The school year is coming to a close, but I didn’t want it to end without sharing one more installment for the School Lunch Roundup Series, showing what I’ve been packing and posting on my Facebook page this year (almost daily!). And as summer is upon us I want to make it clear that these lunch ideas could go far beyond just the school cafeteria. I find myself packing food for the kids all summer long for outdoor picnics, day camps, long road trips, zoo outings, museum visits, and afternoons at the pool. The plastic divided containers (pictured below) are perfect for all of these occasions and are an especially great way to keep road trip lunches mess-free (and waste-free) since the containers serve as your “plate” once you take off the lid. I hope your summer is full of fun activities and travel plans!
To learn more about the lunches we pack here are some links to get you started…
- Our favorite school lunch supplies including the pictured plastic Ziploc divided containers (each compartment is leak-proof).
- Everything you could ever want to know about those colorful smoothie pop molds.
- The reason we don’t track protein (hint: Have you ever heard of anyone having a protein deficiency?).
- Our recipe index where you’ll find a lot of the recipes pictured below.
- Readers sometimes ask what these lunches look like after they are tossed all around in the backpack…so check out The Life Cycle of a School Lunch where I share before and after pictures.
- Also be sure to checkout our previous, similar posts: School Lunch Roundup I, School Lunch Roundup II, and School Lunch Roundup III.
School Lunch Roundup Photos
Bonus
When we recently went camping I used our divided lunch tray as a way to pack appetizers for all the campers! It worked out perfectly.
What are your favorite packed lunch combinations? Please share in the comments.
Easy Homemade Frosting
Anita @ Losing Austin
May 29, 2013 at 1:14 pmI’ve been trying to figure out better/healthier yet still easy ball park snacks and how to pack them. Seeing this all together made me realize that I need to just use divided containers and pack us each one or two (depending on how long we’ll be there- sometimes 7-8 hours!).
Thanks for always helping us in our quests to eat healthier!
Dahira Binford
May 29, 2013 at 1:20 pmWhat great ideas. Thanks so much. I wonder however how to feed big growing teenage boys who desire quantity as much as quality. That’s why chips, etc. and lunchmeat sandwiches are so easy, fast and “bulky”. I would like to buy the healthier lunchmeat all the time but honestly can’t afford to. I do give them pasta or rice and bean leftovers but would love some other ideas. Thanks!
Patty
May 29, 2013 at 3:32 pmYou could grill or roast some chicken breast, turkey breast or a beef roast, let cool and slice as sandwich meat and store in fridge. This could be flavored with different herbs, spices or bbq sauce (endless possibilities). You would definitely know your ingredients that way. Hope that might work for you :-)
Adrienne
May 29, 2013 at 3:58 pmA thought for those big teenage boys…I teach high school and my hungry kids with home packed meals often pack double. That may not be practical to send two lunch containers, but a lot of my boys eat their first lunch between first and second period…around 10…and devour the second at lunch, closer to 1.
Dahira Binford
May 29, 2013 at 1:22 pmOh and I also didn’t mention that one of my boys is very allergic to nuts so that is a definite bind as they are so full of good satisfying ingredients. He also doesn’t eat eggs often.
Erin
May 29, 2013 at 11:02 pmMy husband is nut allergic and has a big appetite too. We pack our lunches, as well as our 4 year old’s for Pre-K. My husband really prefers leftovers from last night’s dinners for lunch. One, he gets to enjoy our delicious dinners one more time, and two, he finds them more satisfying than a sandwich and sides lunches. Snacks for afternoon are also necessary, as nothing lasts for long enough. He’s very fit. I have to eat a lighter lunch to maintain a healthy weight, tho.
Tara Benwell
May 29, 2013 at 2:05 pmSo many great ideas. Our kids aren’t allowed to take nuts to school. I thought all schools were nut-free these days. I have one very picky eater and I’m always looking for ways to get away from processed foods, but always seem to fall back on them. My kids are sick of jam sandwiches!
Sarah Grant
May 29, 2013 at 2:14 pmI think I could totally do this! Thank you for the inspiration!
Jeanette
May 29, 2013 at 2:15 pmEvery day, I enjoy looking at Facebook and seeing what you packed for your kids that day. I homeschool and thus do not need to pack lunches, but lunch time around here can get really boring. Your ideas give me lots of good ones for the days I don’t cook for lunch. (which is 95 percent of the time, LOL) thank you!
AKH
May 29, 2013 at 2:25 pmAWESOME! Thanks so much for sharing!!!
Kristin
May 29, 2013 at 2:29 pmThanks for the latest round of pictures, hopefully they inspire my 6 year old to try some new things. She recently liked blueberries again (in a bowl with coconut on top a la a Curious George episode) after a 2 year absence, yeah!
