ML Interest Tag: lunch-ideas

15 Creative and Easy Lunch Ideas for Kids (That Aren’t Sandwiches)

by Abigail Matsumoto

Make your kid the star of the lunchroom with these school lunch ideas

Ready to branch out from PB&J? It’s easy to shake up your lunch ideas for kids with these recipes! From homemade chicken nuggets to cobb salad, there are tons of ways to give sandwiches a break. Lunchtime is about to get way more interesting!

Lunch Box Art

Check out this adorable lunchbox idea! Use these eyeball spears to hold the food down and make cute creatures, if you’re so inclined.

Meatballs and Veggies

lunch ideas for kids
One Lovely Life

This protein-packed lunch doesn't take too much time to pull together in the morning. Simply warm up meatballs (store-bought or homemade both work) and add their favorite veggies to the other spots in the bento box. See more great lunch ideas from One Lovely Life.

Deep Dish Mini Pizzas

One Little Project

Pizza lovers, rejoice! With this idea from One Little Project, you can have itty bitty deep dish pizzas that are the perfect size for lunchboxes. Customize with your fave toppings for a truly magical lunch.

Peanut Butter and Banana Roll Ups

lunch ideas for kids
Damn Delicious

You can’t get more colorful (or yummy!) than this lunchbox idea from Damn Delicious! It’s packed with strawberries, pretzels, tangerines, and celery sticks, along with quick wraps that are—you guessed it—super quick to make.

Baked Chicken Nuggets

Load up their lunch boxes with a healthy and homemade version of a fast food staple! These lunch ideas for kids will go over like gangbusters with kids who crave nuggets 24/7—and you’ll be surprised how easy they are to make. Snag the recipe here.

Homemade Lunchables

Snap. Eat. Run.

Step away from the store-bought Lunchables! You can totally whip up your own version of this lunchbox classic—and even add some healthy additions (hello, fruit!) while you’re at it. Get inspired to make your own over at Snap. Eat. Run.

Skip the juice and pair it with Creative Roots! This plant-powered coconut water beverage has a taste kids love. With one gram of sugar, it’s a happy hydration solution for all.

Turkey Spinach Pinwheels Lunch Box

lunch ideas for kids
Damn Delicious

More pinwheels, please! These super healthy bites—along with a hefty dose of fruits and veggies—are customizable, easy to make, and utterly delicious. Plus, you can make them ahead of time and have lunch for the whole week. Get the recipe from Damn Delicious.

Taco Salad Lunch Bowl

Kristine's Kitchen

Turn your lunch into a fiesta with this creative idea from Kristine’s Kitchen! Filled with taco beef, lettuce, cheese, black beans, corn and salsa, these lunch bowls are bursting with flavor and are healthy to boot.

Pepperoni Pizza Bites

A Taste of Madness

Got thirty minutes? That’s how long it takes to make these four-ingredient bites from A Taste of Madness! Sporting some pepperoni and your fave cheese, they’ve got all the flavors of pizza and will fit just right in a lunchbox.

Mini Bagels with Cream Cheese

Chelsea's Messy Apron

Bagels with cream cheese are a classic at any time! Let your kids pick their favorite flavor and fill a small container with cream cheese. They'll have fun slathering their bagels, and you can throw in cheese and fruit or veggies to round out their lunch. See the details and get other lunch ideas for kids over at Chelseas' Messy Apron. 

Fruit and Cream Cheese Wraps

lunch ideas for kids
Healthy Seasonal Recipes

For a sweet but still healthy lunch idea for kids, you’ve got to try these wraps from Healthy Seasonal Recipes. Pair them with fresh veggies for a light and delicious meal.

Kiddie Cobb Salad

this kiddie cobb salad is a great cold dinner idea
Mom's Kitchen Handbook

Turn veggie-averse kids into salad eaters with this genius take on cobb salad from Mom’s Kitchen Handbook. You can customize it with toppings your littles will like, but we figure avocados, turkey and hard-boiled eggs are a delicious place to start.

Homemade Kraft Easy Mac

lunch ideas for kids
Food Fanatic

Mac and cheese is a surefire win for our kids, which is why we love this take on easy mac from Food Fanatic. The best part? It’s made entirely in the microwave and comes together in a flash.

