Easy Lunchbox Hacks for Healthy Lunches

Three new easy lunchbox hacks to make healthy lunches that are yummy, even after sitting in a lunchbox for hours.

It’s Healthy Kitchen Hacks Wednesday – the day we share our favorite time-saving kitchen tricks and cooking shortcuts to help you make healthy and delicious meals.

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3 EASY LUNCHBOX HACKS

My baby goes to kindergarten on Friday. Yes, I’ve stocked up on kleenexes. And champagne. (:

But that means I’m spending a good chunk of every night making FIVE lunchboxes (four for the kids, ages kindergarten to middle school, and one for the husband.) Here are my tried and true hacks for healthy, easy lunches everyone will eat.

1) How to Keep Food Hot in a Thermos

The night’s dinner leftovers often make it into the next day’s lunchbox. Here’s how to make sure they are hot (but not too hot) by lunchtime:

• Heat a pot of boiling water. Fill each thermos about halfway full with hot water. Close the lid and let it warm. Meanwhile, heat the leftovers.
• If you’re making 3 or more servings, it’s faster to heat leftovers on the stove, than continuously punching buttons on the microwave.
• Pour out the water, divide the leftovers into the thermoses.
• Good ideas: Pasta + sauce, mac and cheese, fried rice, stir-fry, mashed potatoes and gravy, egg casserole (heat with a little water)

2) An Applesauce Cup + Mason Jar Makes a 2-Compartment Container

• Wash out a disposable plastic applesauce cup or fruit cup and place inside the top of a wide-mouthed pint mason jar.
• Top with the mason jar lid and screw the ring on securely.
• OR for a wide-mouthed half-pint mason jar, top with the lid, flip the fruit cup container upside down and place it on top of the mason jar lid. Screw the ring on.
• Good ideas: Chips in the jar + salsa in the cup, tuna salad + crackers, salad + dressing, milk + cereal, yogurt and fruit + granola

3) 100% Disposable Ice Pack

• Need a totally throw-away lunch for a field trip? Use a yogurt cup.
• Freeze the yogurt cup overnight. Place it in the paper-bag lunch in the morning.
• The yogurt will keep a sandwich cold – and it will be thawed (or frosty-spoonable) by lunch.
• Good ideas: Freeze yogurt, applesauce, fruit cups, chocolate milk boxes, 100% juice bottles, or 100% juice packs

What are your favorite lunch box hacks? Go!