This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Horizon and Santa Cruz. The opinions and text are all mine.
When my kids started going to school, I was so excited to finally get to pack lunches and send them on their way. I don’t know why I take joy in filling their lunchbox’s with snacks and goodies, but I envision them opening my prepped meals everyday like you would open a treasure box.
1. Use Your Cookie Cutters
My son is ten years old now, but you should see the smile on his face when he sees me bust out the cookie cutters to make a train out of his sandwich. It never gets old.
2. Organize And Simplify
We have a drawer in our fridge where I keep easy to grab snack packs, cheese, fruit and individual drinks and it makes lunch prepping life so easy. I also keep containers in our pantry that I replenish with crackers, fruit snacks, and other individually packed snack items for easy access.
3. Warm It Up!
When I discovered the magic of a thermos I started using them in lunches throughout the week. My kids love to find their favorite mac and cheese still warm and waiting for them at lunch time!
4. Keep It Cool
I’m a huge fan of ices packs or separate cooler compartments in lunch bags that I can depend on to keep fruit, cheese, yogurt, and milk cool. My picky kids far too often would leave items in their lunchboxes because they were no longer cold at lunch time. It is so easy these days to find ice packs or specific containers to keep certain items cold and edible!
5. Brands We Love
With the first day of school right around the corner, we are already picking out lunch boxes and I am always on the search for great lunchbox additions. I want brands that my kids will love without compromising their nutrition. Horizon and Santa Cruz Organic are organic and delicious! No Antibiotics, No Growth Hormones, No Persistent Pesticides, Non GMO. I have really been enjoying some of the new products Horizon has been releasing and have already snagged snacking cheese in sticks and SHAPES, single serve milk boxes, and sandwich crackers at my local Target! And since my son is obsessed with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, I feel really good adding the Santa Cruz Organic fruit spread and peanut butter to his lunchbox.
6. Surprise Them
Growing up I could count on a bologna sandwich, 2 cookies, a bag of chips and an apple. Everyday. For my entire life. This may be why I like to surprise my kids every once in awhile with something new to chomp on that I might have hidden in a secret snack stash.
7. Add A Note
I remember the rare occasion when I would find a note from my Dad in my own lunchbox growing up. It was so exciting to me that he was communicating to me while I was at school. When my oldest was in Kindergarten I tried to remember to put a note in her lunch everyday. She never mentioned them, but at the end of the year I found them all collected in a compartment of her backpack. She hadn’t thrown any of them away!
That little cutie is in eighth grade now and she still prefers a packed lunch. There is something to be said about the comfort provided when you know your lunch is waiting for you, prepped with love (sometimes very rushed love on those more frazzled mornings) and filled with your favorite snacks.
Lunchbox Joy is REAL!
What do you remember about your packed lunches? How do you pack your own kids lunch?
Save 20% on Horizon with Cartwheel and go in-store for savings on Santa Cruz Organic products 8/6-8/26 at Target stores near you!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Horizon and Santa Cruz. The opinions and text are all mine.
Jennice Powell says
Girl, I needed this! I will be doing lunch from home for the first tine this school year. Thanks so much!