Sweetie Pie Quesadilla

Jennifer Martine

Sneak veggies into your kid’s diet with these delish quesadillas by Katie Sullivan. In addition to being tot-approved, they’re also easy to make ahead and quickly reheat.

Pizza Pasta Salad

lunch ideas for kids
Veggie Quest

Pasta salad is always a great lunch idea for kids, and this pizza-inspired version from Veggie Quest is bound to be a hit with the little ones. With good-for-you ingredients like beans and veggies, it’s a win for health, too.

Don't forget the Creative Roots to make this meal even more fun! This plant-powered coconut water beverage has a taste kids love. With one gram of sugar, you can feel good about it, too.

 —with additional reporting by Taylor Clifton and Susie Foresman

 

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Supercharge Your Kid’s Lunches with These Japanese Superfoods

By Alexandra Gabalda

As COVID-19 disrupted our lives over the past two years, there is one country that has been doing better than others since the beginning: Japan. In fact, on July 4, 2020, while the Wuhan-Alpha variant raged across the globe and vaccines and treatments were not yet available, the BBC published an article called, “Coronavirus: Japan’s Mysteriously Low Virus Death Rate.” And most recently, on January 14, 2022, The Japan Times said the country’s low death rates may have something to do with “intestinal bacteria.” And what helps have intestinal bacteria? Good food choices!

We’re not saying that food alone can cure COVID-19, and please, if you have any questions regarding COVID-19, please reach your doctor or a health professional. We’re not doctors nor nutritionists, but we have been curating hundreds of Japanese school lunch menus and we’ve noticed a few superfoods that appear regularly in Japanese school lunches that can surely help our bodies.

Here are the top superfoods that can be regulalry found in Japanese kids’ lunches:

Fish & Seafood

Fish and seafood are part of a well-balanced healthy diet, as they are major sources of omega-3 fats and are also rich in other nutrients such as vitamin D. Eating fish or taking fish oil are good for the heart and blood vessels and the American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least two times per week as part of a healthy diet.

The fish we most commonly find in the Japanese school lunch menus are mackerel/aji (horse mackerel), salmon, tuna, hoki, jako (baby sardines), shrimp and squid. Whether it’s deep-fried, in salads, in omelets, fish and chips or fish burgers, kids in Japan eat a variety of seafood for lunch.

Seaweed

In a salad, in a stew, in a hearty miso soup, or mixed with rice, seaweed is everywhere in the Japanese school lunch menus.

Ginger

Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that may help in removing toxins from the respiratory tract. With its spicy and warm taste, consider adding a tiny bit of ginger into soups, stews or over plain rice. Another way to use ginger? Add it to warm water with lemon, honey, and thyme—it’s so good when it’s cold outside, plus it helps when we have a sore throat.

Garlic

Several studies mention that garlic may help decrease inflammation and boost immune function. Another impressive benefit of garlic is that garlic is a natural blood thinner and helps against blood clotting. Our recommendation for school lunches? Slice it or crush it with the help of a garlic press, or sprinkle a little bit of garlic powder into your soups and over your sautéed veggies.

Natto

Natto are small fermented soybeans that look like tiny cannellini beans. It seems it is actually an event better superfood than garlic for preventing blood clots! Full disclosure: kids may not like the texture (they actually have a very cheesy, slimy, stringy texture, so the best way to eat natto is to pair it with rice) and the smell (natto smell like old cheese!). But it may be worth the try!

Seafood, seaweed, ginger, garlic, and natto are just some of Japan’s superfoods that can easily incorporated into our everyday meals, can certainly help our gut health and who knows, maybe even help with some of the side effects from COVID. Looking for more inspiration? Explore Japanese lunch ideas on Teuko.com.

 

 

This post originally appeared on Teuko Blog.

Teuko is the first platform that empowers families to simplify lunch packing. Using Teuko, they can find and share kid-approved lunchbox ideas, recipes, and tips, all in one place. Teuko is transforming the lunch packing experience by boosting inspiration and motivation week after week. 

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Everything You Need to Get Back-to-School Ready

by Kate Loweth

Don’t let the back-to-school process overwhelm you! This handy guide includes everything you’ll need in the school supplies department, ideas to combat first-day jitters, funny jokes to get you through and cute clothes that kids will love. Plus, we’ve included some lunch tips and hacks for when you just cannot make another PB&J. Parents, we’ve got you covered!

