It feels like just yesterday I was sending Leo off to his first day of Kindergarten, and now we are nearly starting another school year! I definitely miss the days of him being at home, but I love watching him grow, learn, make new friends, and all of the wonderful things that come with going to school. But I have to say, one of my new all-time favourite things is making Leo’s lunches every evening for the next day. So today, I am sharing all of my favourite lunch box accessories and a few healthy, vegetarian lunches that are his favourite!
While spending time planning out Leo’s lunches and all of the creative things we can do, like cutting his tomato sandwich into stars, I find myself giggling at the lunch I got every day as a kid… a few ritz crackers, some sliced cheese, kubasa, pickles, two Oreo cookies, and a juice box all packed in a paper bag! Of course, by the time I was ready to eat my lunch, I grabbed the paper bag, and my entire lunch would blow out onto the floor because the pickle juice had leaked everywhere, and in the end, my whole lunch just tasted like pickles! LOL! But I seriously loved my lunch every day, and look at me; I turned out fine! Now that I am making Leo’s lunches, it is just so funny to me all of the prepping and planning it takes each night to prepare his bento box for lunch and his snacks, but I love getting creative with it, and I love to hear what his thoughts were at the end of each day.
Lunch supplies
There’s no denying that lunch supplies have come a long way since I was in school, gone are the days of paper bags and saran wrap; say hello to bento boxes, tiny animal toothpicks, and vegetable cookie cutters! LOL! At first, I thought it was outrageous to spend $40 on a bento box, but am I ever happy I did. I love how it divides all of the food and gives me a visual of what I am packing for him! I’ve added all of our favourite items below if you’re on the hunt for new lunch supplies for your kiddos! For me, some of the game changers have been; Yum Box, Thermos Funtainer Food Jar, Thermos Funtainer Bottle, Herschel Pop Quiz Lunch Box, Replay cutlery, reusable silicone cups (perfect for dips), reusable toothpicks, and little ice packs!
Lunch inspiration
When it comes to finding lunch inspiration, my number one go-to’s are Pinterest (If you’re not following me over there, make sure you do) and the Instagram account @bowsandbentos. I’ve been switching back and forth between those two for inspiration, and not only have I been influenced to buy all of the cool and reusable lunch supplies, but I’ve also been saving and pinning lunch inspo for weeks to come!
I’ll share a few of the lunches that Leo has been asking for on repeat, now it’s no Bows and Bentos, but he sure loves it!
Cracker and cheese lunch with a twist
I think this lunch that we often make for Leo is most similar to the lunch I got as a kid, but a leveled-up version! LOL! Leo loves seaweed, smoked tofu, ritz crackers (like his mama, of course!), some cheese, and some fruits and veggies!
Veggie wrap lunch
Leo has decided that he no longer wants to eat meat, so instead of a traditional sandwich meat wrap, I just load it up with veggies instead and add a little bit of cheese too! Along with some Annie’s cheddar bunnies, fruits, and more veggies on the side.
Soup or pasta lunch
If Leo wants soup or pasta for lunch, one hack that I have been doing is adding warm water to his Thermos Funtainer Food Jar in the morning to get it nice and warm, and I will pop the soup or pasta in the microwave too. By the time he is ready to eat lunch, it’s at the perfect temperature!
Toasted tomato sandwich lunch
Another easy lunch option is a toasted tomato sandwich! I toast the bread bright and early in the morning, so it adds the perfect amount of crunch for lunchtime and isn’t too soggy!
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, but I LOVE making Leo’s lunches for school every day I’m sure the novelty will wear off once the school year starts again, but I love it at the moment. Last year Leo said that the best part of his school day was his delicious lunches. So, I’ll check back in a few months and let you know if I’m still loving lunch prep or not! LOL!
xo
Jilly
Love the yumbox for the kids. Easy for them open and shows them all the food to eat at each break! Where did you find the 3 section container, the one without the little round compartment. I have wanted one like this for years and have never found it.
Where did you get the yumbox without the little round compartment!? I need this for my kids.