I am always on the search to find things to make getting out the door as painless as possible…know what I mean? If your house is anything like ours, quick and easy is a must.
When I saw these adorable labels on Alpha Mom created by Cindy from Skip to My Lou, I thought they were adorable but knew if I wanted to use them I had to get better at organizing my lunch making system. Here is what I came up with.
I pre-printed the cute fruit labels and have them cut out and prepared to slip over the fruit. Cindy also provided some fun little notes to slip into your child’s lunch bag to remind them of how special they are. I also added some post-its and a pen to write my own personal notes when needed. You could even write them before hand and just grab one and drop it in the bag. I also thought some jokes would be fun too. They are some sites online that would have tons of appropriate jokes for your kids.
Then I took a basket and filled it with “mom-approved” lunch food.
We pull out the basket and while I am making the sandwiches the kids pick a couple of items to add to their lunch. I included things like nuts, granola bars, fruit leather, raisins, pretzels, etc.
Then we also have a tupperware in the fridge to hold the perishable items. We included carrots, soy beans aka Edamame (my kids LOVE these. We buy them in bulk at COSTCO.), grapes, apples, string cheese, and yogurt, etc.
I also let the kids have a dessert. Usually homemade cookies or rice crispy treats when we have them. A great way to do this is to make a large batch of cookies and then store them in the freezer and then pull a few out as needed.
My kids do not eat home lunch every day. There are certain school lunch options that they like so I usually let them pick one or two times a week to eat school lunch. We just look online at the school menu on Sundays (when we are planning our week) and write down who is eating school lunch when. Then I know who will need a home lunch on each day. Does that make sense?
I am really excited about this system and hope that it helps to keep the morning rush run a lot smoother! It also takes time to keep the system up. Fill bags when you are talking on the phone , or when you are unloading the new groceries, to save time so that everything is ready to go in the mornings. We also recycle our bags. The kids bring them home in their lunch bags and then I will wash a bunch of them at once and dry them for reuse. I used to NEVER do this…but from years of watching my hubs do this…I have finally been converted.
*Edit–One of my readers posted some fun jokes and downloadable cards for making school lunches more fun for your kids here. Thanks Cap Creations.
I know this is not the only way to tame the morning rush. What do you do at your house to make it to school on time?
★Amy
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I miss that…I used to get up early and pack lunches and fix them all a breakfast..at the time I didn't think I would miss it at all ;D
I LOVE this idea! I need a new system and having the foods already packed and ready to go for the kids to pick out is a great idea. Love it love it!
Love these ideas!! can't wait to use them!
I try to have a basket of snacks already prepacked available in the pantry. We bag everything up on Sunday so all I have to do is make the sandwich daily. It's usually pretzels, crackers, graham crackers, granola bars. I keep them in a separate basket so they don't get eaten during other times and I always have lunch for them.
I am a huge fan of using tupperware in lunches versus bags. We have the little plastic baby food jars coming out our ears, so I decided they were the perfect size for lunches (nuts, crackers, fruit, dip etc.) We just made jello and filled up the cups. The kids love helping pick the jello flavor that goes into their lunch.
I am so excited to try this! My son is starting 1st grade tomorrow, and I am looking forward to being a lot more organized this year! One suggestion – you should try making some FABRIC lunch bags to save having to wash the ziplocs. They are super fun and easy to toss in the washer. I line mine with ripstop nylon, so they are easy to wipe out.
Thanks for the great idea!
Great idea! My son started kindergarten this year, and on the days he takes a lunch from home, he tells me several times what he wants. We may start using this system, so that he can just grab a few "approved" foods to go with his sandwich! Thanks for the idea!
Excellent idea! Our school lunches are pretty nasty and the kids are not happy on those days when when they have to buy. I'll try this!
LOVE IT!!! my daughter just started kindergarten and i have been drawing her pictures daily for her lunch box! i am loving this idea!
That's cool! It's crazy cause I just posted some printable lunch cards today too! Joke cards and Bible Verse cards coming tomorrow and the next day! Come by and snag them when you get a chance!
Thanks for sharing!
I don't have kids in school yet, but I LOVE organization. This makes me excited for schools days in the future. Thanks for sharing!
Great idea, I will have to try this to streamline our lunch packing. To help my boys get ready in the morning I have them pick out their clothes on saturday night. I made some labels using foam door handle thingys and labeled them for each day of the week. i then hang that week's outfits seperated by the labels. This has made getting dressed in the mornings easy peasy!
This will be my first year to make school lunches! I am excited for my big boy and his new adventure! These are great ideas and I really appreciate all the ideas from the Mom's who have "gone before"!
pathb4me.blogspot.com
WONDERFUL idea!! Thanks!
