By using this inexpensive kitchen hack, you can streamline your morning routine while encouraging kids to help pack their own lunch and make healthy choices!
If there's one thing that makes this momma happy, it's discovering new ways to simplify my life and streamline my day. I'm a sucker for planning and organization, probably stemming from my years at FSU pursuing a degree in stage management, and I've carried my love for all things organization over to my parenting style.
In our house, we thrive on routine and I love to find little ways to make my families day run as smoothly as possible, which isn't always easy when you've got school-aged kids!
Once back to school time rolls around, it's our mornings that stand out as the most hectic time of our day. Up until this year, I only had one child to get ready in the morning as my little guy was still at home with me. Now that I've got two kiddos marching off to school each day, I decided I needed to find a few ways to take the stress off before we head out the door.
That's when I decided it was time for the kids to start helping packing their lunch. Now, I know that may seem like it may add more chaos to the morning, and you are probably thinking it would be easier to just do it yourself, but I promise you, with this awesome kitchen hack the kids basically do it all! And they get to make healthy choices for themselves to boot!
Let me introduce you to my awesome, uber organized, super anti-stress Lunch Box Packing Station featuring, wait for it, a silverware tray! Now, don't be afraid to think outside the box here because once you pack your simple silverware tray turned lunch box organization hub with all kinds of healthy goodies like fruit, veggies, and the new Mott's® 100% Apple Juice Pouches, all the kids have to do is grab and go in the morning and BAM, lunch has practically made itself!
Now if that doesn't excite all of you lunch-packers out there, I don't know what will!
There are several key factors to making this project pan out smoothly...
Here are my tips on how to organize your packing station and how to get the most out of this project:
1. USE AN EXPANDABLE SILVERWARE TRAY
Get yourself an expandable silverware tray and you will be ready to rock this project! Using an expandable tray allows you to adjust your packing station to your desired width in your refrigerator. Yep, this little organization hack will live in your fridge! That way you can stock it with all kinds of healthy goodies including drinks and dairy that will be ready to put directly into a lunch box. (I know for some people, refrigerator real estate is precious, but trust me, this lunch box packing station is worth it!)
2. JUICE
Head to Publix and pick up Mott’s New 100% Juice Pouches! They are perfect for the kids to grab and go when packing a lunch box and they're a healthy drink choice that the kids love. I suggest stocking your packing station with several flavors to give the kids a little variety! You can find Mott's 100% Juice in Apple, Apple White Grape, and Apple Mango flavors. (We always send a water bottle for the kids to drink at recess and other times of their day, but I like to include their favorite nutritious apple juice to enjoy with their lunch.)
3. DAIRY
I always like to include a dairy item in my kids' lunch box. Dairy is a great source of protein! My kids love to eat yogurt and string cheese, but cottage cheese would work too if your kids like it. (Tip: buy your yogurt in a larger sized tub and spoon kid-sized portions into small, reusable containers to save money!)
4. CRUNCHY SNACKS
Every lunch needs some crunchy snacks! Try to choose a variety of products to fill your packing station with, such as air-popped popcorn, pretzels, fresh vegetable chips or sticks, and any other crunchy snack your kids will love. (I like to incorporate the vegetables in this section because I want my kids to learn that a carrot chip can be just as delicious as a potato chip!)
5. FRUIT
Be sure to include some fruit! Kids LOVE fruit and offering them Mott's Applesauce Pouches, Mott's Applesauce Cups, and fresh fruit will give them a nutritional boost at lunch time to help fuel the second half of their day. (I make this section the largest and encourage the kids to pick an after school snack from this section when the get home from school.)
6. A TREAT
Mott's Medleys make the perfect treat to add to a lunch box! Mott's Medleys Fruit Flavored Snacks are made with natural flavors and colors from natural sources and give you 100% of your daily value of Vitamin C. They are the perfect portion and a sweet treat you can feel good about! (Not to mention the fact that the kids go ga-ga for them!)
7. THE MAIN EVENT
By now you're probably thinking, "Where's the sandwich?" This will be the only thing you need to physically prepare the day of school. You can find some seriously awesome sandwich hacks that are anything but boring here: Lunch Box Sandwich Ideas Kids Will Love. (You'll find lots of great think outside the box sandwich ideas including a low-stress freezer option, so be sure to check it out!)
8. BONUS
Now all you have to do is stock up on your kiddo's favorite Mott's goodies, fruits, veggies, and snacks at Publix, get yourself an inexpensive expandable silverware tray, and you will be good to go!
From 8/24-8/30, your favorite Mott's products will be B1G1 at Publix! Stock up on your favorites like:
- Mott’s 100% Juice 64oz
- Mott’s 100% Juice Pouch 8 pk. 6.75oz
- Mott’s Applesauce 6-pack cups
Be sure to check out this print at home coupon offer for $1.00 off the 8PK 6.75 oz Mott’s Juice Pouches on BuildBetterLunches.com, valid 8/30 – 9/29!
I hope you the kids in your life (and you!) have a well-organized, stress-free, and deliciously nutritious school year! If you try this easy Back to School Lunch Box Packing Station in your home, I'd love to hear all about it in the comments below!
Back to School Lunch Box Packing Station
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
1 expandable silverware tray
Drinks: Mott’s 100% Juice Pouches - Apple, Apple White Grape, and Apple Mango
Dairy: yogurt, string cheese, etc.
Crunchy Snacks: fresh vegetables, graham crackers, popcorn, pretzels, chips, trail mix, etc.
Fruit: Mott's Applesauce Pouches or Cups, bananas, berries, peaches, grapes, etc.
Treat: Mott's Medleys Fruit Flavored Snacks or your favorite sweet treat
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Adjust the size of your tray to fit your refrigerator. Fill each section of the tray with one each category of lunch box items. (i.e. drinks in one, dairy in one, crunchy snacks in one, etc.)
2. On school day mornings, encourage your children to pick one item from each section to add to their lunch box. Add a sandwich and lunch is done!
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