Back to school may look very different for all of us in just a few short weeks. However, back to school lunches don’t have to be all that different. Whether you are opting for remote learning or sending your child(ren) back to school full time, you can still save yourself time and energy by packing lunches ahead of time.
My recent Facebook post (noted below) sparked several questions and I thought it would be fitting to write a post about
Do I miss packing lunches? Heck no! But I do miss the routine and knowing that my kids will be fed. So today, I woke up and packed lunches, so that when lunch time rolls around and they’re hungry and the twins are hungry and I’m hungry and my working from home husband is hungry I have a little less to do. It can feel like more “to do” this, but I know it will make the day feel lighter. I implore you to try it, too.
Laura – The Green Giraffe Eats
What lunch boxes I use
I’ve had a lot of questions about the lunch boxes I use for my kids. Whatever school is going to look like for you next year, these bento style lunch boxes by Bentgo have been really great for my kids!
Key features I love
Leak proof design – These bad boys seal really well – when I send juicy fruits or dips such as hummus, ranch or nut butters there is no leaking. Each little compartment has it’s own rubber seal, so things don’t spill into other compartments. In the picture below the small circle compartment is filled with hummus, for example.
Dishwasher Safe – The insert is dishwasher safe, if you want to do extra sanitizing besides hand washing it. The outer shelf should really be hand washed.
Drop Proof – The edges are rubberized and can withstand a lot of accidental drops over time. We all know kids can be very clumsy – who am I kidding? I am very clumsy myself.
Keeps Food Cold – I send my kids lunches with a bentgo ice pack on the outside. What they don’t eat they leave in the box and bring home. With the use of the ice pack on the outside the food that comes home has still remained cool. I was pleasantly surprised and impressed by this.
Check out the picture below, you can see that the bentgo box, bentgo ice pack and a juice box will fit into a standard lunch bag.
Holds Adequate Amount of Food – The bentgo bento style lunch box still works for my 8 year old son, but I can see as he gets older it won’t be enough food for him to eat. I would recommend this for about ages 3-8. You know your child and how much he/she eats so it may last longer for you.
Check out the picture below and see how much food I am able to pack in these Bentgo boxes: Ham & cheese tortilla roll up, cucumber slices, carrots, strawberries, a yogurt tube- artfully bent to fit, goldfish crackers, fruit snacks and a 2 pack of Oreos!
No More Plastic Bags – I love that I am not wasting 3-5 plastic bags per child per day. Once all four kids are in school that could be anywhere from 12-20 bags each day. This helps me reduce my ecological footprint and that’s something I feel good about.
Quick Food Access – Many parents, myself included, feel that kids do not have adequate time for lunch at school. By opening all packages (think granola bars, fruit snack, crackers, etc. ) the food is ready to grab and eat, so you save your child a lot of precious time.
Adorable Designs – When we bought our Bentgos they didn’t have these cute designs! I’m sure when the twins are older we will snag some super cute new boxes. Sport, Safari, Mermaid, Tropical – just check out all of the amazing designs available.
If you have any other questions about back to school lunches, what to pack or anything at all, please always feel free to reach out to me. You can do so here.
Whatever you decide for your children in the fall, I applaud you for the difficult decision you have to make. There is no right way and no wrong way to educate your children; so please do what you feel is best for your family. My only suggestion is to pack lunches ahead of time so that when lunch does roll around you are ahead of the game.
And with that I will say goodbye, happy cooking and happy lunch packing!
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Cheers,
Laura
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