Ever since my kids started school, they’ve loved taking aย home packed lunch each day. While our school has some amazing whole foods each day like whole grain spaghetti, vegetables and fruit and fresh salads with grilled chicken, they like mom making their lunch best. It also gives them some extra time to eat instead of standing in line waiting on a tray. And, truth be told, I like to make their lunches each day. It’s like sending a little hug from home. Yeah…I’m getting a little sappy about my kids heading back to school.
I fill their lunch boxes with their favorite foods, a little note andย Wet Ones to wash the germs of their hands! haha! Yep. I pack a package of Wet Ones in their lunches each year and check to make sure they’ve been using it. Since they usually head straight from the playground to lunch, I want to make sure they are germ free before eating. There sure isn’t a shortage of germs in the lunchroom! Yuk! But, this year, I’m excited to try these little Wet Ones Singles in their lunch boxes. I just pop one in the top of their lunch box, they open it, wipe and done. Easy peasy. AND I don’t have to worry about if they’ve been using it or not since the package will be used or not.
There’s a few components to a lunch that I like to follow each day. I always add a sandwich or a rollup – like peanut butter and jelly or turkey and cheese; a vegetable like carrots, cucumbers, or pepper strips; fruit like grapes, oranges, or berries; a dessert that isn’t filled with too much sugar like fig newtons, granola bars or one cookie and something crunchy like cheddar goldfish or pretzel goldfish – their favorite! For a drink, I pack milk, flavored water and occasionally an organic juice box that is low in sugar.
Sometimes I add goldfish and raisins instead of a dessert. It’s a sweet little treat without adding too much sugar. They love it!
Another fun tip is to cut their sandwich into a cute little shape – like a flower or heart. You can find sandwich shape cutters on Amazon or Pottery Barn Kids. There’s so many to chose from!
Don’t forget to add a note each day, too! What kid doesn’t get excited to open their lunchbox and find a “Have a good day” or a big heart note from mom?! It’s like a little hug from home!
I even like to add little inspirational quotes for the kids, too! It’s a fun touch to lunch each day!
Home packed lunches don’t have to be full of processed foods to be easy – just follow the above guideline when planning and you’ll have a winning lunch each day!
Need some inspiration? Check out my Back to School Pinterest board! There’s a lot of ideas that are sure to make your kids happy!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Wet Onesยฎ + Pepperidge Farmยฎ . The opinions and text are all mine.