GEAR

School Supplies

Etsy

Massive school supply lists can send any parent off the deep end. Don't worry, we've got you covered! 

Order up some personalized products from your favorite Etsy sellers. There are also loads of unique school supplies like avocado pens and macaron erasers that will make your kid's transition to school that much more fun. 

Add these rainbow school supplies from Amazon to your cart. The more color the better! You can find even more of our favorite Amazon school supplies here. 

Backpacks

This list has loads of great backpack options including super stylish backpacks, adaptive backpacks for kids in wheelchairs and wheelie backpacks for those who have to bring every book home every day. 

Lunch Boxes & Snack Bags

Start the year off strong with the perfect lunch box. This story has loads of options that will keep your food chilled, in separate compartments or piping hot—just the way your kid likes it. 

While you are at it, grab some reusable snack bags so that you can go all green this year. 

Bento Boxes

Kinsho Bento Box

Put a bento box into your kid's lunch and they'll love the little compartments that can fit everything from rolled-up sandwiches to tiny crackers. There are even some that will keep your lunch chilled all day. 

Water Bottles

Takeya

Leaky water bottles are the bain of parental existence, right? These are our favorite water bottles for kids from sippy cup versions to insulated stainless steel water bottles. that parents will love too. 

Gear & Clothing Labels

school labels

One piece of advice for school: label everything. These are our favorite labels for clothing and gear. 

CLOTHING

Clothing Subscriptions

Kidpik

Do yourself a favor and get your kids a clothing subscription service this school year. They will get some awesome new styles sent right to them and you don't have to take them shopping with you. Win-win! 

Adaptive & Sensory-Friendly Clothes

Kohl's

When it comes to back-to-school clothes shopping, your kid’s all about perfecting “the look.” And with on-trend adaptive clothing lines galore to choose from, even issues like Sensory Processing Disorder or other special needs won’t hold your fashion-forward kiddo back. This BTS season it’s ready, set, shop … for everyone. 

Shoes

Native Shoes

Let your little one slip into something easy and stylish this back-to-school season. These lace-free options give even the smallest pre-schooler the independence to get ready on their own. Which means less work for you!

Face Masks

Mightly

If your school is requiring face masks for in-person learners, now is the time to refresh your collection. This massive list has all the character, colorful and black (tweens, right?) face masks for kids that you could want. 

MAKE THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL TRANSITION EASIER

Ease the Back-to-School Jitters

iStock

Snag one of these books that talk about school to get little ones ready for the big day. There's even one that specifically dives into how this year will be extra different. 

The first day doesn't have to be something you are stressed about. There are loads of ways to make the first day easy for parents and kids alike. 

Get your crew in the right frame of mind with some back-to-school jokes that tickle their funny bone. 

This list has tons of other ideas like adjusting schedules early and doing a trial run that can help with kids' anxiety about school. While you're at it, establish a good bedtime routine so the kids know what to expect. 

Start a school day tradition like listening to a favorite song on the ride to school or having a special thing you say to your kids when you drop them off. 

After a big day of big transitions, dinner can be the last night on your mind. Make dinner easy with these meal kit delivery companies. 

Lunch Ideas Beyond PB&J

Kristine's Kitchen

Save this one for mid-October when all the lunch inspiration is gone. We've got tons of ideas for lunches from corndog muffins to grilled cheese rollups to freezer sandwiches. 

Snag a bento box and check out this list of inspirational ideas for bento box lunches. All the friends will be jealous of your little one's spread! 

Check out our massive list of new snacks to mix things up in the snack department. 

Can't bring peanut butter to school due to allergies? This list has you covered. You should also follow these food allergy bloggers as they have great ideas! 

Homework Help

iStock

Struggling with getting into the homework flow? This story has a slew of tips to make it easier on kids and parents alike! 

—Kate Loweth

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Back-to-School Tips to Start the School Year Off Right

by Karly Wood

From easing first-day-jitters to making sure the kids get on the school routine to morning shortcuts and more, we’ve asked our network of 20 million parents what they do to make the transition into the new school year a success. With school around the corner, you’ll want to keep scrolling to get prepped for the coming year.

