Every since Pinterest launched, parents are feeling like they have no excuse not to be creative. The one who aren’t particularly creative on their own now have a way to get ideas from those who are. One particular thing that is all over Pinterest is getting creative with school lunches. Organization can be a challenge, so they’re looking for each other for some ideas. If you need ideas for your kids’ lunches, here are some of the best lunch box hacks ever.
Jello Shot Cups
When you order takeout, sauces come in little plastic containers with lids. You might wish you had some of these little containers for your children’s school lunches. Well, they aren’t offered to businesses only. These magical containers are advertised as jello shot cups. The two-ounce cups are perfect for packing small sides and dipping sauces for your kids. You can buy large packs from local stores and Amazon for only a few bucks. They’re perfect for a side of ranch, berries, or packing a handful of M&Ms as a treat.
Lunch Packing Station
Creating a lunch packing station will give you less work and allow your kids to pick out what they take to school. Buy plastic containers with handle or baskets to put in your fridge and pantry. Each container will have a food from a different category, so your kids can go through the station and pick one item from each container.
For example, one container might contain different types of fruit or fruit cups. Another container can have packs of different sweet treats, such as Oreos, chocolate chips cookies, and mini cupcakes. Another container can be full of yogurts and string cheese. Each morning just pull out the containers and let your kids pick what they want and pack their own lunch box.
Bento Lunch Box Containers
Bento Lunch box containers are a great way to organize your child’s lunches. They are plastic containers that have a large space and several smaller spaces to organize your child’s food without it getting mashed up or mixed together. This way, you don’t have to worry about only sending pre-packaged foods with your kids. Instead of spending more on individual yogurt packs, you can save money by buying a large tub of yogurt and scooping some into one of the small spaces in the tray.
Muffin Liners
If you don’t have a bento lunchbox container, you can use a single plastic container. To keep foods from getting mixed together, place different items into muffin liners. Line the inside of the plastic container with the muffin liners, put the foods into them, and then put the lid on top. Just make sure your child knows not to shake up the lunch box because this is one of the flimsier organizational ideas. However, it will work until you can find something better.
Lunch boxes don’t have to be boring or frustrating. Parents everywhere are getting creative, and it is putting a spark in their children’s day at lunchtime. Try the lunch packing station so you can make your life easier and let your kids have a little freedom with their choices. Get some organizers so you can pack some things that wouldn’t have worked before.
Boy these containers look like they’d keep the food nice and fresh. I remember being little and having a warm tuna sandwich in my metal lunch box. Yuck. To make it worse it had been rolling around in my bag and on the playground. Wish they would have had these containers back then.
I’m sure it wasn’t a pleasant smell either. I try to put ice packs too to keep everything cold.