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August 2, 2017

8 Lunch Box Hacks To Make Life Easier

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No more soggy bread, warm ice packs, and brown apple slices! These lunch box hacks will help simplify lunch packing for you and your kids.
Lunch Box Hacks

Thank you to PackIt for sponsoring this post!

I remember the very first school lunch I packed for my older son, Henry. It was his first day of kindergarten, and I had finally joined the ranks of Lunch Packing Parents. I was determined to make that first lunch memorable. I carefully cut a heart shape out of the top slice of bread so the strawberry jelly in his PB&J peeked through. It wasn’t elaborate, but I couldn’t wait for him to open his lunch box and find it.

When I picked him up from school (after being a teary mess of mixed emotions all day), I asked excitedly, “What did you think of your sandwich?” He gave me a blank look. Turns out, my PB&J gesture hadn’t really registered on his first day radar, which was no doubt filled with lots of exciting moments and firsts. I felt a pang of disappointment. We were not going to be starring in the next tug-at-your-heartstrings peanut butter commercial.

But it did teach me a valuable lesson: When it comes to lunch packing, keep it simple.

That’s one reason you won’t see elaborate lunch boxes here. (Limited skills in the arts and crafts department is another.)

What I AM all about is finding ways to make lunch packing easier. I’ve collected some tips and tricks over the years that help me to that.

8 Lunch Box Hacks

1. Use a freezer bag instead of a cold pack. I’ve been using these PackIt lunch bags for a few years now, and they solve a couple of problems: No more rummaging through the freezer looking for a cold pack and no more wondering whether one little cold pack will really keep the whole lunch at the right temperature. PackIt’s bags have walls that are filled with freezable gel, and the whole thing goes into the freezer overnight (it folds down for easy storage). By morning, the walls of the bag are completely frozen and ready to chill just like a fridge.

Lunch Box Hacks2. Preheat the thermos. These instructions are sometimes in the fine print of insulated food containers, but they’re easy to miss. Your thermos will keep food warmer longer if you “preheat” it first. Here’s how: Pour boiling water into the thermos, close, and let it sit for a few minutes. Then dump out the water and add the hot food.

 

Lunch Box Hacks3. Use cupcake liners to separate compartments. I love using bento-style lunch boxes but sometimes need to divide the containers even more. I use silicone muffin cups, but simple paper cupcake liners do the trick too.

Lunch Box Hacks4. Pack kiwi with a spoon. Do you know this trick for a fun and easy way to eat kiwi? Slice one in half and pack it with a spoon. Your child can scoop out the center to eat.

  Get More: All My Top Posts About Packing Lunches

Lunch Box Hacks5. Avoid soggy sandwich bread. When making a PB&J, smear a thin layer of peanut butter on both sides of the bread and put the jelly on top so it doesn’t soak through. A layer of butter under mayo or mustard does the same thing. And when you’re adding lettuce to a sandwich, tuck it between the meat and cheese (not against the bread) so it doesn’t cause sogginess either.

Lunch Box Hacks6. Soak apple slices in OJ: I picked up this trick from Pinterest years ago and my boys still love it. Instead of sprinkling apple slices with lemon juice (which some kids find too sour), soak them in a combo of lemon juice and OJ. It adds a great tangy flavor and prevents the dreaded browning.

Lunch Box Hacks7. Make a slice in the banana. Bananas can be tricky for little hands to open. Make a small slit in the top—enough to get them started but not enough that the top will turn brown.

Lunch Box Hacks8. Create a lunch packing station. If you want your kids to learn to pack their own lunch (aka The Holy Grail), make it easy for them. Gather the items they need and put them together in a bin in the fridge or pantry or on the counter.

Lunch Box Hacks

I’m hosting a giveaway for one PackIt Freezable Lunch Bag in the pattern of your choice over on Instagram. Come over and enter!

Check out all the styles of lunch bags over at PackIt.

8 lunch box hacks to make lunch packing easier

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Disclosure: This page contains an Amazon Affiliate link. If you purchase a product through this link, your cost will be the same but I will receive a small commission to help with operating costs of this blog. Thanks for your support!

Lunch Box Hacks

Hi! I'm Sally, a dietitian-mom.

I believe that EVERY mom can feel successful and confident about feeding her kids, lose the stress, and finally enjoy mealtime again.

Sign up for my weekly emails for support and inspiration (plus dinner ideas!) and I'll send you 16 game-changing tips for feeding your kids--even the super-duper picky ones.

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Filed Under: Packing Lunches Tagged With: lunch box, lunch boxes, lunch packing, lunchbox, lunchboxes, packing lunch

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Heather says

    August 3, 2017 at 10:24 am

    I use to use one of those lunch bags as well that goes into the freezer. I just never felt like it kept my food cold enough at work compared to using the typical cold packs. Is there a brand you suggest?

    Reply
    • Sally says

      August 3, 2017 at 1:44 pm

      Hi Heather–I did this post in partnership with PackIt, which makes the freezable bags shown in the photos here. We haven’t had any problem with the food staying cold–maybe you should give them a try?

      Reply
  2. Rebecca Bitzer says

    August 4, 2017 at 5:30 pm

    Love the comments on how to prevent sandwich from getting soggy.

    Reply
  3. Meah Konstanzer says

    August 8, 2017 at 4:01 pm

    Love all these tips! So perfect for the school year coming up. Haha that PB&J one made me laugh because that’s something little my mom has always drilled in my head.

    xxMeah

    Reply
  4. RD mom says

    September 22, 2017 at 9:37 pm

    Hi Sally,
    Thanks for the great tips. Do you put the thermos of hot food in the Pack It lunch bag? if yes, does the food in thermos still stay warm (even after the preheat)? I wondering because of the coldness of the Pack It lunch bag . FellowRDmom

    Reply
    • Sally says

      September 23, 2017 at 4:30 pm

      Hey there! If I’m sending a thermos, I opt for the other lunch bag that’s not cold. I also typically pack things along with it that don’t need a cold pack.

      Reply

Trackbacks

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  2. Your Mission (Which You Are Obliged to Accept): School Lunches | Articles | Audrey Laurelton RDN | Where Science Meets Healthy Living says:
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  3. In Praise Of Boring Packed Lunches - Real Mom Nutrition says:
    November 6, 2017 at 5:03 pm

    […] and no fuss. You can even make all the PBJs for the week and freeze them (just be sure to use my no-more-soggy-bread trick) and rinse all your apples for the week so they’re ready to grab and […]

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  4. Summer Lunch Box – Nutri News says:
    July 28, 2018 at 11:36 am

    […] Kuzemchak S. Lunch box hacks that make lunch packing easier! . 2017. https://www.realmomnutrition.com/8-lunch-box-hacks-to-make-life-easier/. Accessed Jun 18, […]

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