Be Prepared

Burst

"I keep a "mobile unit" in the back of my car. Essentially, it's filled with literally ANYTHING we could possibly need so we can dash out in a moment's notice. If we are running late for school, I can grab from these bins in the parking lot. Items in the back include everything from an extra pair of shoes, a change of clothes, a thin jacket or sweatshirt, snacks, etc (for each kid). There are even extra bags so if they forget their backpack I can stuff a tote bag with the change of clothes they are required to bring, some shoes, etc."  –Meghan M.

"I try to take each of my three kids shopping for school supplies on their own (even though I'd rather just bulk order everything from Amazon). They wear uniforms to school so this is their one opportunity to show a little personal style."  –Kate L.

"Shop online to avoid crowds. Kids can pick fun stuff that stores might not carry (cool designs for pencils, folders, notebooks, etc.). Plan out the first week of lunches/snacks. Check Pinterest for simple kid lunch ideas and easy dinner recipes. About 3 weeks before 1st day back, have the kids' body clocks re-charge by having them get to bed earlier - yes, even if they know that other kids are outside at 8:30-9." –Margaret B.

"We just started working on a bridge book between grades ... Not difficult and kind of fun activities, but it gets them going again on writing, math and science concepts they learned during the year and maybe a little that is new and coming up this year." –Emma T.

Easing Back Into a Routine

Avalonrose via Pixabay

"I bought each kid an alarm clock so they can set it and learn time management and be responsible for waking themselves up. Start the morning routine a week before school, so their body clock acclimates to getting up early. It also helps a ton to pick out outfits the night before- especially for tween girls!"  –Beth S.

"I start the early bedtime routine like a week ahead of time. We also try to have a super fun week before school starts, to 'get summer out of our system.'" –Gabby C.

"[We use a visual countdown clock.] You set it, and it helps kids see the passing of time, as well when they are running out of it. (easier to grasp than "you have 5 more minutes, and also, I guess helps with some autonomy—it's your time, budget wisely.) It's also a little like a game—beat the clock. You get to choose a picture to reveal, and glitter explosions happen when time is up." –Mimi O.

"Studies show younger children do better with [an] early start. It will be [an] adjustment but start 5 days ahead, getting ready for bed and doing bedtime routine." –Rhodora S.

Easing the Jitters

Austin Pacheco via Unsplash

"New clothes help first day jitters, coffee and wine help with the rest. Pro Tip: empty the backpack EVERY day!! –Laura P.

"To quell our son's anxiety about back to school in general and a new school specifically, we planned a trip that goes up until a couple days before school starts. We'll do our BTS shopping before we go. When he started Kindergarten, we met the teacher a couple days before, and she gave him this little bag that had glitter stars and other such things. She said, "I know you will be a star at the school, so put this under your pillow the night before your first day and all your wishes will come true." –Amber G.

Celebrating the First Day

Pixabay

"On the first day of school, I always pack a fun shareable dessert in my kids’ lunchboxes. Something I wouldn’t normally pack like a tube of mini M&Ms, a small package of cookies or a box of Red Vines. The dessert acts like an “icebreaker” of sorts … my kids can share it with old friends and new friends, and it makes their new lunch routine a lot easier. –Kristina M.

Start a fun back to school tradition, like the First Day Fairy. –Red Tricycle

––Karly Wood
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How to Provide Healthy Meals for Kids Attending School at Home

By Rae Steinbach

If you’re homeschooling your children by choice, or you’re doing so because of COVID-19 shutdowns, it’s a challenge. Homeschooling your children can be rewarding, but there are also a lot of things you have to overcome. One issue you may be facing is how to keep giving your kids healthy, nutritious snacks and meals while they’re spending so much time at home. The kids’ meals you feed your family, as well as their snacks, are what will fuel them to perform at their best level during their homeschool day, and the following are some tips and ideas. 

1. Use a Meal Delivery Service
One option that can be convenient and perhaps a lifesaver, especially if you’re working from home at the same time as teaching or overseeing learning, is a meal delivery service. A meal delivery service will bring kid-approved, fresh, and prepared items right to your door. It eliminates the need to do meal prep, and if you go with a delivery service like Yumble, their items are specifically geared toward even the pickiest of eaters. 