My daughter’s kindergarten requires lunch plus a morning AND an afternoon snack. I find the afternoon snack most challenging since it has to be nut free and my daughter prefers most fruits and veggies cold. I have been doing fruit, veggies or a cheese stick for the morning snack with an small ice pack. Sadly, the afternoon snack has mostly been a rotation of Triscuits, spelt pretzels, applesauce/fruit cups and popcorn. Unfortunately, most things that I bake are made with flour, grains or oats that were produced in a facility that also uses nuts. When I gave her apple slices for the afternoon with an ice pack for afternoon snack, she complained they weren’t cold enough. It’s hard to come up with new afternoon ideas that fit those parameters.
Julia Wood
May 29, 2013 at 2:43 pmI admire your creativity! And I always love the school lunch roundup posts. Have you ever (or would you be willing) to create do a blog post that is a master list of all the different things that you pack in school lunches? For us not so creative moms, it would help me to have a list of ideas that can hang on the side of my fridge or take to the grocery.
Jason Leake with 100 Days of Real Food
May 31, 2013 at 10:17 amHi Julia – Keep an eye out for Lisa’s book around January…there will be a school lunch chart that should be a big help! Check out this post for details on the book.
Natalie
May 29, 2013 at 3:17 pmWhy are you anti-mayonnaise? Surely organic or homemade mayo can’t be that bad for you?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
June 11, 2013 at 11:13 amHi Natalie. I wouldn’t call Lisa anti-mayo. It is just hard to find condiments that aren’t highly processed. She has made homemade mayo but quite honestly prefers the fluffy store-bought kind. :) ~Amy
Dawn
May 29, 2013 at 3:17 pmI second Julia’s question and request for a printable list of the options that you pack for lunch! love your blog, and refer people to it QUITE often!! Thank you for all of the hard work and effort you put into maintaining it and keeping it fresh!
Jason Leake with 100 Days of Real Food
May 31, 2013 at 10:19 amHi Dawn – Thanks for spreading the word! As I mentioned to Julia above, keep an eye out for Lisa’s book around January…there will be a school lunch chart that should be a big help! Check out this post for details on the book.
Susan
May 29, 2013 at 3:27 pmjust curious, how old are your kids? The lunches look like they will feed really small children. I need to send about 3 times that much for my super skinny tween who plays sports all day and doesn’t get home until 7PM daily.
Melanie
May 29, 2013 at 6:02 pmI was wondering the same. My kids are 10 and 13. It looks like they would come home starving.
Jason Leake with 100 Days of Real Food
May 31, 2013 at 10:09 amHi Susan – Our girls are 6 and 8. They get breakfast at 7:00, a snack (homemade oatmeal in a thermos) between 10:00 and 11:00, the lunches you see here around noon, and then an after school snack (at home) around 2:30. Believe me they have VERY healthy appetites, but we also teach them to stop eating when they are full. Most days they eat all of their lunches, but occasionally some is left because they get full (the oatmeal snack is filling) or run out of time. They don’t get much time to eat.
Lauren
May 29, 2013 at 3:27 pmThank you for posting this! I’m just wondering, how do you find time to make everything from scratch? Do you always make extras to freeze? I’m realizing that i’m in the kitchen non-stop if I make everything from scratch. What tricks/tips have you found help eliminate spending so much time in the kitchen?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
June 11, 2013 at 11:29 amHi Lauren. Lisa does do most everything from scratch. She’ll add in things like whole wheat pretzels and a few other similar items from time to time. Lisa does make big batches of things such as soups and many of her other recipes and freezes them for an easy daily lunch packing experience. She also includes a lot of readily available fresh seasonal fruits and veggies. Have you taken a look at the other school lunch round-ups: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/04/19/school-lunch-roundup/, https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/09/04/school-lunch-roundup-ii/, https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/02/04/school-lunch-roundup-iii/? Hope this helps. ~Amy
Sara
May 29, 2013 at 3:40 pmThis is very helpful! Just a quick question. Did the Planet Lunchbox not work very well? I noticed it in one of the pictures, but not the rest. I was curious if you liked to use it.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
May 29, 2013 at 11:01 pmHi Sara. Check this out: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/08/09/product-review-lunchboxes/. It offers a full review by one of our team members! ~Amy
Denise
May 29, 2013 at 3:42 pmThank you so much for healthy lunch ideas! My little one starts kindergarten this fall and I can’t wait to try some of these out!
Amanda
May 29, 2013 at 4:01 pmThank u!!! Just what I needed for swim lessons every afternoon at 5…and we can’t eat before so I need something easy ad healthy for after!! Thank u again!!
Alli
May 29, 2013 at 5:23 pmThe pics are perfect. Thanks for snapping all of those shots! I’m on the look out for those divided Ziplock containers.
Erin
May 31, 2013 at 5:47 amI have only ever found them at Target. My grocery store and Walmart don’t carry them – but good ol’ Target had a ton in stock :) And they really are leak proof! My girls use them for lunch and they are a great success!
