Sometimes it’s tough to find useful parenting tips. Packing school lunches is one are in which I have a lot of experience. So I thought I would share these ideas as part of Works For Me Wednesday (except I’m a day behind and only got to it on Thursday 
). For me packing four lunches and three snacks on a daily basis ranks right up there with, say, a root canal. Honestly, if the kids decide to buy lunch it feels like a vacation!
So over the years I have managed to streamline the process a bit and I figured I would pass my advice onto you.
I know, I know – pack it the night before is what most people say. But, truth be told, by the time I get the dinner dishes put away, give the kids baths, and do bedtime books, I am done.
But I do have a little secret up my sleeve and that is a cheat sheet. A little slip of paper that I write up every night that tells me what I will be packing for each child the next day. This way, in the wee hours of the morning – when my eyes are still bleary with sleep, I will not need to think. I will just do. I will follow my plan and put together whatever I had decided upon the night before.
And here is the last of my parenting tips. Packing school lunches is also made easier with little name tags. I will lay each lunch and snack out on the counter and put a little slip of paper with a child’s name next to each one. The kids put their own lunches and snacks into their lunchboxes. This way if I am not in the kitchen when they pack up then they will know which lunch is theirs.
I imagine that this parenting advice is geared towards larger families but smaller clans may benefit as well. Alos, using a digital planner can help get your lunch plans organized.
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When are they old enough to pack their own lunches? When are they old enough that I don’t feel guilty having them pack their own lunches? Obviously, not my favorite part of the day. Thanks for sharing the tips!
Cluckandtweet – It’s never too early to start! Even in kindergarten, kids can start helping to pull their lunch together. The night before you can give them two choices – say “do you want a cheese sandwich tomorrow or a turkey sandwich?”. Then the two of you can prepare the sandwich. In the morning your son or daughter can put everything in their lunch box. Of course, this requires time and planning on the parents part – which is often hard for me to do!