2. Create an Idea List
If your kids are a bit older and you want to take some of the work off your plate, you can create a list of meal and snack ideas, perhaps monthly or weekly. Stock the house with the items from that list, and then your kids can refer to it when they’re hungry. They can use it as inspiration to make their own meals and snacks based on what you have at home and what they’re in the mood for. You can make it part of your kids’ responsibilities to mark off any ingredient or food items that you run out of from the list, so you know when to replenish them. 

3. Prep Snacks
You may already be meal prepping for lunch when you’re homeschooling, but don’t forget about snacks. Snacks are an important part of kids’ days and they fill-in nutritional gaps with items they might not get during mealtime. If you meal prep, make time to prepare snacks ahead of time as well. Packs of cut-up vegetables with dips are a good option, as are hardboiled eggs and muffins. 

4. Get Inspired
The following are some ideas you can use as inspiration for lunch ideas when your kids learning at home:

  • Cheese quesadillas on whole wheat tortillas
  • Breakfast for lunch with things like scrambled eggs and pancakes
  • Mini pizzas on pita bread
  • Almond butter and jelly sandwiches

5. Choose Accessible Tools & Storage
Finally, when you’re making lunches and snacks for your kids during the homeschool day, there are some tools and storage containers that can make things easier. You can use mason jars to store items like soup, salads, or fruit and vegetables that you prepare ahead of time. Silicon muffin cups are a fun way to make dips accessible for fruits and vegetables. You can also use color-coded plates and Tupperware so kids can easily find the items meant for them. 

It can be a bit of a challenge to also handle lunches and snacks when you’re homeschooling your kids, but with a little planning, it’s also more than possible.

 

"Rae is a graduate of Tufts University with a combined International Relations and Chinese degree. After spending time living and working abroad in China, she returned to NYC to pursue her career and continue curating quality content. Rae is passionate about travel, food, and writing (of course)."

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Want to Send a Hot Lunch to School? Here’s How You Do It

By Alexandra Gabalda

Some schools used to let their students reheat their lunch with microwaves in the lunchroom. But the COVID-19 crisis has changed the game. A lot of parents are now looking for alternatives and best practices to make sure their kids can still enjoy a hot lunch at school.

What food can we pack in an insulated lunchbox container that will actually look appetizing? And, How to keep food warm in an insulated container until lunchtime? We asked Jessica, CEO, and co-founder of Teuko.com. She is a mom of 2 children who attend The Lycee Francais de San Francisco, where the microwaves were banned last year. She had to reinvent lunch packing and use an insulated container daily. Follow her real-life tips and tricks to prepare hot, easy, and delicious lunches for the kids at school.

Tips & Tricks to Keep Food Warm until Lunchtime
If you have decided to use an insulated container, there are a few tricks to know that will ensure that the food you send to school stays warm until lunchtime.

1. Prepare dinner with extra servings or prepare dinner and lunch at the same time, so that you can set portions aside in a food storage container overnight in the fridge. Match the capacity of the food storage container (glass container if possible) with the capacity of the insulated lunch container. It will make the transfer easier the following morning, and it will help avoid food waste!

We noticed that the small Glasslock containers had the same capacity as the Thermos Funtainer (10oz). Bigger Glasslock containers have the same capacity as other Thermos or containers like S’nack by Swell 24oz. We like to use smaller insulated lunch boxes when we add an extra side, and bigger insulated containers when there is only one main dish.

2. In the morning, reheat the insulated lunch container first. When you wake up, reheat your insulated lunch container. Boil water, 212C/100C (very easy with an electric kettle). Fill your insulated lunch container at full capacity, close it, and let it stand. You’ll have then plenty of time to eat your breakfast, get ready and or finish preparing the rest of the lunch.

3. Before leaving the house, reheat the lunch. Take what you prepared out of the fridge and reheat it until it’s super hot. We like to use a pan or saucepan, which takes about 5-7 minutes. You can also use a microwave, which takes about 2-3 minutes, but depending on your microwave oven, the final result (your kid getting a hot lunch) may not be as expected.