Kathryn
May 29, 2013 at 6:55 pmI love these ideas, but am wondering how old the kid is you serve these to? I have a 5 and 7 year old and this is like 1/4 of what they eat and they are skinny skinny kids! Also what trays are these? I would love a one with bigger compartments. Thanks for all your hard work!!!!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
June 11, 2013 at 11:21 amHi Kathryn. This was Jason’s response to a similar question above: “Our girls are 6 and 8. They get breakfast at 7:00, a snack (homemade oatmeal in a thermos) between 10:00 and 11:00, the lunches you see here around noon, and then an after school snack (at home) around 2:30. Believe me they have VERY healthy appetites, but we also teach them to stop eating when they are full. Most days they eat all of their lunches, but occasionally some is left because they get full (the oatmeal snack is filling) or run out of time. They don’t get much time to eat.” And you can find the containers as well as others here: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/08/24/my-favorite-school-lunch-supplies/. Best of luck. ~Amy
Zoe
May 29, 2013 at 10:42 pmSpeaking of school lunches, check out this article about a PUBLIC elementary school in my hometown and what they have planned for lunch next year:
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20130522/ARTICLES/130529820/0/search
Organic, chef-prepared school lunches served community-style for little kids in a public charter school. How awesome is that? I’m considering putting my kids on the waiting list for this school.
Cady
May 30, 2013 at 4:54 amI pack three of these Ziploc containers per day for my three-year-old son (breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack) who attends all-day preschool a few days per week, and though I am getting away from using plastic I just love the way these containers seal everything up separately.
I am jazzed to see little side salads, as my guy recently started requesting his own dinner salads but sometimes doesn’t quite finish them. Good reminder for me to pop those into a container for lunch or snack!
As always, thanks for sharing and inspiring, Lisa!
Carol
May 30, 2013 at 8:52 amWe have just started eating real organic food in the past month. My family is so pleased. They say everything tastes better! I love the idea of the little plastic food trays. We have been using baggies, but that can be messy! Thanks for your wonderful ideas!
Jennifer
May 30, 2013 at 10:20 amThanks for the inspiration! My daughter will begin taking lunch next school year and now I feel prepared for it. Already have the Ziploc containers, Thermos and Lands End lunch bag. I also always pack our lunches and snacks for road trips and day trips. Please keep posting the lunches, it really helps!
Maggie
May 30, 2013 at 11:42 amThose that choose plastic containers for their children should be careful how they wash them. Do not use them in the dishwasher or they become toxic. Also, after time when the plastic starts to become scratched it also releases toxic chemicals. I love the LunchBots stainless steel for safety, long lasting product and because they are indestructible for my 3 sons.
Susannah
May 30, 2013 at 1:07 pmHave you posted your pimento cheese recipe on here? I’m always looking for a good one…
Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
June 3, 2013 at 9:07 amHello Susannah. Here ya go: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/07/26/recipe-grilled-pimento-cheese-sandwich/. :) ~Amy
Nicole
May 30, 2013 at 2:53 pmThank you for the pictures. We are just getting ready to start school. I showed my son the pictures to see different options for his lunch (before he just said PBJ and carrots). Great resource:)
Ali
May 30, 2013 at 5:24 pmI like your blog; I even signed up for momables because lunch is such a problem for me and I know our fast food habit is really unhealthy. Last year I bought some things from a local health food store/coop and I was inspired by your blog to revisit it. I didn’t really take a list with me and ended up with some random things–organic snack crackers, organic lemon juice, organic apple butter, and a lb of pasture-fed beef. I can’t shop there for everything because 1) there’s a lot it doesn’t carry and 2) the price. I’m working out a system though–I think I’ll go to the farmer’s market Wednesday mornings before this shop opens and get the local produce with a set budget, then go to the health food store and get our meat, maybe raw milk, and one or two other things, then go to Fred Meyer’s or Walmart or wherever for everything else we need. Then next year maybe we’ll get back into growing a garden and I’ll get canning supplies–and someday I’ll feel like I got this motherhood thing straightened out, but probably not. :O)
Leslie
May 30, 2013 at 7:38 pmI love these ideas and have tried a few of my own (love those Zip loc dividers!). Do you have any ideas for keeping the apple slices from turning brown? I’ve tried lemon juice and even some press and seal over that section with no luck.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
June 3, 2013 at 9:29 amHi Leslie. I soak apple slices in a mixture of lemon juice and carbonated water for a few minutes before I put them in a lunch container. It has done the trick for us. ~Amy
Stacey
August 8, 2013 at 3:12 pmI core the apple, then cut it up, & put it all back together with a rubber band around it.
Sal
May 30, 2013 at 11:23 pmSome fantastic ideas, thank you!
