If you want to send your child off to school with wholesome, “real food” lunches this year, planning ahead is key! I know it’s tempting to just grab and go with those little prepackaged bags of cheese crackers and tubes of flavored yogurt, but giving your child nutritious foods throughout the school day can help them stay alert and do their best.
Now if I had to wake up each morning and make homemade “real food” school lunch recipes from scratch, well…that would just never happen! So instead I make lunch items when it is convenient for me and freeze them. I think it’s safe to say freezing foods in advance is my number one school lunch “trick” that makes the lunches I pack even possible. And my number two school lunch trick is to always pack – or at least start packing lunch – the night before!
So before we dive right into the list of things you should make and freeze right now at the beginning of the school year, here are a few freezing tips…
How to freeze and defrost recipes for school lunches:
- For Soups, Pastas, Meatballs, Refried Beans, Stews, Etc: Freeze the finished dish in individual portions using small jelly jars, small Tupperware containers, or even freezer-safe Ziploc bags (once the food has cooled). Note: If using glass jars leave room at the top for the soup to expand!
The day/night before school: Take out the frozen item of choice and let it defrost in its container in the fridge overnight. On the morning of school heat up the item (we usually use a small pot on the stove, but the microwave would work as well) in a heat-proof container and then transfer it to a thermos container in order to keep it warm at school. Be sure to check out our post on how to select and use a thermos. I try to send “hot lunch” (usually a soup) every Wednesday because it’s a nice break in the middle of the week, and I am now in a routine to remember to pick out something to defrost on Tuesdays.
– - For Whole-Grain Muffins, Waffles, Pancakes, Quick Breads, Pizza Crusts, Store Bought Breads/Pitas, Etc: There are two ways to freeze bread items: 1. Freeze them in one layer on a baking sheet. Then once they are frozen transfer them to a big Ziploc bag or other freezer-safe container. 2. Eliminate a step by separating the layers of food with pieces of wax paper in your freezer-safe container/bag (so nothing sticks together). With certain foods (like muffins) I find that I don’t even need the wax paper.
The day/night before school: Pull out the desired individual frozen bread item, put it in the divided lunch container, and let it defrost in the fridge overnight with the other items you’ve packed. If you are just defrosting a bread item alone and it is not already packed with a perishable item then it can defrost on the counter at room temperature.
– - For Smoothies: I freeze our smoothies in reusable silicone freezie pop molds and do not take them out until the morning of school. These do not need to defrost overnight! Instead they will actually slowly defrost throughout the school morning. My kids say they are kind of half frozen, half not by lunchtime (Note: I pack their lunch in insulated bags with 3 or 4 frozen ice packs).
–
10 Recipes to Freeze For School Lunches
(which will make packing a breeze!)
- Whole-Wheat Pancakes or Waffles.
We use these to make sandwiches with all sorts of fillings like cream cheese, jam, cinnamon, raisins, and even peanut butter (or other nut butters).
- Spaghetti and Meatballs.
Our family thinks homemade meatballs are pretty awesome. Combine them with cooked whole-grain noodles and organic sauce and freeze them in a jar – you now have yourself a lunch to get excited about. (See freezing notes above.)
- Pizza Crust (or Finished Pizza).
Whether you make and bake your own plain pizza crust or just cut store bought whole-wheat pitas into triangles and freeze them, it is a great item to have on hand. Pack with grated cheese and tomato sauce and you officially have a homemade “lunchable.” Alternatively, pizza that has already been baked with sauce and cheese freezes beautifully so don’t be afraid to go that route as well.
– - Chicken Noodle Soup.
Who doesn’t love homemade chicken noodle soup… especially on a cold winter day? Make and freeze this now and you will be SO thankful in a couple months when fall arrives. (See freezing notes above.)
– - Smoothies.
We love smoothies in our house and one of the best parts about them is that you can easily add in greens and peanut butter and other good stuff. We freeze them and send them in colorful reusable smoothie pop molds, and they are the envy of the lunch table. (See notes above.)
– - Whole-Grain Pumpkin Muffins (or Mini-Muffins).
They don’t have to be pumpkin flavored…blueberry, cinnamon/raisin, raspberry, or banana/nut would do! The important thing is that you make the muffins. And freeze them of course! :)
– - Tomato Bisque.
This is my 8-year-old daughter’s most favorite soup. She would eat it every week and it would never get old to her. She especially loves it when I boil some whole-wheat macaroni or penne noodles (the day before of course) and then add them to the soup when heating it up in the morning before school. (See freezing notes above.)
– - Homemade Pop Tarts.
If I actually have enough extra homemade pop tarts on hand to freeze and then I later find them in the freezer (after a period of forgetfulness), they are like the golden nuggets of the school lunch world to me. I am just being honest – it is the best.
– - Whole-Wheat Zucchini Bread or Cinnamon Raisin Bread.
These can be a great stand-in for sandwich bread as well. Just add some cream cheese in-between two layers and you are ready to go.
- Slow Cooker Refried Beans or Baked Beans.
Ya okay so beans aren’t for everyone. But I didn’t think they were for me either until I tried these recipes – so just give them a chance! It’s hard to beat cheap, real, and filling.
Bonus: You can also freeze sauces like spaghetti sauce (for make your own pizza “lunchables”), organic applesauce (store bought or homemade), and pesto in little ice cube trays. These are great to have on hand for school lunch boxes as well!
Please share your freezing ahead tips for school lunches in the comments below.
What is Baby Led Weaning?
My number 1 tip for school lunches is…… don’t leave your lunch at home! I can’t tell you how many times we’ve gotten to school and one of my daughters have said they left their lunch behind. My daughters (now in middle school and high school) make their own lunch. They know my rules about adding veggies and fruit, and I try to have a bit of leftovers on hand as they get tired of sandwiches.
Brilliant idea on the pop tarts. Haven’t had those in years! And I’m a big soup maker. I’ll make 10 servings at a time and freeze them. Living in the So of France I’m spoiled with fresh and diverse tomatoes, and bisque is one of my favourites to make adding fresh basil.
PLEASE don’t send glass containers in school lunches. Spills are one thing but injury with broken glass is quite another.
I don’t think she does. She says how she freezes stuff in the glass mason jars,defrosts the contents, then heats it up and transfers it into their thermos for lunch. No glass.
I’m a college student and I pack my own lunches to eat in between classes on busy days. My trick is to just keep things simple–half of an almond butter sandwich, and apple, and raw veggies gets the job done.
Instead of chicken noodle soup, I’ve been making quinoa vegetable soup. The saltiness of the veggie broth kind of masks the quinoa taste (if you dont like the taste). Super healthy and kids seem to love it too!
Love this! Thank you.
Hi. There are endless possibilities. Here are a few: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/09/09/recipe-make-ahead-smoothie-2-ways/ and https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/12/26/green-smoothie-recipe/.
Hi What brand of sauce do you use for the Spaghetti Meatballs?
Hi there. There are lots of great options out there but do look for organic. Some brands I really like are Amy’s, Muir Glenn, Newman’s Own Common Good and several others.
Love the suggestions. I have also been making healthy smoothies and freezing them. We like the thin bag containers with spouts (like ‘natures little squeeze’ or ‘mini kiwi’). They are as big as our lunch bags so they work to insulate the whole lunch and don’t leak even if the kids are full and don’t finish them. My youngest often finishes his after school and it’s still cold.