4. Transfer the hot food to the hot insulated container. Empty the hot water from the insulated container. Pour the hot food into the insulated container. Note that liquids tend to stay warmer than solid foods and that solid foods tend to stay warmer if you compress well and fill in the insulated container at maximum capacity.

5. Place everything in the lunch bag, close carefully, and voilà! Your kids will be very happy to enjoy a warm meal, especially during cold, windy, foggy days like what we have in San Francisco.

What Food Should You Pack In an Insulated Container?
Here are kid-approved hot lunch ideas popular on Teuko.com that are easy to prepare and that hold up well in an insulated container.

1. Hot Lunch Idea #1: Soup
If you are looking for nutritious and stress-free hot lunch recipe ideas, soups are a must-try. They actually allow you to get a nutritious and tasty meal in no time while not requiring any specific culinary know-how nor a recipe. Find below 4 of the most popular soup ideas you need to know for the lunchbox:

  • Hot or cold, tomato soups are perfect with grilled cheese for the lunchbox.
  • Peas and spinach make a simple and healthy green soup.
  • Mix zucchinis with your kids’ favorite cheese and enjoy. Our kids learned to love zucchinis by mixing the Laughing Cow creamy cheese, or brie.
  • The sweet taste of carrots will welcome any other vegetable or spice. Start easy with our carrot pumpkin puree.

2. Hot Lunch Idea #2: Pasta
It’s a no-brainer, pasta lunches will always make meal preparation simpler than ever. The good news is that pasta will always look appetizing to your kids, including in an insulated container. No need to make it complicated, think about mac and cheese, pesto pasta, bolognese, tuna pasta. Families like to add some veggies like carrots or peas to plain pasta. In any case, go and have fun trying all the varieties of pasta available: alphabet pasta, penne, shells…

3. Hot Lunch Idea #3: Scrambled eggs with cheese
Add a salad and some fruits, and you’ll get one of the kids’ favorite breakfast for lunch ideas that holds perfectly in any insulated container. Pro tip: scrambled eggs can be prepared at the very last minute in the morning, on the stovetop, or with a microwave if you are in a rush.

4. Hot Lunch Idea #4: Lentils or beans
It’s easy to enhance the taste of these foods by combining sausages, meat, carrots, tomatoes…Dinner leftovers work usually greatly mixed all together with beans or lentils!

5. Hot Lunch Idea #5: Rice, couscous, or quinoa
The most adventurous kids will certainly appreciate a mix of veggies like carrots, zucchinis, broccoli, and peas, combined with grains such as rice, couscous, or quinoa. This is also a great way to reuse leftovers of veggies at home. No time to cut and prepare veggies? Use tomato sauce that you can always improve with garlic, onions, or any meat left.

Isn’t it easier than you thought to send a hot and tasty lunch to school?

Photo: @learningandlovingtolunch

 

This post originally appeared on Teuko Blog.

Teuko is the first platform that empowers families to simplify lunch packing. Using Teuko, they can find and share kid-approved lunchbox ideas, recipes, and tips, all in one place. Teuko is transforming the lunch packing experience by boosting inspiration and motivation week after week. 

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8 Ways to Serve a Vegetable in Your Kid’s Lunchbox

By Alexandra Gabalda

Are you struggling to get your kids to eat veggies? Playing with the textures and the shapes is a wonderful opportunity to pick the curiosity and the interest of your child.

1. Experiment with Textures. It’s always a good idea to start by mixing a new veggie in a soup. Soups are the easiest way to sneak in a new flavor and give the kids some time to get used to it. Some kids will prefer mashed food for more texture. Both options allow you to mix any new veggie with other ingredients or seasonings that your kids already love.

2. Experiment with Shapes. When your child is ready to try a new veggie, you can serve it raw and play with shapes. Try them whole, sliced, shaved, diced, or in sticks. Some accessories will make it even easier and fun to get creative by making fun shapes: Try a special-shaped food cutter or a crinkle cutter available in the kitchen section of most home stores. These fun accessories are also a great way to involve the kids in the preparation and get them more likely to eat! Choose a dip like hummus or cream cheese, and you’re all set. Even if your child already likes veggies, it’s good for them to vary the way you prepare and serve that food. It will prevent them from getting bored and will train them to embrace variety in their food choices.

Here are 8 easy ways to serve one same veggie to your children while introducing them to variety!

