Thinking outside the {lunch}box + FREE Printables
It's that time of year! The countdown is on for the last quarter of school. As you might be feeling the dread and drudgery of school routines, we have the perfect lunchbox revamp to help jazz up the everyday lunch to make your kids' days a little brighter. Read on to see our suggestions and snag our free printables!
If sandwiches are your only go-to for main staple, we have two options for you: 1) Make the shape more fun or 2) Change up the source of protein and ditch the traditional sandwich altogether.
One option can include purchasing an inexpensive sandwich cutter or press. Or buy a self-sealing set to make your own uncrustables! Just changing up the look of the lunch can reengage your child's enthusiasm for eating lunch.
Another option is to make your own lunchables with leftover crackers, cheese, and lunchmeat. You can also make a pizza version with mini naan, pepperoni, and marinara sauce. This allows you to customize the ingredients to what you know your child likes as well as control the quality of food you use.
Utilize a thermos for both hot and cold items. Last night's pasta can double as today's lunch. Or use it for yogurt parfaits with a favorite fruit or granola.
Use dips whenever possible. It makes it more fun to use for eating veggies or fruit. Hummus, ranch, peanut butter, or Nutella are all great options to boost flavor and protein. Another fun accessory are toothpicks or bento toothpicks. It turns regular lunch ingredients into a party!
Another fun easy snack for lunches or afterschool are these choco-nana cups. Simply melt 1 cup of your favorite chocolate chips or melting wafers and blend with 2 bananas and pour into silicone molds or silicone cupcake pan. Let set, pop out and enjoy!
And last but not least, is a Lunchbox Love Note. Including a fun note can make your child feel special midday when they open their lunch to that fun surprise. Check out our previous blog with free printables! This time we created jokes! And a punny set. Just follow these easy steps to print yours out:
- we recommend printing on cardstock if you have it
- on the joke cards, make sure you put your printer settings to double-sided on the long side
- if you want to save on ink, it might be more economical to print at your nearest print center (Fed-Ex Kinkos, Staples, Office Depot, etc.)
Tag us on social media so we can see your creative lunches! Happy Lunch making!
For more snack ideas check out our other blog post!