I get many requests for lunch menus so I thought I would re-post my make ahead lunch plan.
**I also now have an ebook available here.
Two of my kids take their lunch to school every day and EVERY morning I make them. Well now that does not make much sense does it? I make all our dinners at once, why am I making 2 lunches every morning???
I spent 15 minutes and here is what I have ready for the rest of the week.
6 ham & cheese sandwiches
4 PB & J sandwiches
9 baggies of sliced oranges
10 baggies of grapes
10 cheese sticks
10 prepackaged bags of pretzels
Here is how I did it in 15 minutes-
These are foods my kids like and I know they will eat. It took 30 minutes to prep which I feel is so worth it to not have to do it each morning. I know I could have bought most of this already packaged in single serving sizes. I am just a little too frugal for that. :)
Sausage & cheese
PB & J
(The sandwich in the pic is ham & cheese. I had some left over)
apples with caramel dip
trail mix
chips
crackers
This side dish is their favorite!
The fun lunch side this week is strawberries with chocolate dip! YUM! Syrup is less than half the price of the dip found by the fruit. Chocolate is chocolate as far as I am concerned. :)
Are you interested in more lunch ideas? Would you be interested in a lunch menu ebook? I would love to hear your thoughts! :)
just wondering if the pb&j gets all soggy? love your blog!!
I use the Pampered Chef cut and seal, and then I freeze the sandwiches. They thaw nicely before lunch time. And much cheaper than "uncrustables"!
Love it! I purchased reusable plastic containers for the kids' sandwiches, chips, fruit, and snacks. I'm going to try freezing the sandwiches. I also have the PC cut and seal and my kids love that too. Thanks,
laura@imnotatrophywife.com
Great ideas. I do a split homeschooling program, so right now I only pack a lunch 2 days a week, for 1 child, but I could see doing this as I have more to prep.
My kinder-boy would probably hug you right now. He doesn't eat a full lunch at school but they have "snack," which for him has been a baggie of cheez-its almost every day, with the occasional apple or banana thrown in for good measure. I am definitely going to be making your baggies of goodies from now on. Thanks!!
I don't have kids in school anymore, but have to make my own lunch. This would be very helpful to me. I HAVE to prepare the night before as I am not a morning person so never have time to fix lunch in the morning. Thanks for some great tips!
YUMM!! The chocolate and strawberries sound soo good!!
Love this idea for my daughter & husband!! Lol! I didn't know you can freeze sandwiches. I will use this next week. Thanks!
I seriously need those little plastic cups for hummus, dressing… etc! Duh – what haven't I thought of that before! I always feel like I'm wasting my plasticware (b/c a serving of hummus or dressing takes up so little room in the big container).
Thanks for sharing!
Any ideas for an almost 2 year old that isn't into lunch meat or PBJ? He eats regular meals, fruit & veggies really well but so far I haven't found a sandwich.
Denise
Extreme Personal Measures
I’m right there with you with different ideas. My 2.5 year old can’t bring any peanut form to school so no pb&j or peanut butter crackers or any bars with peanuts and he doesn’t like most lunch meats. He will however eat Boar’s Head Ever Roast Chicken (confused as to why – although maybe it’s closest to roast chicken which is one of his favorite meals) but he will have that on a potato bun, although how many times a week can I send him to school with a plain chicken sandwich. Definitely would look into a lunch menu ebook as long as I knew it had options for the littlest of ones.
Love it! I would totally love a lunch menu ebook! Think lots of other moms would too!
I'm starting a new job and will need to make lunches for four members of my family so a lunch menu e-book would be just wonderful. SO many fantastic ideas!
I also would totally be into a lunch menu e-book. I have three little ones 2nd grade-preschool. This is a GREAT idea!
I visit your blog all the time but don't always leave a comment. I had to leave one today though to tell you how awesome and easy your ideas are. I didn't know you could freeze/fridge sandwhiches for that long. My kids are very picky about their sandwhiches and my son won't eat them so I would love more unsandwhich ideas. The e-book sounds like a good idea for everyone. Good for you packing all healthy lunches too, my kids go to school with pbcrackers, granola bar, cereal bar, grapes not very healthy and all prepackeaged so I love that your ideas are fresh and good for them. Thank you so much.
I WOULD BUY A LUNCH MENU RIGHT NOW! I just did your free trial for this week, and we're already in love.
Almost stopped at ChickFilA after soccer, as we typically do, then passed b/c I remembered my pork chops already waiting to just pop in the oven to cook while we clean up and get ready for dinner. Love you, love the menu, love the ease of preparation…did it in 35 minutes!
My only question is if your kids get tired of having the same lunch every day for a week? Also, Tupperware has great little containers called "smidgets" that are perfect for things like dressings and dipping sauces, and it's a little more green than the plastic cups being thrown away every day.
Love these ideas for myself and my kids. Thank you! I would love the idea of a lunch e-book :)
@Emily….I make two different kinds of sandwiches or wraps for the week. They can pick and choose.
I have tried a 'greener' option for the containers but they got thrown away….more than once. I could not afford them anymore. :) Rubbermaid and ziploc also make reusable cups.
I'm really excited about this because my husband leaves very early for work, and with a newborn, it's hard to get up early enough to make a lunch for him. Using this idea I can keep sleeping while he throws everything together in his lunch box, but he doesn't have to prep anything…YAY!!! And I'd be interested in more ideas!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
I love this idea! This is exactly what I do for my son. Works beautifully. And I love the time it saves me on busy weekdays. My question is, do you have any ideas I could use for a more "grown up" lunch? I already make brown bag breakfasts and snacks for my hubby. He likes the ham and cheese sandwiches for breakfast. I'm lacking ideas for him for lunch that are just as easy to prep in advance but not necessarily sandwiches. He doesn't want to get bored with eating a sandwich for breakfast and lunch as well.