I am loving those smoothie pop cases, I’ve never seem those before. I am curious to know how those smoothie pops are by the time they get eaten? Do they melt and become a drink? Is that a messy situation in that sort of packaging ??
Thanks :)
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
May 31, 2013 at 12:46 pmHi Sal. They are no longer solid by the time lunch arrives. They are, depending on how they were prepared, either a little icy or more like a yogurt squeeze tube. You can see by looking at the photos that Lisa has a particular way of packing them that keeps the mess to a minimum. Lisa also uses ice packs to keep lunches cold. ~Amy
aliciapatrick
May 31, 2013 at 6:34 amsome wonderful ideas..certainly going to try all of them
Lauren
May 31, 2013 at 2:54 pmI wish you were my mom. I would love all of those lunches! My kids, on the other hand, would eat about 1% of these foods. I have switched to real food for myself, following your rules, as of 10 days ago. I have found they are eating more real foods because I am, but so far, they aren’t giving up their processed stuff. Small steps, I suppose. Maybe one of these days I will have the backbone to buckle down and say, “I don’t care if you eat apples for all three meals – you will not eat that processed food anymore.” I would definitely worry about them getting balanced nutrition, but at the same time – some of what they eat now could hardly be called nutritious.
Maria smith
May 31, 2013 at 4:02 pmI saw that you used Squooshi reusable food pouches but they were not mentioned on your “fav school lunch tools”. Do you like these pouches or would you not recommend them? Thanks!
Lisa
June 11, 2013 at 11:12 pmI wrote the post about my favorite lunch tools last year and have discovered new products since then…yes I do like and recommend Squooshi. My daughters love their little pouches and they worked great in their lunch box! :)
Dave
May 31, 2013 at 4:40 pm“Have you ever heard of a anyone having a protein deficiency?”
What? Really?
Protein deficiency is a global epidemic affecting billions of people worldwide, and it affects millions in North America alone.
There are numerous symptoms and can be fixed by supplementing protein.
Sorry, but this is a bit of a disappointing article.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
June 3, 2013 at 10:16 amHi Dave. Did you read the post which accompanied that comment? It offers more context: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/09/19/why-are-americans-so-concerned-about-protein/. While protein deficiency is pretty rare in the US, we are certainly not saying that deficiencies do not happen here and abroad. ~Amy
Nicole Lauren
June 2, 2013 at 10:23 amWow, I am definitely saving this. A lot of great ideas for lunch options!
Beth
June 6, 2013 at 4:46 pmThank you for the introduction to Ak-Mak crackers! Combined with the Unique Whole Wheat pretzels and self-popped popcorn, my family has enough crunchy (yet healthy!) snacks when they don’t feel like fruits and veggies. My husband even adds the crackers to the grocery list!
Bonnie
June 7, 2013 at 10:47 pmI love you blog! Especially the lunch ideas. I have 2 boys who are not big sandwich guys and your little “bento box” style lunches are great. I was wondering if you could do a post with some that are specifically nut and peanut free. Both my boys have multiple food allergies so I am always looking for fun ideas besides ham roll ups and crackers :)
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
June 9, 2013 at 6:23 pmHi Bonnie. Have you seen this: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com2011/08/22/an-elementary-school-snac-list-%E2%80%93-nut-free/? ~Amy
Bonnie
June 9, 2013 at 7:07 pmThe link is not working :(
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
June 10, 2013 at 5:19 pmGive it another try: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/08/22/an-elementary-school-snack-list-%E2%80%93-nut-free/. It just opened for me.
Bonnie
June 10, 2013 at 5:58 pmThank you!!!
Monique
August 7, 2013 at 8:58 amI have noticed that you recommend dried fruit – are you not concerned about sulphites?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
August 10, 2013 at 12:56 pmHi Monique. To avoid sulfites in dried fruit, you can choose organic brands that don’t use preservatives, including sulfur dioxide, in their produce. You can freeze them to give them longer “shelf life”. ~Amy
Allison
June 8, 2013 at 4:19 pmI have a fun lunch/snack idea that my whole family loves which was inspired by my neighbor from Japan: sticky rice balls. We use medium grain white rice (it’s stickier than long grain) and have not expirimented with brown rice yet. Although I imagine its possible since you’ve mentioned brown rice sushi. All you do is cook the rice according to package directions. When it’s cool enough to handle I add mix ins such as salmon and green onions or scrambled eggs. Another friend adds peas, carrots, and seasame seeds. They are also good plain. You can google for tons of ideas.
Next, using wet hands, roll into a ball just like a meatball. Sprinkle with salt,then wrap in seaweed if desired.
I keep a plate in my fridge for snacking and send them in my kids lunches with soy sauce for dipping. They are delicious and filling and can be eaten cold.
maria smith
June 11, 2013 at 5:15 pmHi, I asked this question on here a while back but didn’t see a response. I hope I didn’t miss it somewhere:
I saw that you used Squooshi reusable food pouches but they were not mentioned on your “fav school lunch toolsâ€. Do you like these pouches or would you not recommend them? Thanks!
