Five Great Tips to Make Lunch Prep Easier and More Varied

The 2019-2020 school year was cut short by the pandemic, but the fall of 2020 is coming fast and with it, back-to-school time, homework and lunch preparation. 

For many parents, lunch preparation has become a chore. With allergies, food intolerances, and children’s food preferences, making lunches is more and more of a puzzle. How can you make prepping a variety of lunches and snacks easier?

Here are five great tips to help you.

Have a Designated Spot for Lunch Items

Whether it’s a cabinet shelf or a small bin in the pantry, keep all your non-perishable lunch items in the same spot. You and your children will quickly see what foods are available, which will help with meal preparation.

Prepare Crudités and Refrigerate them

Take the time to chop up some crudités for the week’s lunches. Keep them in the fridge in a closed container with a bit of water at the bottom to keep them fresh. You’ll save lots of time preparing the lunches later.

Get your kids involved in choosing the foods and lunch prep

Depending on your kids’ ages, let them participate in their lunch prep in different ways.

For example, ask the younger ones to choose between a fruit salad and pudding for dessert, or between an apple and an orange for their snack. They will feel involved, and they’ll better appreciate the lunch you make for them.

Ask the older ones what they would like to have on the menu. Demandez l’avis des plus vieux sur leur choix de menu. Sur le site The Lunch Tray, une maman raconte son parcours dans la création de lunchs pour sa famille, dont certains membres ont des allergies. Une rencontre avec une diététiste au Provigo a changé sa vie. Les enfants ont entendu les recommandations de la diététiste, puis ont fait le tour du magasin avec elle pour trouver des options de lunch. Les enfants ont été impliqués dans tout le processus, pour leur grand bonheur et celui de la maman.

No matter your child’s age, ask them to help you prepare said lunch, even if it’s just packing the lunch box.

Create bite-sized meals

Instead of the ever-present sandwich, make a deconstructed lunch, with bite-size elements. Get compartmented containers and silicone muffin moulds to further divide the containers and throw in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy products and a protein. Just make sure to have a nice variety of these at home, and you’re good to go! This method makes creating lunches so much easier.

Use eco-friendly wrappers

When making sandwiches, use washable cloth sandwich bags. They’re pretty while still being eco-friendly; plus, your kids will feel like they’re opening a gift!

Be creative and have fun

Who said that prepping lunches had to be boring? Use different cookie cutters to cut sandwiches, fruits and veggies. Make sandwiches on skewers. These are only a few ideas among many. The Internet is filled to the brim with ideas. Let your creativity take over, and don’t be afraid to ask your children for ideas. They could surprise you.