1. Grocery shop- I tend to pick 3 vegetables and 3 fruits that will be the options for school/ work lunches that week, 100% juice boxes, and some protein ingredients. I also let the kids pick out a gross, cheap, sugar-packed dessert that makes them happy.
2. Stock up on disposable containers! This means sandwich and snack size Ziploc bags, and the mini containers (I call the super tiny ones hummus cups and slightly larger ones berry cups)
3. Set aside some time! For me, I stay up really late on Saturday or Sunday night, and watch my favorite shows- Big Bang Theory and Speechless, on the internet while I do all the following prep!
4. Chop and bag veggies!!! I will pick a couple veggies- carrots and red peppers being the kids' favorites here, and put kid portions into little snack baggies. Super quick and easy (especially when I just have to count out 8ish baby carrots per bag!)
5. Put dips into containers! This is always hummus or ranch for us. This is the fastest step, and it gives me immense satisfaction to see 10-15 little containers all lined up and filled. I feel so productive!
6. Slice and bag fruits! This and the protein snacks are the ones that take longest, depending on the fruit. Blackberries or grapes? Easy. Watermelon pops or fruit kabobs? Less easy and more time intensive.
7. Make protein snacks! This could be turkey/ veggie cream cheese rollups, deviled eggs, cheese cubes, or baggies of nuts. Whatever your kids like best!
8. Prep dry snacks. Pop popcorn and bag it up, or get those super yummy veggie chips/ straws! I will let the kids pack these plus another fruit/ veggie for their snacks at school. I put all these bags onto a big bowl.
9. Make notes! My kids LOVE getting cute notes or jokes in their lunches, but I hate writing them in the mornings, so I write mass notes and look up jokes, then keep them in a bowl by the napkins and disposable spoons and stuff. Whatever gets the job done, right?
Bonus step: Have a cheap pack of stickers and stick them all over everything. 99 cents worth of stickers and the kids have 2 weeks of Finding Dory lunches!
10. Pack everything into fridge. I have a shelf dedicated for just lunches/ school snacks. It has the veggies, dips, fruit, protein snacks, juice boxes, and desserts.
11. Breathe easier!!! Spending an hour to an hour and a half once a week (while watching a couple shows) is WAY easier to me than 25 minutes every morning. I must be the slowest lunch packer ever when I don't pre-prep!!!
Now, I make a quick sandwich, and throw in a fruit bag, veggie and dip, protein, juice, and dessert for lunch. Fruit plus dry baggie for snack, and that add up to 5 minutes, then we have lunch for everyone!!!!
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