lunchbox.
I’m going to try those tips – my kids love fruit but one of them in particular goes nuts when it gets the least big soggy… thanks for the suggestions!!!
I don’t know if you have tried the pinterest tip of washing fruit in a solution of vinegar water? I used about 1/4 cup of vinegar to 1.5 – 2 cups water. It worked great! I washed a bunch of grapes and stored them in a ziploc bag for around 2 weeks with no mold or mushiness! I also use the little plastic containers from the Dollar Tree ($1 for ten) and store fruit for the week in those so its ready to go.
Awesome tip! Will try myself!
What a great post! It has been the same for us around here – chaos in the morning while I prepare breakfast and school lunches. I am going to try your suggestions and hope for more peaceful mornings. Thank-you!
I hope it helps Melissa ~ I know ours are so much better when i stick with it, so I get mad at myself when I forget like I have lately! Hope it works for you too
Thanks for the idea to wrap the homemade goods ahead of time into serving sizes! That was a why-didn’t-I-think-of-that moment.
I understand Bree – I’ve done it for years but haven’t thought about it in ages! Planning to pop some popcorn too tonight for snacks.
I have a question about packing lunches the night before. Don’t the sandwiches get soggy? That is the main reason I do not make it the night before. Advice Please.
I freeze yogurt to put in my kids lunch. It helps keeps their lunch cold and is thawed out by the time lunch comes around. Another thing I do besides BP&J is I cut up cheese and meat and put some crackers in there for lunch. Once and a while my kids want lunchables and I don’t want to pay for them. So I “make” my own.
I didn’t know yogurt could be frozen. Thanks!
I use the EasyLunchBoxes you have pictured and love them! I bought mine on Amazon. They wash well on the dishwasher top rack – still look new, and this is my 2nd year using them for my preschoolers. Also, they say they are not leak proof, but I often put cottage cheese or yogurt in the sections and they do not leak into the other sections.
I’m really thinking about buying them ~ so glad to know you liked them! Thanks so much for the tips