School is back in session, and with that comes the stress of creating wholesome lunches that are both healthy and desirable to your kids.
Considering the chaotic nature of most mornings, planning ahead for school lunches can be a huge stress-reliever. It’s common knowledge that a little planning goes a long way, and that certainly rings true in this situation.
Here are some tips to help you plan, prep and pack healthy, tasty lunches with ease, every day of the week:
Pick your package. Packing a school lunch can be simplified by the vehicle you choose. Registered dietitian Colleen Sideck recommends investing in a bento box — a sectioned container designed to hold various foods that make a meal — for a perfectly portioned and nutritionally balanced lunch. Compact bento boxes with three to five compartments are the perfect size for a healthy entree and a variety of whole food sides, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and beans. Some lunch boxes even come equipped with a built-in ice pack to make sure food keeps cold, remaining at a safe temperature until lunchtime.
Schedule your meals. Like planning weekly dinners, you can make a fridge-worthy calendar that boasts your school-lunch menu for the week or the month. If menu planning isn’t your thing, try making a table that lists a variety of lunch components, from fruits and vegetables to proteins and treats. You can plan your shopping list around these preferred foods, and mix and match as you wish. Ask your kids for input so they feel involved in the process, but try to choose meals that can second as your lunch as well.
Plan a prep party. Set aside time to prep lunch-friendly foods such as roasted turkey, chicken breasts, hummus and granola. Pre-cutting ingredients saves time later in the week. Registered dietitian Carolina Lima Jantac, host of “Family Food Kitchen” on RadioMD, suggests including your kids in the action. Have them help cut fresh fruits and vegetables, and then divide the produce into portions for easy use.
Batch cook. Bulk or batch cooking is a great way to save time and stock up. For example, you can make a double batch of muffins to eat for breakfast, lunch and snacks, while freezing the majority of them to use in the following weeks. Batch cooking also works well for beans, grains and pasta, as well as main dishes such as soups and stews.
Embrace your freezer. Speaking of freezer-friendly foods, there are several items that can be prepared and immediately frozen for grab-and-pack lunch options that will thaw when it’s time to eat. From smoothies to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (think Uncrustables), frittata muffins and pizza bites, your freezer can house a week’s worth of lunches prepared, in advance, on a single day.
Create a lunch bin. Registered dietitian Angie Asche suggests stocking a few bins with lunch-approved goodies. Store a bin in the fridge with perishable foods, such as yogurts, string cheese and pre-portioned fruit and vegetables. Store another bin in a drawer or cabinet and fill it with shelf-stable foods, such as homemade healthy muffins, pre-packaged applesauce and granola. You can take this a step further and place lunch-box-sized bins in your fridge. Stock one for each day of the week, and pre-pack your lunches to make each morning run smoother.
More from U.S. News
13 Tips for Getting Kids Health-Ready for Back to School
10 Ways to Live Healthier and Save Money Doing It
7 Diet Mistakes Sabotaging Your Weight Loss
Unpack Stress From School Meal Prep originally appeared on usnews.com
