Packing your kiddos lunch boxes getting a bit mundane? Then these ten life-changing lunch box hacks have you and your kids’ names on it!
FROZEN
Keep your kid’s juice in the freezer and pop it into their lunch box just before they leave for school. It will keep their lunch cold and will be defrosted, but still refreshingly cool, by break time.
SUPER SARMIES
When you’re making a sarmie with lettuce, tomatoes or gherkins, make sure they are sitting in the middle, with your cheese or ham on the outside. This will prevent the veggies from making your bread soggy
PLAN AHEAD
Make all the lunches for the family on a Sunday evening and freeze them in ziplock bags. Pop them out in the morning and you’re on your way.
ELBOW GREASE
Even if your Tupperware is dishwasher safe, it will eventually get scratched and stained. Teach your kids to handwash their lunch boxes as soon as they get home.
MAKE SPACE
Need to keep the elements in your lunch boxes separate? Buy a set of silicone cupcake liners and arrange them inside to create lots of little compartments, or get a bento lunch box.
LEFTOVER LOVE
Whenever you make a big pasta or rice dish, divide what’s left over into individual portions to enjoy the next day. Pasta and rice meals also freeze well.
POPCORN POWER
Popcorn is a healthy, nutritious snack that is filled with fibre and can be prepped and packed in under 5 minutes. Don’t want to use the whole bag? Keep the popcorn in airtight containers in the fridge and it won’t go stale. (This works with chips too!)
SNACK STATION
Prepare the main element and the snacks separately. Get everyone to pack their own lunch by grabbing the main dish from the freezer and choosing 2 snack options from the snack station.
MORE THAN SANDWICHES
We know kids need carbs for energy, but this needn’t mean sandwiches. Try savoury muffins, crackers, pitas
or tortillas with yummy toppings or fillings.
BUY IN BULK
Don’t buy snacks for one day, or even one week, at a time. Check out your local wholesalers and find the best deal for buying in bulk. You can do this for juice, chips, snack bars – anything non-perishable.
Words: Roxy Greeff
Photography: Unsplash
Need a quick and easy way to get all your nutrients in for the week without splurging on cash? Here are some tips on how to meal-plan, like a boss – thank us later!
