Lunch boxes and recipes: your back-to-school handy guide

Don’t be fooled by the persisting hot weather, summer is coming to an end. This means, the infamous lunch prep times are back!

We know it may not be the most entertaining thing to do and think about, so we’ve assembled this handy guide containing tips for choosing a lunch box and accessories for your kids, as well as some ideas for recipes. Don’t worry; we’re with you in this!

Lunch bags

The first thing to consider when choosing a lunch box is its size. It should be big enough to contain enough food to satiate your little ogre without being to bulky to carry.As it’s not recommended to shove the lunch box in your child’s backpack – you don’t want to add to much weight – chose a model with a comfortable handle or an adjustable shoulder strap. Your kid will thank you for it!

Opt for a well-insulated construction that is made with fabric that is easy to clean. You wouldn’t want, night over night, to make it a chore to deal with juice stains and food crumbs stuck in hard to reach place in the lunch box. Also, chose a fun printed fabric that represents your child’s personality. You sure want them to carry it around every day with pride!

Accessories

Since resealable plastic bags can add up quickly (one for the sandwich, another for the sack, etc.) and to avoid waste, it is better to turn to better and more sensible alternatives, for example sandwich boxes and reusable containers for dips and snacks.

Prefer containers with multiple compartments which can store various foods taking up too much space in the lunch box. Foldable or snapable cutlery is also convenient.

Recipes

If the simplest solution is to pack the leftovers from last night supper, it’s a safe bet that this is not the preferred option of your kids.

Here are a few ideas to offer them a little variety:

• “Compound platter”: several foods in as many compartments: cheese cubes, hard boiled eggs, cold cuts rolls, crackers, vegetables with dip, fruits, etc. The result is a colorful and varied dish that is sure to please them.
• Rolled sandwiches! Keep it simple: chicken or tofu spread, egg or tuna salad, chopped ham on a fresh tortilla make an easy to eat and very appreciated sandwich.
• Savoury muffins : ham and cheese, herbs, let you imagination go!

Good luck and have a great back to school!

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This article was written in collaboration with Maman pour la vie. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author.

Written by Vanessa Maisonneuve-Rocheleau.