One Yummy Mummy’s top 10 lunch box tips

Got the lunch box blues about going back to school? The dreaded manic mornings are due to return as the school year is set to begin!

Hopefully my top lunch box tips and ideas will help you sail through the first term, with empty lunch boxes when the home bell rings.

1 The lunch box: Ok, so it may have a minion or my little pony on the front., but is the lunch box easy to open and close? Can you wipe it clean? Is it insulated and hard wearing? It will get a battering through the school year so is it up to the job?

BONUS TIP: Also, silicone muffin cases are really handy for keeping chopped fruit and veggies in, just cover in tinfoil and away to go.

2 The beaker: Make sure the beaker is also easy to open and non-spill. Keep an eye on where you fill it to each day, or even put a small label on it to keep an eye on how much smallie is drinking throughout the day.

3 Label everything: All you need is a roll of small white stickers and fine black permanent marker. No need in wasting money on fancy name tags.

4 Lunch: You know what your child eats so keep it simple and varied, and try to avoid the stuff that’s cleverly marketed for school lunches, there’s loads of hidden sugar in them, with little or no nutritional value.

5 The prep work: Get the lunch organised night before, even get the kids to help, your bedhead the next day will thank you for it. Mornings are so unpredictable so it’s one less thing to worry about in the morning panic, and it may even give you time for a much needed coffee.

6 It’s not all about ham: The old reliable ham sambo can get boring over time and because all of the budget supermarkets are doing fresh artisan breads (that’s fancy bread to me and you), homemade scones and baked pretzels make a great change and are much better value than the kids marketed stuff .

7 Get creative: Pinwheels are another great alternative to the sambo. They are bite size and kids love them, plus Pinterest have some fantastic ideas recipes and simple to make. 

8 Think: Avoid things that are hard to open and are easy to spill like yoghurt tubes and juice boxes. You don’t want the little guy getting wrap rage (it’s a thing you know, Google it!!!). Most importantly it means you won’t open their lunch box or school bag to find it has been ruined by something sticky.

9 Be aware: Always think of allergies in the classroom. So many parenting websites recommend trail mix or peanut butter sandwiches as a lunch box staple, but most schools have an anti nut rule, check if your school have an allergy list.

10 Recipes: Think outside of the box because all the favourites can be made healthy. I have healthy sausage rolls and mini flatbread pizza recipes coming up, which are really easy and perfect for lunch box, so watch this space. 

For more from One Yummy Mummy check out her blog HERE and while you’re at it why not vote for her in this year’s Blog Awards Ireland in the Best Parenting Blog and Best Food and Drink Blog.