Are you ready to experiment new ways to serve your kid’s favorite food? See what other parents are doing by exploring all the lunch ideas on Teuko.com with the food of your choice.  Don’t forget to check out our selection of top 3 accessories that will help your child make eating lunch easier and more fun.

Photo: via Canva
This post originally appeared on Teuko Blog.

Teuko is the first platform that empowers families to simplify lunch packing. Using Teuko, they can find and share kid-approved lunchbox ideas, recipes, and tips, all in one place. Teuko is transforming the lunch packing experience by boosting inspiration and motivation week after week. 

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5 Ways to Simplify School Lunch Prep

By Alexandra Gabalda

The kitchen can easily become cluttered, making it less efficient to do daily tasks like making the kids’ lunches. Here are our top five kitchen organization tricks to help organize your kitchen and simplify school lunch preparation.

1. Clean Out Your Pantry & Refrigerator 
Places like the pantry and fridge can quickly become disorganized. If you often catch yourself searching for certain foods or rummaging past miscellaneous items like pet food or cleaning supplies, take the time to clean out these spaces. Remove everything and set them on the counter or table. Sort through the items and toss anything that is expired, anything you know you won’t use, or anything that doesn’t belong.

While everything is out of the pantry or refrigerator, take a moment to wipe down the surfaces. Before you put anything back, create an organizational system that makes the most sense for you—such as sorting and storing items by type or priority for easier access. Bonus points if you repackage some items into clear storage bins for better visibility!

2. Optimize Your Storage Spaces 
While we wish everyone could have walk-in pantries and spacious cabinets, that’s not always the case. Regardless of the size of your kitchen, there are ways to maximize what you have and create a more optimized storage system. Use cabinet shelves to double or triple your shelf space or under-cabinet baskets to create additional storage. If you don’t already have a kitchen island, add a simple wire shelving unit with a wooden top. Not only will this increase your storage space, but it will also increase the amount of work surface you have.

For a weekend project, you can go a step further and renovate your pantry. Remove inefficient wood shelves and replace them with wire shelving. A small swap like this can make a world of a difference for everyday use.

3. Keep Frequently Used Items on a Cart 
Are you always pulling out the same items when making your kids’ lunch or running out of storage room? One of our favorite multi-purpose solutions for kitchen organization is a mobile wire utility cart. This rolling cart can act as moveable storage to hold frequently used snacks, containers, or cooking utensils. This can help streamline the lunch preparation—not only allowing you to pull out everything at once but giving you the ability to tuck it away quickly once done.

4. Designate a Lunch Box Home 
Never hunt for a lunch bag again by creating a designated lunch box storage spot. Streamline the process and add small coat hooks in your pantry or a J-hook onto wire shelving to hang lunch boxes near where you prepare the food. Alternatively, keep them along with their backpack, sports gear, or other school items to keep it all stored in one spot.

5. Make Lunch Prep Accessible to Your Kids 
When your kids feel like they’re part of the lunch-making process, they may be more encouraged to eat and enjoy the meal. Help get your kids involved by keeping items easily accessible. Organize your kitchen to give them some autonomy—store common lunch foods at their height, like in a lower drawer in the fridge or on a lower shelf in the pantry and ask them to pick out what type of fruit cup they want that day.

Store non-dangerous utensils like kid-safe knives, plastic cookie cutters, or rubber containers at their level to select and grab themselves. You can also stash a small stool nearby, so they can reach the counter and assist with food prep and lunch box assembly.

Hopefully these kitchen organization tips will help make packing the kids’ lunches more efficient and enjoyable for the whole family.

RELATED:
Streamline Healthy School Lunch Prep
30+ Unique Lunch Ideas to Try This Fall
22 Lunchbox Hacks That’ll Help You Survive the School Year

Photo: Ace Of Space Organization

This post originally appeared on Teuko Blog.

Teuko is the first platform that empowers families to simplify lunch packing. Using Teuko, they can find and share kid-approved lunchbox ideas, recipes, and tips, all in one place. Teuko is transforming the lunch packing experience by boosting inspiration and motivation week after week. 