Lisa
June 11, 2013 at 11:12 pmSorry it sometimes takes a couple weeks to respond to all the comments. I wrote the post about my favorite lunch tools last year and have discovered new products since then…yes I do like and recommend Squooshi. My daughters love their little pouches and they worked great in their lunch box! :)
Leya
June 16, 2013 at 2:32 amI love your site and am a frequent visitor! I love also looking at your lunch ideas. I’m married, w/ no kids (yet), but like to glean ideas for my hubby and I for lunch. One cool thing that the girls in our office started is having a salad bar each week. One person submits a salad idea and everyone brings 1 or 2 of the ingredients. The girls are not switched over to organic yet but I try to gently promote it. Anyways, I know this is not a lunch idea for kiddies but just wanted to throw the idea out =)
tessa
August 23, 2013 at 2:00 pmleya, please keep in mind that organic does NOT mean non-gmo .. that’s the one you need to keep an eye out for, if you have a Meijer near you, there “Naturals” brand is non-gmo. and so far have the biggest selection that ive noticed as far as food stores go. organic just means they don’t use toxins to repel bugs. where GNO’s are genetically modified, so when a bug eats it, their little stomachs explode. makes ya wonder what it does to a human hua..
Jennifer
June 27, 2013 at 12:16 pmYou obviously have young kids…my teens would need 7 of your lunches to get them through! Really. You’ll see. They are so active…I get so tired of making sandwiches, sandwiches, sandwiches. Still, your lunches are cute; I remember those days!
Angelina
August 6, 2013 at 8:41 pmTry this recipe! Great for muffins too!
Banana&Apple cake
ingredients:
– 1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil
– 3 eggs
– 1 ½ cups of wheat flour
– 1 ½ cups of rolled oats fine
– 1/2 cup brown sugar (or maple syrup, or agave syrup)
– 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon ( and a nutmeg pinch)
– 1 teaspoon baking soda
– 1 tablespoon baking powder
– 3 apples diced
– 3 sliced ​​bananas
– 1 cup chopped walnuts or 1 cup raisins
– Cinnamon for sprinkling.
Preparation:
Mix all ingredients in a mixer or by hand, leaving the fruit and nuts last.
Place in a form of approximately 27 cm in diameter, or rectangular, greased and floured baking and light in a medium oven for about 40 minutes. If you are unsure of the right spot, do that trick straws: pierce the toothpick in the cake and it should come out clean.
Beth
August 6, 2013 at 9:51 pmLove your blog! I think these will make great lunches for me at school too! Teachers should eat healthy too! Thanks for posting.
Lisa
August 7, 2013 at 8:07 amJust in time as I begin to think about lunches for our homeschool days. Easy is a must but healthy is too. My summer of cooking lunch is coming to a close. This will help.
Mikhaela Reid
August 7, 2013 at 12:56 pmLove these lunch ideas and I could easily adapt many of them for my allergic kiddo (she’s allergic to dairy, eggs, tree nuts, mustard and sesame).
I don’t personally feel comfortable with plastic lunchboxes, especially with plastics being heated in the microwave (not sure BPA-free means much when I don’t know if the replacements for BPA are proven… http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2011/04/beyond-bpa-could-bpa-free-products-be-just-as-unsafe/237246/ and http://myplasticfreelife.com/2011/04/bpa-free-does-not-mean-safe-most-plastics-leach-hormone-disrupting-chemicals/) but I love the Lunchbots and Planetbox, we have both and use them over and over and over again.
Brandie M
August 7, 2013 at 1:12 pmI cannot thank you enough for this round-up. I was looking at versions 1,2,3 yesterday but this one really suits our tastebuds. My kids have a nut allergy and I LOVE the link you provided for nut-free snacks. Not only are your recipes and lunch ideas amazing but I love how you also give us tips and hints on how to package and serve them. I come back to your blog over and over again for inspiration and I truly appreciate all the hard work you put into it to make our kids (and us) healthier!
N Dean
August 8, 2013 at 11:23 amThe reason we don’t track protein (hint: Have you ever heard of a anyone having a protein deficiency?).
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001604.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwashiorkor
It happens. As a 16 year vegetarian I am unconcerned about my protein requirements. I believe there is an over emphasis on this particular component of our diet; however I have heard of it and I have seen it and it is horrible…….
Jenifer
August 13, 2013 at 12:05 pmI realize this post is a few months old, but I’m just looking at it to get ideas for this school year that started for us yesterday.