My son started 1st grade this year. I am LOVING that I get to make him lunch to take to school with him and I am looking forward to sending more notes to him. The first day of school I sent a note that said, "I ♥ U Dallin…♥ Mom" I thought that certainly he would understand what that said. I asked him about it when he got home and he said he liked his note, but had to ask his teacher what it said :) Too cute.
great ideas! I'm posting a link to this on crazydomestic.com on Thursday!:)
I would freeze a box juice then when I put it into the lunch, it kept the sandwich cool until it was time to eat. The juice was still cold but not frozen.
Fabulous idea! I'm stealing it and running with it.
I really love this idea. I need anew system and the basket idea is great. I dont know why I never pre-packed the items in baggies before now. Thanks for the great idea!!
I love this idea!! I have needed a lunch system overhaul for a while now and I love, love this idea. Thanks so much!! It is going to be so much easier in the morning to let them choose what they want from the basket!!
We use this type of system even though we homeschool our boys. The labels are super cute!
What great ideas! I'm new to this whole school-age child thing, so this is so helpful… thanks!
Great idea. I love new ideas from school lunch, specially for those days that we don't have time to think about anything.
Thank you,
Emilia
oh how i love this post! although i only have one in school, this will be great at teaching responsibility :) to make the morning rush not so rushed, we lay out clothes the night before & backpack needs to be ready :) Thanks for the great idea.
This is a great idea for packing lunches. I can't see why this wouldn't work! Thanks for some ideas of what to pack. My 2.5 year old will be starting mother's day out after Labor day so it is great to see some options for lunch! Love the tags too…
I love it! Thanks for sharing!!
Oh this is great!
I just found your blog…and believe me, I NEEDED to read this post. I'm packing lunches for three kids right now, or maybe I should say I'm trying to teach my three kids to pack their own lunches. This looks like such a good way to organize everything. Thanks for sharing!
I love this! I used your tags for our Teacher Appreciation treats! http://twolittlechickadees.blogspot.com/2011/05/may-teacher-appreciation-gifts.html
Thanks for sharing
I came across your website when looking for the edible crayons for a teacher gift. I read it, then started clicking away at other posts you have. I can’t stop. The ‘taming the clutter’, ‘summertime fun’. . .they are all amazing. I usually find one or two posts on a blog that I like and can use. Every one of yours are awesome. Thanks so much!!!
We do peanut butter and jelly most days. i get a loaf or two of bread and make a bunch of sandwiches and put them in ziploc baggies ib the freezer. i pull one out in thw morning before school and it thaws by lunchtime!
Great! I make my daughters lunch the night before — well most of it…I throw everything that needs to be refrigerated in her lunch box and put it in the fridge so it can get cold to keep all her food cold until lunch the next day (we live in Hawaii, so this is a MUST) but I should start doing this over the weekends…it would make my nights so much easier! Thank you!!
I don’t have kids at home any more, but this would be a great idea for my husband and me. We always talk about taking our lunches to save money, but I really dislike trying to through things together in the morning or even the night before. Prepackaging healthy choices that are easy to grab is an excellent idea.
Here is the ultimate morning streamlining tip: teach your kids how to make their own lunches! My son has been packing his own lunch the night before, with minimal help and without being reminded, since first grade. He’s only forgotten a few times, and has had time in the morning to pull it together. He amost always makes a sandwich, packed with an apple, some crackers, a drink and a sweet, sometimes a veg as well. Not so exciting but his sense of competence is thrilling for me and also lovely to not be doing it myelf ;). I generally like to minimize packaging waste but single-serve containers of fruit, yogurt tubes, trail mix, etc., greatly facilitate this process – especially with my 3-year-old, who refuses help packing hers! And when I sneak in a little love note, it’s an extra surprise.
P.S. My son started getting embarrassed by the notes but still wanted them, so we worked out a secret code. Now he gets the mushy message but his friends don’t.
i agree – wish i didn’t wait so long. my boys are are 8&9 and just started doing it for day camp.
to reduce indecision i created simple menu check list: Vegetable and Fruit: choose 3, Fun Snack: choose 2; Drink: choose 2, Entree: choose 1. mornings they check off what they’ll pack up that night and leave it on the kitchen counter. After dinner they just pack, no thinking involved.
we also organize 5days of outfits using the all in one double hangers kids pjs come on. (Walmart head cashiers will often give them if you ask). Bottoms, socks, undies on pant clip and shirt goes on hanger then line up in closet. I add church outfit after ironing, Saturday they wing it.
Just looking for shoe storage ideas for a really small and cramped coat closet. right now everyone throws shoes into big wicker basket in hallway.
I have tried this idea before. It is a great idea but don’t pre-package too much at a time because the snacks do get stale in regular snack bags. Maybe a week’s worth at a time. I may have to try this again…it does make the morning go more smoothly and the kids can pick what they really like in their lunches.
Thanks Colleen. My kids must eat snacks too quickly as they rarely go stale…or maybe the fact that they are 5 of them could help too! haha!