A question I see come up a lot is, ‘What should I pack for lunch time while at work?’ That is usually followed up with something along the lines of making sure it is easy to pack, healthy, and quick to grab and go.
I stay at home and work but I make lunches every day for my kids (two girls ages 10 & 12) and my husband. It is important to me that they all have a healthy balanced lunch, but one that will keep them full so they don’t come home grumpy and complaining of hunger headaches.
Below are my tips and tricks for packing up a lunch that will work for both kids and adults.
CONTAINERS:
1. Containers make a huge difference in the way everyone eats. Kids don’t like their food to touch and sometimes the wet food can get the dry food soggy… GROSS! I got stainless steel containers from Eco Girl Shop and they are perfect! The one I have shown in the pictures keeps the food separated, is perfect for portion control, and they are toxic free which I love most!!
Check out Eco Girl Shop while I mention her containers I love everything about this site and what they sell. PLUS it is another woman owned business and they are local to San Diego! Not a sponsored post, I just really like what I see!
2. Have a variety of different container sizes on-hand to ensure you have options that will meet the demands of the day.
FOOD:
3. Always choose a fruit, protein source, veggie, and a treat of sorts. I believe 100% in giving healthy treats. It is easy to put in a piece of dark chocolate, a small cookie, or a few chocolate chips. Those little touches go a long way.
4. These recipes are perfect for eating cold:
–Veggie sandwich. So delicious!
–Beneficial detox bowl. Prep the roasted veggies before hand and store the hummus separately until ready to eat.
–Vegan Taco salad. Bring an avocado with you and cut when ready to eat.
5. My favorite snacks to add include:
–Chickpeas. Snack on them or top them on salads.
-Little packages of Nutzo nut butters are perfect to grab and go. I like saving money but I also like convenience and these little packages are worth it for saving me time. They go perfect on crackers or with apples.
-Granola bars like these or these are tasty and have minimal ingredients.
MEAL PREP TIPS FOR THE WORK WEEK:
6. Cut all your veggies before hand so you can easily add them to your containers. Pick a night, grab a glass of wine water, put on your favorite music and just get to it. You will be so happy you spent the time to prepare.
7. If you have leftovers from dinner that you would like to take with you the following day, package them up in the containers you will bring with you. Gather all add ons to that meal at that point and set aside.
8. Lay out everything the night before. This includes your lunch bag, water bottle(s), dry foods, and don’t forget a utensil!
9. Always pack extra healthy snacks. Trail mix, extra piece of fruit, another granola bar, or a handful of sunflower seeds can be the perfect afternoon ‘pick me up’ after an extra long day.
10. Find what works for you. Does getting up an extra 10 minutes before help? Or is getting it all done the night before a better system?
Do you have a meal prep tip for our readers you would like to share? Please leave a comment below, I’d love to hear what works for you.
Great tips!
Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed it!
Love this! I definitely tend to meal prep in bulk at the start of the week, so that’s when I’ll prep and pack the majority of my meals. But I definitely need to work on adding some variety to what I prepare so that I’m more excited to eat my lunches everyday.
Variety is so important- totally agree. Thank you for the comment- I am glad you enjoyed it!
Wow. I absolutely love your tips. I used to pack 4 lunches,my husband, 2 sons and 1 daughter. This year my sons decided that they want to get lunch from school so unfortunately, I now make only 2 lunches. I miss making lunch for my sons. I would have loved to use your techniques. Raheela
Thank you so much for the nice comment.
Hey there!
Since I’ve been more aware of what we are eating, I decided to give meal prepping a go. But I only prep half a week and then prep the other half later. Only because I want to make sure the quality of the raw vegetables stay good. (that once was an issue). I bought special containers. We are a grab and go type of family except for dinner. And the packed lunches, breakfasts, and snacks are a great help!
Love this post! Great ideas!
That is kinda what I do too! I do like the fresh cut veggies as well but for some that is hard to do during the week. That is great the you are figuring out what works for you guys. I can’t wait to hear how it goes for you as the weeks go on!