Lunch Kit Planning Guide
We’re pretty excited around here for the start of a new school year! Regular routine, sports and the busyness of the season is something Leah and I thrive on! But… when it comes to packing lunches we are total opposites! I've come up with a system that works great for my family and I’d love to give you all the details!
I love knowing that lunch kits are full of foods that will fuel my people. Having everyone run out the door with healthy choices for the day is a great feeling. I know it’s not always easy and sometimes they get whatever you can find in the pantry. With a little support in the planning stage we can get those bellies full with yummy nutritious food that will energize them all day. You can have awesome lunches for all the people in your house too!
It all starts with 5 categories. I try to have a selection from each throughout the week to mix it up a bit. I choose one thing from each category every day: Mains, Fruit, Veggies, Baking and Snacks.
Mains
Sandwich, Wrap, Croissant or Biscuit-honestly, any vehicle for meat protein or sandwich filling (egg salad, tuna, chicken, deli meat)
We use pesto, cream cheese, mayo, bbq sauce, mustard, horseradish mayo, salsa, guacamole or any other favorite condiment. Mix and match as necessary and be creative!
I often make extra quesadillas or flatbreads and stock the freezer. If I need them the next day we just thaw overnight in the fridge and pack in lunches. This is where Supper Studio can help. We have added these to our Lunch Kit lineup! Just add in a few of these timesavers to your cart and lunch is saved!
At my house we also pack a ton of leftovers and they love it! The trick is to preheat the thermos with boiling water for 3-5 minutes while you're heating the leftovers. We pack soups, stews, chili, lasagna, perogies and sausage, literally anything you know they enjoyed eating the night before. Heating the thermos and the food ensures that it will still be hot by the time lunch rolls around.
Fruit
This one can get tricky in the winter when our fruit choices get a little leaner in the grocery store. I will use frozen berries in yogurt rather than trying to acquire fresh. My kids also love canned peaches and pears! The best way to pack these juicy items is in a container with a twist lid. Leakproof!
Apple, Oranges, Berries, Melon, Canned peaches/pears, and grapes are all great options.
Veggies
Let's be honest, these come back home a couple times before I ask the kids to eat them as an after school snack. I often make a veggie tray to store in the fridge and the kids pack what they want in their lunches. Then after school the tray comes out for a snack before supper.
The selection is mostly cucumber, grape tomatoes, sliced carrot, celery, bell peppers, cauliflower, and broccoli. Even leftover roasted veggies with parmesan is a good choice! Pack them with ranch, hummus, guacamole or even spinach dip.
Sometimes, to be tricky, I make Caesar Salad and add precooked shredded chicken. Wrap this in a tortilla and BAM- salad for lunch. (Psst, we've also added precooked shredded chicken to our lunch kit lineup.)
Baking
I add baked goods as a separate category from snack because it's usually something handheld that can get taken outside for recess.
We’ve got you covered again! Supper Studio is happy to offer you baked in store loaves and cookies. If you have a favorite that you make at home tell us about it! You might see those on the menu soon. Check them out here.
The freezer at my house is usually stocked with a few bags of muffins, banana or zucchini loaf and cookies. It's as easy as doubling a batch and taking a couple out as needed.
Snack
This category is only limited by your imagination! We pack, yogurt with fruit/granola, chips, popcorn, cheese and beef jerky on the regular. I often premake jello or pudding into individual serving sizes at the beginning of the week. I'll add fruit to the jello before it sets.
I hope you find this information helpful and you are able to use it to make your lunch packing a little less stressful. We’ve included this printable for you to download and hang on your fridge or in the pantry!
Don't forget, we're here to help! If it's as simple as a few ideas or something to stash in the lunch kit or even a supper or two for the week- we've got you! Message us with any questions at all!
~Lori
