This post is sponsored by Juicy Juice. All opinions are mine. Thank you for supporting the brands that encourage my creativity and work.
After years of packing lunches for five, there are a few things I do regularly to simplify my lunch packing routine. Easy lunches my family will love? Sign me up!
By now, most of us have our back to school morning routine and our after-school schedules settled; but let’s not stop there because there are still a few lunch packing tips that will make sure you get lunches done the night before.
Having a dedicated area in the fridge for your lunch essentials is key; even for those small Juicy Juice Organics 100% Juice boxes my kids love finding in their lunchbox from time to time.
Each juice box is a perfectly portioned serving of 100% juice and easily fits into a lunchbox. Made with no added sugar, only real fruit, this takes all the guesswork of what’s in the juice and how much to serve.
With several years of packing school lunches, I’ve learned that the key is getting into a routine, find the items your family loves inside their lunch, and then finding a prep schedule that works best for your family.
I will say, that having fresh and pre-made healthy options on hand is a total game-changer.
Here are a few more tips that will set you up for success:
1. Grab & Go Items in the Fridge Shelf
Clear out a small space in your fridge, place a container with dividers in the area and then fill it with lunchbox essentials like juice, hummus singles, guacamole, singles, cheese sticks, and fruits and veggies portioned into single-serve snack bags. Doing this before the start of the week will cut lunch prep time in half.
2. Use Silicone Muffin Cups to Separate Items in a Lunchbox
And you thought these were just for baking! Place these muffin cups into a regular lunch container and separate your lunch items between the cups, this is great for bento-style lunches or if you need to keep crackers from getting soggy.
3. Freeze Sandwiches for a Quick Grab & Go Lunch or Snack
Just like the store-bought frozen pb&j sandwiches but better and less expensive! Make a large batch of PB & J sandwiches, place them into freezer safe sandwich bags and freeze for up to 2 months. When you are ready to pack remove from the freezer, pack into a lunchbox, and they are ready to eat by lunchtime.
4. Easy Clean Up for Sticky Hands
Instead of purchasing the little packs of wet wipes, why not make your own? Fold 2 wet wipes into a snack bag and pack into a lunchbox for the kiddos to wipe their hands before and after they eat. Because trust me, that pb&j sandwich you packed is going to be sticky and will end up on their clothes.
5. Spill-proof Condiments
These little sauce containers are lifesavers when you want to pack condiments and dressing for lunch. They prevent any lunchbox spills, or worse, busted ketchup packets in the lunchbox. You could also try the press and seal wrap on your lunch container to keep items safe inside or from spilling over into another lunch compartment.
Don’t underestimate these simple tips. Sometimes, the simplest things can help us save so much time when it comes to making sure we can pack fresh lunches every day.
What are some ways tips and tricks you use to make packing lunches easier?
To learn more about Juicy Juice real fruit juice products or find a store near you, click here.
I freeze my sandwiches and my juice boxes in the summer. works great!