My question is if your girls get a different variety lunch each day? Especially the fruits, my kids seem to get the same fruits/veggies every day for a week until we run out… if I buy too many options, they seem to ruin before we can eat them all.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
August 28, 2013 at 8:21 amHi Jennifer. The kids get a pretty good variety throughout the week but we are also using fruits and veggies at breakfast, lunch, for after school smoothies and at dinner. It is not usually a big challenge to change it up a bit depending on the meal. This week my fruits are watermelon, grapes, peaches, apples, pineapple, and oranges. My fresh veggies are carrots, red peppers, cucumber, tomato, broccoli, spinach, and asparagus. You do have to be aware of what you bought and have a strategy for using it to keep it from going to waste. :) ~Amy
Dani
August 13, 2013 at 1:25 pmI am a little confused by the “real food” I see whole wheat waffles.. but aren’t grains and Wheat in particular on of the worst GMO offenders. Often referred to as Frankenwheat. I am refusing to let my kids buy lunch because I have no control over the ingredients but I am really really struggling to find fun lunch solutions that will appeal and appease both them an me.
Marilyn
August 16, 2013 at 1:32 pmI worked full time as a nurse for most of my children’s lives. I found taking an evening to make sandwiches with them and freezing them individually wrapped back in the bread bag made life easier. I discovered PB and J on raisin, Ham and cheese, tuna/ salmon salad made with cream cheese, onion and a bit of mayo,on whole wheat, pastrami on rye, chicken salad with cream cheese on a Kaiser..etc all froze well. I kept sliced Roma tomatoes and lettuce in the fridge to be added in a container in the morning for dressing up the sandwiches worked well. I froze leftover home made soups and spaghetti, in plastic containers and then popped them out to throw into a ziplock bag in the freezer for storage…same with stew. In the morning just heat and put in a thermos. Made many logs of slice and bake cookies and muffins to throw in the oven when ever it was on. I could put together 4 kids lunches and my own in less than 5 mins in the morning. Our schools did not allow disposable containers of any kind so I also would freeze fruit in plastic containers and pop them out for bulk freezing, sticking them back in containers for lunches.
Breakfasts were made easy by making my own egg Mcmuffins, pancakes, waffles, instant oatmeal in baggies, French toast. My kids could have a good hot breakfast even when I wasn’t there.
When kids were very little and pickey I cut sandwiches in quarters. They would get 4 different breads and fillings. They tended to eat more and throw away less.
Rachel Coleman
August 19, 2013 at 2:31 pmHi Lisa and staff! I seem to find myself coming to your blog every other day or so. It’s such a great resource. I’m asking a question that I remember seeing an answer to, but I can’t find it. Apologies!! In some of these pics, you have an adorable hot pink silicone flower-shaped cup. I have quite a collection of different types of silicone baking liners, and see the links to other silicone baking cups, but I was wondering where that particular one came from? I’ve been on the hunt for that shape (hopefully in mulitple colors!) for several years with no real luck, except a black and brick red combo I found on Amazon. Someone could make a lot of money if they’d sell that shape on Amazon. I love the black/brick red ones, but am looking for some other colors. They’re much stiffer than the other silicone cupcake liners.
Lisa
September 4, 2013 at 9:13 pmThanks so much for being a fan of the blog. And aren’t those flower muffin cups the cutest? I got them at World Market, but it looks like they are no longer available online unfortunately: http://www.worldmarket.com/product/pink-silicone-flower-baking-mold.do
Jill B
August 22, 2013 at 4:50 pmAre your fruits veggies all organic or only those states organic in your description.?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
August 27, 2013 at 5:01 pmHi Jill. Lisa doesn’t buy absolutely everything organic. She use the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen list form the Environmental Working Group to help guide her. Here is more information: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/05/02/what-to-buy-organic/. Hope that helps. ~Amy
Juanima
August 22, 2013 at 7:17 pmI love love love your site! I just have a question maybe someone could answer. Do you have a way of keeping your apple sandwiches from browning by lunch? Would lemon juice work?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
August 27, 2013 at 5:13 pmHello Juanima. Lemon juice will work fine. It does make the apples a little more sour. A reader suggested using pineapple juice but I’ve not tried it. ~Amy
Lb
September 1, 2013 at 2:18 pmQuick dip in salt water also works – fill a cup,/bowl w/water, sprinkle salt, dip fruits
Tracy
August 23, 2013 at 2:53 amI have a 2.5 yr old who isn’t fond of veggies and only some fruits. I’d like to start offering better food choices (she would happily eat noodles for every meal if I allowed it). Where would I start? I am a single parent who doesn’t care to cook much so we do a lot of microwave, frozen, processed meals. I stay home so have the time to make things, etc. but need a little nudge in the right direction. Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
August 28, 2013 at 10:35 amHi Tracy. Hey, the first step is the hardest! Here are a couple posts that should do well as a nudge: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/04/12/newsflash-we-are-not-just-fine/ and https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/10/21/real-food-tips-10-reasons-to-cut-out-processed-food/. Also, Lisa has done a number of posts on picky eaters. Here is one to get you started: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/12/07/picky-eater-vs-problem-feeder/. Best of luck. You CAN do this. :) ~Amy
Gena
September 17, 2013 at 6:15 pmI love your little dressing container pictured in the “Whole-grain zucchini muffin, frozen banana/berry/yogurt/spinach smoothie pop, whole-wheat pretzels (“Unique†brand sprouted grain variety), unsweetened organic applesauce, and a small salad topped with toasted almonds and carrot shreds plus homemade dressing on the side.” lunch. Can you tell me who makes it? Or are there other condiment containers you recommend? Thank you!