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How to Use & Send Avocado in Your Child’s Lunchbox

By Alexandra Gabalda

Even if most kids love avocado, they often leave it untouched in the lunchbox because they didn’t like the first signs of browning. Just like with apples, bananas, and potatoes, avocados turn brown when it’s exposed to oxygen in the air. It’s still safe to eat, but the less browning there is, the better visually, especially if you want to get your child to eat it. Check out easy ways to incorporate avocados into your lunches and how to prevent them from browning below!

Healthy, Easy-to-Pack Lunchbox Ideas with Avocados That Your Kids Will Love
Besides being delicious, avocados are a rich source of vitamins and minerals. Welcome vitamin E, potassium, fibers, healthy fats, anti-inflammatory components. The cherry on the cake, they are popular among young kids, including toddlers, if we judge by the frequency we see them in the kid-approved lunch ideas on Teuko.com. Check out these popular and delicious ways to pack avocado in the kids’ lunch.

1. Half Avocado with or without the Pit
Just add a spoon in the lunchbox, and your avocado is ready to eat, even for little hands. Find lunch ideas with half avocados on Teuko.com.

2. Guacamole or Simply Smashed Avocado
With guacamole in the lunchbox, you send party food for lunch. Use it as a dip with veggies or crackers, and you’ll have here one of the fastest lunch ideas to assemble. Avocado toasts are also a perfect alternative either for lunch, breakfast, or even snack time. Just spread it on the bread of your choice. Find lunch ideas with guacamole on Teuko.com.

3. Avocado Sandwich
Avocado is a great alternative to mayonnaise for every sandwich idea. Don’t have a favorite yet? Start with the simple but delicious avocado/cream cheese sandwich. you can also easily use it in a wrap and make beautiful pinwheels your kid won’t resist. Find lunch ideas with avocado sandwiches on Teuko.com.

4. Cut Avocado Diced or Sliced
Not sure if your child would eat avocado for lunch? Start with dice or slices on top of their favorite salad or main meal. Find lunch ideas with avocado dice or slices on Teuko.com.

5 Popular and Kid-Approved Tricks from Experienced Lunchbox Moms & Dads
How to stop the browning before it even starts? The goal is to protect the flesh of the avocado from oxygen exposure as much as possible.

1. Use Avocado Oil
Rub or spray avocado oil on the exposed flesh, then store the avocado in an airtight container in your refrigerator. You can also use coconut oil or squeeze lemon juice if the taste doesn’t bother your child.

2. Use Frozen Pre-cut Avocado
Many recommend the frozen products found at Costco or Whole Foods.

3. Try Wrapping It Up
Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, foil, or any disposable wrapping paper you have at home. You can find disposable or eco-friendly alternatives to regular plastic like the Beeswax Food Wrap Rolls or Compostable Cling Wrap to keep your food fresh naturally and reduce waste!

4. Use an Avocado Saver
Amazon has plenty of options. Here are 3 products that we liked: Evriholder Avo Saver, Avocado Keeper by Vantige, Joie Fresh Stretch Pod.

5. Use a Food Preserver
As an example, Ball Fruit-Fresh Product Protector prevents browning and protects the flavor of fresh-cut produce. Parents say that it works like a charm on avocados—it’s worth a try!

We love these tricks because they are easy and they don’t alter much the flavor nor the aspect of the avocado in the lunchbox, which always helps in getting a child to eat his lunch!

If you are not 100% confident in the preparation you made, you can always use one last trick when packing the lunchbox in the morning. Some parents admitted that using sesame seeds on top of the avocado was efficient enough to “mask” any first sign of browning in the lunchbox. In any case, always make sure the avocado stays in a tightly closed container to prevent air from getting in.

Do you pack lunch? If so, don’t miss out on the opportunity to showcase your lunchbox ideas on Teuko.com! Upload your photos today: you’ll build a useful record while inspiring other parents who pack school lunches like you.

RELATED STORIES:
How to Win the Battle Against Picky Eaters
How Simple Meal Planning Saved our Meals & My Sanity

Photo: Brenda Godinez on Unsplash

This post originally appeared on Teuko Blog.

Teuko is the first platform that empowers families to simplify lunch packing. Using Teuko, they can find and share kid-approved lunchbox ideas, recipes, and tips, all in one place. Teuko is transforming the lunch packing experience by boosting inspiration and motivation week after week. 

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