MOMables Speedy, Healthy, Convenient, Lunch Packing Tips

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1 MOMables Speedy, Healthy, Convenient, Lunch Packing Tips Smart Prep Pack lunches the night before and store them in the refrigerator overnight. Maximize leftovers. Prepare extra servings at dinnertime for the next day s lunches. Pack the leftovers in lunchboxes in the evening when you re doing your regular dinner clean up. If you make sandwiches ahead of time you can freeze them and store in freezer up to 1 month. If storing in the fridge for a couple of days, wrap them in a moist paper towel to prevent bread from drying out (take paper towel, moisten with water, ring out and wrap sandwich). Look ahead in your weekly menu plans for items that you can make ahead to save you prep time in the morning. If you are making baked goods (pancakes, waffles, muffins, quiches) double the batch and freeze on a cookie sheet then transfer to a freezer bag. Popping items in the toaster or microwave takes minutes in the morning and no clean up! Pack an entire week s worth of lunches or a couple of days and store in the refrigerator in containers. Label with a dry erase pen: warm up, toast, ice pack etc for speedy packing in the morning. Stocking Up and Packaging Buy from bulk bins to reduce your costs. (Read ingredient labels carefully!) Make sure you have a set of containers that your child likes and can open easily. Pre-pack fruits, vegetables, nuts and snacks conveniently so you don t have to rely on packaged snack goods. Have lunch sized bag ice-packs ready for hot days. You can also freeze sandwiches and they will be defrosted by lunch. Pack Food in Reusable Containers Avoid plastic bags, plastic wrap, aluminum foil, and prepackaged foods whenever possible. Sturdy containers prevent squishing. Resealable containers make it easy for children to save uneaten food for an after-school snack. When your child packs out uneaten food, you re provided with a view into his lunch habits and preferences. Talk with your child about the food that comes home. Adjust quantity and food choices periodically. With prepackaged foods, the lunchbox may come home empty, but you won t know how much has been eaten and how much has been tossed into the trashcan. Purchase lunch items in bulk and split up in lunch containers. You will save money that way. Cut up fruits and vegetables. Children can eat some at lunch and save the rest for later. It s hard to take two bites of an apple during snack time and save the rest for lunch. It s easier to eat a wedge or two and then reseal the container for later. Use a Refillable Drink Bottle Consider using a made-to-last water bottle instead of refilling single-use bottles. Juiced drinks tend to be thrown away and your child will have nothing to drink the rest of the day. Use a Cloth apkin Instead of Paper Make sure your child s name is written on it so it s returned if it gets lost Pack Reusable Utensils Instead of Disposables Provide your child with utensils that will make lunch feel like a real meal!

2 MOMables Snack Guide A Snack List for Busy Parents 1. Air Popped Popcorn 2. Cottage Cheese 3. Hard Boiled Eggs 4. Hummus 5. Peanut Butter 6. Fruit Smoothies 7. Almonds 8. Sliced Apples 9. Frozen Grapes 10. Orange Slices 11. Baby Carrots 12. Cherry Tomatoes 13. Frozen Mango Pieces 14. Soy Chips 15. Tuna Salad 16. Whole Wheat Crackers 17. Pickles 18. Olives 19. Yogurt 20. Protein Bars (minimally processed or homemade) 21. Whole Grain Cereal 22. Cheese 23. Fresh Fruit 24. Berries 25. Pretzels 26. Smoothies 27. Healthier Baked Goods (homemade) 28. Quesadilla Bites 29. Frozen yogurt & fruit pops 30. Trail Mix 31. Raisins & Prunes 32. Fruit Salad Cups (homemade) 33. Whole Wheat Waffles 34. Oatmeal 35. Fruit Leather (homemade)

3 Whole-wheat Kid s Pizza-bagels 1 Whole-wheat bagel (2 halves) 2-3 TB tomato sauce ¼ cup shredded cheese Toppings of choice 1. Place open bagel on top of a cutting board. 2. Spread tomato sauce evenly on bagel halves without going over the sides. 3. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. 4. Add toppings of choice. 5. Insert in toaster until cheese melts. 6. Serve with fruit & veggies. Make the pizzas ahead of time but do not bake/toast. Place them in the toaster oven in the morning before packing them in lunch box. You can make an entire bag of bagels ahead of time and freeze the pizzas on a cookie sheet. Transfer to a freezer bag and take out as needed. If you don t have a toaster oven, use the broil setting in your oven for about 2-3min.

4 Italian Pasta Salad ½ cup cooked pasta of choice 1 oz Monterey jack cheese (or child s favorite cheese) 2 Slices turkey breast, cut in small pieces 3-5 peperoni slices, cut in pieces 1-2 tsp olive oil, dash of salt & pepper Optional: 3-4 cherry tomatoes sliced in half, fresh basil 1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Toss well to evenly coat with olive oil and seasoning. Serve with fresh fruit, veggies & treat of choice. You can make this salad ahead of time and store in refrigerator up to 3 days. This pasta salad is good warm or cold.

5 The Classic Deli Box 2-3 Slices of cheese, cut into squares 2 Slices of Ham or Turkey, cut into circles 6 Circle crackers 7. Cut cheese into squares (rectangles work fine if you are cutting block cheese) 8. Lay ham or turkey slices on cutting board and with a circle cutter cut out all the meat or with a shot glass if you don t have a circle cutter. 9. Place crackers on separate container so they don t get soggy from ham and cheese moisture. Make deli box ahead of time. Store in the refrigerator. If heat is a concern where you are, place deli box in the freezer for at least an hour in the morning to cool. Insert cold packs in lunch box if necessary. Love how easy our menu items are to make and follow? You too can make healthy, fresh, convenient lunches in less than 10 minutes with our help! Check out our subscription options at