Lisa
October 29, 2013 at 10:04 amIt’s a cute one, isn’t it? That is from Laptop Lunches!
Alma
September 19, 2013 at 12:59 amHi, I know you review products often so maybe you have already done a review/recommendation of the Sqooshie pouch. We now live in a country where I can’t buy the baby food/applesauce in pouches. I just found out now that there are a bunch of refillable/reusable pouches out there that I can order, thanks to your blog. Is Sqooshie brand the brand you would most recommend, have you tried others? I bought the norpro posicle holders on your reommendation and love them. Thanks a lot.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
October 2, 2013 at 8:36 amHi Alma. Here is the post that contains the Sqooshie link: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/07/11/3-ways-introduce-baby-toddler-real-food/. And recently, Lisa used: http://www.littlegreenpouch.com/ but has not done a post on them. ~Amy
amy
October 27, 2013 at 10:42 pmThese lunches all look amazing, and being an adult, I would love them all! The problem that I see is that I know that I would’ve traded these lunches away when I was in school. Spinach salad? Rice and avocados? As delicious as I would find that now, I wouldn’t have wanted any of this for lunch at school. I think the lunches have to be a little more kid friendly, or you’ll find your child eating four traded puddings for lunch like me and my friends did.
Anne
October 28, 2013 at 10:01 amMy daughter goes into kindergarten next year and I just keep stockpiling all of your awesome lunch ideas and pictures for when I send her lunches to school with you. I am so inspired by all that you do to keep your family healthy…and eating real food.
Jillian
October 28, 2013 at 2:45 pmLove your ideas! Question – where is your large stainless steel container with separate compartments from? (With this this lunch in it: Whole-grain (Ezekial brand) pita “crusts,†tomato sauce, and cheese (so she can make her own pizza), orange slices, pistachios, and a salad with spinach/almonds/raisins. – I want it! I’m not a fan of using plastic containers :) thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
October 31, 2013 at 11:00 amHi Jillian. That is a Planet Box. You can find them reviewed by Kiran here: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/08/09/product-review-lunchboxes/. ~Amy
Monica
December 4, 2013 at 11:41 amDo you have a link to a recipe for the sour cream based onion dip?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
December 16, 2013 at 7:52 amHi Monica. This ranch dip is the closest we have: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/12/01/recipe-ranch-flavored-dip/. ~Amy
Jeanette
February 9, 2014 at 4:31 pmHi! I love your site! We’re slowly trying to move to an unprocessed life. It’s a daily challenge with our incredibly picky 3 yr old. I notice that you often have yogurt in your girls lunches and was wondering if there were ratios of how much maple syrup and vanilla extract you add to plain yogurt. My moms group is having a yogurt station for our meeting this week and wanted to offer a better yogurt option for them. thank you so much!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
February 23, 2014 at 7:46 amHello Jeanette. Getting back to this after your meeting. Sorry about that. Did you try it out? For a single serving of yogurt, I use just a drop or two of vanilla and about a tsp of honey or maple. It may take a little trial and error to get it to the flavor you like. ~Amy
mindy
February 21, 2014 at 10:20 amHi Lisa,
I saw Babybel cheese on here. Is this a staple for you guys? I just wanted to know b/c I’ve been buying it lately at Costco and didn’t know if it was a “sometimes” food?
