I wrote an earlier blog post about creating frozen tv dinners. For this post, I’m going to post ideas about how to help my daughter pack her own daily lunches. I don’t know about you, but we are on a budget. It doesn’t matter if we have a little extra that month or not, but budget seems to be a word that has no concept to any kid J I’m sure you have no idea what I’m talking about. But, if I buy those strawberries or fresh cherries on an off-season, when they are more expensive, I don’t want them gone in a single day or sitting. So, I’ve created a meal prep plan for my daughter. It includes things she can pack from each category and that way, I can spread out some of those special things a little longer.
I wrote an earlier blog post about creating frozen tv dinners. For this post, I’m going to post ideas about how to help my daughter pack her own daily lunches. I don’t know about you, but we are on a budget. It doesn’t matter if we have a little extra that month or not, but budget seems to be a word that has no concept to any kid J I’m sure you have no idea what I’m talking about. But, if I buy those strawberries or fresh cherries on an off-season, when they are more expensive, I don’t want them gone in a single day or sitting. So, I’ve created a meal prep plan for my daughter. It includes things she can pack from each category and that way, I can spread out some of those special things a little longer.
Drinks are easy. For her, it’s water. That’s it. She doesn’t drink enough and neither do I, so our goal is to drink much more water. If you have littles, you might include milk or calcium enriched juices. If you buy a gallon from Costco and refill little BPA free plastic bottles from the dollar store, you can freeze those and put them in lunches. It also serves as an ice pack and could help stretch your product longer.
I include three categories: main dish, side dish and dessert. I cook these weekly or biweekly.
Main dishes:
- Pasta Salad – frozen in individual containers
- Soup – frozen and reheated in double wall thermos
- Pizza Lunchable (Homemade) – pita cut in fourths, frozen pizza sauce and shredded cheese
- Tuna fish sandwich (frozen tuna in container, and just add bread in bag to lunchbox)
- Meat sandwich, wrap or veggie kabob with ranch dressing (made morning of or include parts and add to lunchbox for assembly)
Side dishes:
- Popcorn – homemade with sprinkle of cheese powder or ranch dressing mix
- Boiled eggs – made week of serving
- Fruit cups / fresh fruit prepacked
- PB crackers (make ahead at home and put in bags)
- Yogurt or Parfaits (make in mason jars and freeze)
Desserts:
- Pudding (make ahead and put in small mason jars and freeze)
- Brownie (make, cut and individually wrap in saran wrap – store in freezer)
- Cookie (individually wrap in saran wrap – store in freezer)
- Muffin (individually wrap in saran wrap – store in freezer)
- Cupcake (individually wrap in saran wrap – store in freezer, put frosting as a dip in a side container instead of on the cupcake)
What meal prep ideas do you have?
Drinks are easy. For her, it’s water. That’s it. She doesn’t drink enough and neither do I, so our goal is to drink much more water. If you have littles, you might include milk or calcium enriched juices. If you buy a gallon from Costco and refill little BPA free plastic bottles from the dollar store, you can freeze those and put them in lunches. It also serves as an ice pack and could help stretch your product longer.
I include three categories: main dish, side dish and dessert. I cook these weekly or biweekly.
Main dishes:
- Pasta Salad – frozen in individual containers
- Soup – frozen and reheated in double wall thermos
- Pizza Lunchable (Homemade) – pita cut in fourths, frozen pizza sauce and shredded cheese
- Tuna fish sandwich (frozen tuna in container, and just add bread in bag to lunchbox)
- Meat sandwich or wrap (made morning of or include parts and add to lunchbox for assembly)
Side dishes:
- Popcorn – homemade with sprinkle of cheese powder or ranch dressing mix
- Boiled eggs – made week of serving
- Fruit cups / fresh fruit prepacked
- PB crackers (make ahead at home and put in bags)
- Yogurt or Parfaits (make in mason jars and freeze)
Desserts:
- Pudding (make ahead and put in small mason jars and freeze)
- Brownie (make, cut and individually wrap in saran wrap – store in freezer)
- Cookie (individually wrap in saran wrap – store in freezer)
- Muffin (individually wrap in saran wrap – store in freezer)
- Cupcake (individually wrap in saran wrap – store in freezer, put frosting as a dip in a side container instead of on the cupcake)
What meal prep ideas do you have?