04: How to Pack a Healthy School Lunch

Do I love packing lunches? Does it invigorate my spirit?

Heck no. Still boring. Still annoying. Still would rather be reading a good book! BUT we do find ways to make variety happen because we’re committed to eating healthy, nourishing food at every meal.

Check out how we keep it simple AND involve the kids in daily school lunch packing. And it’s all gluten-free, mostly grain-free!

Best lunch packing tips:

1. Pack right after dinner and include items you have out on the table (leftovers, raw veggies, and dip)

2. Batch it – make 2 days’ worth whenever you can and for sure pack all the lunches (mostly) the same, not what we demo here!

3. Fill the squares – bento boxes give you a roadmap, and you just need to think of 3-4 items to put in.

Can’t see the video? Click to watch “How to Pack a Healthy School Lunch” on YouTube.

No time to watch the whole video? Here are the notes!

Packing Healthy School Lunch

• 0:20: First look in the fridge to see what leftovers are available.
• 0:33: Strategy #1 for saving time is to pack it the night before as you’re cleaning up from dinner.
• 0:50: Our lunches are always different, but there are some common themes.
• 1:13: How we use the phrase “filling the squares” to make choices. How can we incorporate different colors and food groups?

We get the kids involved in helping and making some decisions, but we also just make sure that we have really balanced lunches. -Katie

• 1:45: Homemade yogurt and frozen fruit.
• 1:56: Homemade crepes being made on the news!
• 4:00: We talk about getting kids in the kitchen so they can own healthy eating for themselves.
• 4:21: How early can you start? What does the research say about kids helping around the house? And how can you keep their motivation going?
• 5:49: Watch my kids packing their lunch boxes for ideas and inspiration.
• 6:10: Ideas for crepe fillings.

A couple resources from the video:

• Ants on a log is our backup when we don’t have any good leftovers or any time!
• 30+ Dinner leftovers that make great school lunches.
• BBQ beef recipe
• Veggie bean burrito recipe
• BBQ chicken recipe (Instant Pot or slow cooker)
• Make Instant Pot chicken and other basics
• Homemade Chicken Nuggets
• Pumpkin Pancakes
• Here is a review of all the bento boxes you see
• Also check out reusable bags here
• How to make homemade yogurt
• How can kids help unpack?

Grain-Free Crepe Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 2 Tbs. coconut flour
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• Coconut oil for cooking

Directions

1. Whisk the eggs. Work clumps out of the coconut flour before pouring into the eggs, then whisk together thoroughly, along with the salt. Allow to sit for a few minutes.
2. Pre-heat a small frying pan over medium heat and melt coconut oil. Pour a scant 1/4 cup of crepe batter into the pan, immediately tipping side to side to swirl it around evenly.
3. Allow to cook about 2-3 minutes or until the edges are no longer glossy on the top and a quick peek underneath shows browning. Use a thin spatula to flip the crepe all at once, then cook until just browning, maybe another minute or two, then remove to a plate.
4. Store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Yields about ten 6″ crepes.