THanks,
Mindy
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
February 24, 2014 at 11:26 amHi there. The Baby Bell cheese is great for its short ingredient list but it is not organic. For me it would be a sometimes food because avoiding non-organic dairy or non-grass-fed/pasture raised dairy is important to me. ~Amy
Kyli
April 1, 2014 at 4:00 pmI am wondering about the popcorn. Do you use anything to flavor it, or is it just air-popped, plain popcorn? Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
April 3, 2014 at 4:19 pmHi Kyli. Here is Lisa’s popcorn method: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/06/17/recipe-the-popcorn-trick/. ~Amy
Daanna
May 14, 2014 at 5:42 pmHello I love all your recipes and ideas! Thank you for all you do Lisa! I was wondering how you figure out the ratio of what goes in these lunches? Do you just try to do a carb a protein fruit & veggie? Or really no system at all?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
May 15, 2014 at 7:36 pmHi Daanna. Lisa tries to to make certain her girl’s lunches are both balanced and varied. She doesn’t stress about it and is confident that at the week’s end, her girls have been fed very well. :) ~Amy
Emily
July 28, 2014 at 10:40 pmHi,
I have tried to do the make-your-own pizzas. What kind of cheese do you use? I tried to grate fresh mozzarella, and it was a total disaster. Is there a better way to do it, or should I be using a different cheese? – Thanks!!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
August 10, 2014 at 8:56 pmHi Emily. An aged block of mozzarella is easier to grate than fresh. When using fresh, you may want to try thin slices instead of grating it. :)
Amy
July 29, 2014 at 1:27 pmStarting to gather ideas for Back to School! I notice in one of your photos, you include whole grain organic corn puffs. Is there a brand you can recommend?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
August 1, 2014 at 8:00 amHi there, Amy. Lisa buy a variety of puffed 100% cereal grains. You can find them at stores like Earth Fare and Whole Foods. The store brands are fine. ~Amy
Jana
July 29, 2014 at 2:26 pmWhat brand(s) of pretzels do you buy? Popcorn?
Thanks !
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
August 2, 2014 at 8:55 amHi Jana. Lisa buys whole wheat pretzels from Trader Joes. Look for organic popcorn. :) ~Amy
Jana
July 29, 2014 at 2:33 pmAlso what brand/kind of crackers do u buy? Thanks again!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
August 2, 2014 at 8:56 amAk Mak and Crunch Master. :)
Alison Clayton
July 29, 2014 at 5:14 pmJust double checking before I order the lands end lunchbox…. Do the divided plastic containers fit with a thermos bottle? Of the one million lunch Boxes I have now, the plastic container does not fit. I tried finding a picture in the school round up posts, but did not see one…tha nks for you help!!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
August 2, 2014 at 8:42 amHi Allison. There is a pouch for the thermos on the side of the bag. :)
anna
August 21, 2014 at 1:58 pmwhere do you get the divided plastic containers?
Jaqueline Covarrubias
August 24, 2014 at 6:56 pmHi! I found those containers at my local Target for $2.50 Great Deal!!! :)
Jaqueline Covarrubias
August 24, 2014 at 6:50 pmI’ve found those containers at my local Target for $2.50, the package off two. :)
Jaqueline Covarrubias
August 24, 2014 at 6:53 pmLoved your lunch ideas and I really appreciate the point that you openly tell as brands and stores :) Thank you so much!!!
Jen H.
August 24, 2014 at 9:28 pmHow do you pack hot and cold foods together in the same lunch? For example, the tomato bisque and cheesestick and muffin. Where do you put the ice pack for the cheese stick without making the soup cold?
Thanks.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
August 26, 2014 at 7:42 amHi Jen. The ice pack goes under or around the portion you want to keep cold. Also, the contents of the thermos should not be affected much from an ice pack. I typically further separate the thermos and cold items with a cloth napkin. :)
Bri P :-)
August 26, 2014 at 10:15 amHello! My hubby just got a new job that requires him being on the road for lunch. These meals look awesome! They are perfect. So many healthy varieties… Thank you so much for sharing!!! <3
Sallie Gray
December 4, 2014 at 10:04 pmHello! I recently read in a a publication from Healthy Green Schools that Baby Bel cheese contains GMO RBGH. Do you know if this is still true? The booklet also said Pirate’s Booty is GMO but their website indicates they now offer some non-GMO products. I can’t find anything with an update on Baby Bel. Thank you in advance for any info you have!
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
December 8, 2014 at 9:12 amHi Sallie. Not sure but this is the site I find most helpful: http://www.nongmoproject.org/. :)
Zero Waste Mommy
August 7, 2015 at 10:04 amYou know, this is downright the most useful thing on the internet this month. Thanks for keeping up the effort for us.
Douglas
September 9, 2015 at 12:41 pmThanks for the fantastic insight. I’m left in charge of packing my son’s lunch and although I’m pretty creative I do appreciate the pictures and information you’ve shared. It certainly will e useful as I plan out a new school year.
Happy eating and thanks again.
Doug
Erin Marie @ Health Happens At Home
June 14, 2016 at 2:23 pmSomeday I hope my kiddos eat as well as yours. It’s a process. Thanks for the inspiration! I shared a link to this post on my site today: http://www.healthhappensathome.com/blog/2016/6/14/healthy-living-motivation
Brook
January 16, 2017 at 12:18 amWhere do you get those cool tubes for the smoothies?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
January 18, 2017 at 8:50 amHello. You can find the link as well as instructions for use in this post: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/03/19/real-food-tips-4-hints-for-using-freezie-pop-molds/.
Amy Nakamura
September 5, 2017 at 9:43 pmdo you dress the salads when you pack? if not, how do you package?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
September 13, 2017 at 11:51 amThey are typically dressed when packed. You can also pack a small container if you prefer to keep it separate.