Best Tools for Packing School Lunches

Are there any parents who really enjoy packing their kids school or daycare lunches? Most parents I talk to admit that the daily grind of packing their kids lunches is one of the things they dread most about school starting back up. When Solomon and Celia were in elementary school, I assumed that they would be packing their own lunches by middle or high school, and they are certainly capable of doing so. But now that Solomon is going into 10th grade and Celia into 8th, as much as I dislike this task, I still haven't given it up. Andrew and I make them clean their own rooms, set the table, clean up after dinner and help take care of the pets and the house. But why are we still packing their lunches?

The biggest reason I can come up with is the same one that gets us up each weekday morning to see them off to their respective school buses at 6:30. At ages 13 and 15, Solomon and Celia set their alarms, get themselves out of bed (most mornings) and make themselves breakfast. We certainly could sleep in for an extra half hour or so, but Andrew and I take turns getting up with them to make, heat or assemble their lunches (sometimes we've packed the main course the night before).

Getting up with them is a way to keep them company and feel connected to them in the morning (as painful as it is to wake up so early), especially since we sometimes don't see them again until the evening.  Packing their lunches is a tangible way to show that we care that they are eating something healthy and delicious at lunchtime. (Plus, I'm not positive they would pack themselves any fruits or vegetables if we didn't do it for them.)

Here are 5 tools I have found most helpful in packing lunches that have ample space for the kids food, don't leak, and keep the hot stuff hot and the cold stuff cold:

• Simple time-saving lunch boxes like these from EasyLunchboxes, EverydayJun or PlanetBox.
• Reusable snack and sandwich baggies like these from Lunchskins or SnackTaxi.
• Reusable stainless steel water bottles like these from Kleen Kanteen.
• Reusable ice packs such as these from Kids Konserve.
• Leak-proof thermoses for hot items like this one from Foogo.

You might also find these other posts with ideas for what to pack for lunches helpful:

• Inspiring School Lunch Ideas
• Saffron Rice and Bean Salad

In our kids lunches, we usually pack a main course such as a sandwich, soup or salad, along with a fruit and/or vegetable, cheese and/or yogurt or kefir, water, and a small dessert. We often pack healthy dinner leftovers in the kids main lunch compartments, such as this kid-friendly Mango and Black Bean Salad. 

Do you have any tips or favorite tools or products to make packing lunches go smoother in your house? Please share a comment below.