Whew! Anyone else overwhelmed with the busyness of the school year? Sports, club meetings, fundraisers, and more papers than I can handle. After a few rough mornings of barely getting lunch made in time, I have started a new routine. Sunday night lunchbox prep sessions! Every Sunday night, I have been spending one hour prepping lunchbox ready foods for the week. Packing lunches is now a breeze. Here’s the results of this week’s prep session:
- Bento Box style lunch
- 2 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
- 2 containers each of sliced plums, sliced peaches and dried apricots
- 2 containers of salad with cheese and salad dressing on the side
- hard boiled eggs
- 2 bags each of baby carrots and cut broccoli
It only took me 15 minutes to pack these items as I have leftovers planned for a few lunches this week.
How lunchbox prep sessions save me money:
- I pack lunch for my kiddos more often
- I use up fruits or vegetables that might be on their last leg!
- I tend to use more reusable containers vs. disposable items
Do you prep lunch for the week? What types of items do you like to prep ahead of time?
I love the Bento Box lunchboxes as they are BPA free and kid friendly to open. Note that they are not leak proof, so don’t use them to store liquids. They are also safe for the microwave, freezer, and dishwasher!
CM124 says
Have you found the sliced fruit getting soggy or turning colors?
Dana says
Not the peaches and plums that I packed this week. If they were super soft to begin with, then it might be a problem. I also pack dried fruit for later in the week.
jackie Brown says
I love this idea, Erin. I’m like you also packing for a large crew, sometimes 5 and I go ahead and throw mine in with the bunch. I try to do it right after dinner, packing leftovers for hubby and I and I, cookie cutter sandwiches, fruit kabobs, boiled eggs, too and freezer cookies, etc. for kids. Lately, I’ve made freezer smoothies and frozen apple sauce for lunch and they serve as ice packs. I boil my eggs ahead of time that last a week and use this bumper car method of peeling them. I hope you’ll try it if you don’t have a method yet: http://momonamission.me/worlds-easiest-boiled-eggs/
Melanie says
I have 3 boys and they only take PB&J sandwiches. I take a whole loaf of WW bread and a loaf of WW raisin bread and make sandwiches then freeze them. Peanut butter on both sides then jelly in the middle and you don’t have jelly soaking into the bread. I put them in a large storage bag in the freezer. Every morning I pull out 3 sandwiches and put them in a plastic container for lunches. By the time lunch comes around the sandwich is defrosted. If the sandwiches are packaged correctly they will last for at least 3 months.
Dana says
Great idea! I also love to make frozen pb&j! 🙂
jakie says
I am alone and because of a back injury, cooking isn’t always easy. I do this almost always for lunches and many weeks I do it for suppers. On a good day I prep a week or more (freezing suppers) and then when I don’t feel up to cooking i still have something great to eat…it has saved me from eating cereal or worse order out and spending too much money. But I hadn’t thought about separating it out into individual meal containers…how brilliant. I wonder if those divided plastic containers would work as well?