@MaxonTrio- My lunch ebook (coming soon) will feature wraps, pitas, sandwiches, salads and more. I eat my lunch at home and still want to be able to grab from the fridge so I am trying to feature more grown up friendly ideas too. :)
Fantastic! I'm new here. Do I send you my email address for the ebook?
It is actually still in the works. I will post when it is ready. :)
Another way to keep fruit from browning is to use lemon-lime soda. Generally this is cheaper than lemon juice, fruit fresh or other fruit juice.
You are my new hero! I've been looking for a blog like this. I wanted to develope this idea myself but I am just too busy for it now! Love the lunch ideas and the dippers!-sarah
http://www.potsnplans.blogspot.com
wow!!!!! amazing!!!
i love your ideas!
thanks for sharing them.
love
alice.
My husband & I will buy it!
As a mom and food lover I really appreciate your ideas. One thought I'd like to add is that this is an incredible amount of plastic and packaging waste. I wonder if there is a way to implement your great time saving ideas with using less materials that are destined for the landfill. I'd love to hear your thoughts and tips.
Thank you -
@ Lindsay…Sure you could easily use the Ziploc brand divided containers that are reusable and just fill them all up with lunch goodies and have far less waste. It would be an investment up front of about $15 for the containers (you would need 10 or more).
I have enjoyed the dinners soooo much. Your program has saved me so much time and money. My usually picky kids are loving the food, and branching out and trying new things. I would love to have the lunches as well. Thank you.
Another fabulous post Michelle! I think you're a miracle worker;)
I linked to this post on my blog – I can't help but share your site with everyone.
I don’t have children but I can really use your ideas for myself. You make it simple but fun, and cheap! More lunch ideas please, I think that’s a great idea! Do you have any ideas of breakfast? I am always on the go and could use some great ideas! Thank again for sharing!!(o:
Hello? Brilliant, my dear!!
I cannot even imagine how soggy those sandwiches are and how much they taste like the plastic bags after a few days of sitting in them.
Yuck. Sorry, it doesn't save that much time and I'd rather my kids not have something that tastes like plastic and is all soggy.
Wow, what happened to the "if you can't say it nicely" rule? I can assure you I have been pre-making sandwiches for years (even for my dad's coffe shop when I was younger) and they do not taste like plastic, nor do they get soggy if assembled properly. Everything in a sandwich usually comes in plastic from the store (like the bread and cheese etc.)
I love all things that help to tame morning chaos and find that having lunch ready to grab and go makes the mornings go smoother. And a smoother morning always makes for a better day at my house. :)
I was actually curious about the "soggy" issue. How do you keep the juice from the meat from ruining the bread?
We use deli sliced meat. They do not have alot of "juice" :) I have been making sandwiches this way for years. If you are unsure, just make one sandwich a few days ahead and try it out. I do not put tomatoes on sandwiches ahead of time unless I put it between the meat and cheese so it does not touch the bread.
I suppose that does make sense. ^_^ I'll have to give it a try once I get my fridge sorted back out. Thanks so much.
I am late in finding your blog!! I am frugal and pack everyday but have been spending crazy amounts of time making lunches each day! This is one of my goals…to consolidate!!! How do you cut your apples ahead of time? i know you can use lemon juice but will they keep for a day or 2 in a bag??
Love this idea…. but I just can't do all those baggies…. our society is so "throw away" and "convenience" and the trash just doesn't make them go away (granted they are SO easy to use!!!) Ugh!!! Wish there were an easier way…. those little containers I use have to be washed out every time but you know, I jsut gotta do what I gotta do I spose..but this looks so much easier!
@Flamingo-
I cut the apples with an apple wedger and soak in sprite or 7up for a minute or two. Then they keep just fine for a few days. OR you can use fruit fresh which is found by the canning supplies.
@April-
You can make the sandwiches all ahead and put them in one large bag or sealed container then pull what you need for the day. Maybe that can help save some baggies from the land fill. :)
I have to say, this seems like much less to throw away in the trash than if I stopped at a drive-thru and ordered lunch for my family. Fast food containers always seem to fill our entire trash can with food and drink packaging and bags. A couple of baggies is much less. Bravo on making lunch less hassle and sharing your ideas with the rest of us!
If you are concerned about the baggies look into reuseable ones…Mamamade on facebook and esty makes a bunch of different kinds and sizes. Thank you for sharing these great lunch ideas – my husband thanks you as well! :)
I love your snack ideas, and i never new lemon lime soda could work like aciduated water to keep fruit from turning brown! I can assure everyone that I pre make my children's lunches for the full week, and their sandwiches don't get soggy by Friday. I use the sectioned Ziploc (or are they gladware?) containers, with silicone muffin cups for additional sections when needed, but the disposable souffle cups are still necessary for dips, dressing, hummus, etc.
I too wonder about the PBJ sandwiches getting soggy. I may have to test it out while we are on break. My son doesn't eat gluten or dairy, so his bread is sort of "different" in texture already.
For the mom whose kiddo does eat sandwiches yet, we do rolled up deli meats. I roll each slice individually and then place 5 in a sandwich box for lunch. There's no reason I think that wouldn't stay fresh well. We also do pepperoni slices and pizza bread/crust as a special lunch.
@juliebavi
Love this! I have tried individually bagging the chips because it is cheaper, since my kiddos have one kind that they won't eat, but the apple and caramel idea is great too! I will try the fruit fresh because I was always worried about them browning. Another idea I have done is carrots and dip. Thanks for the tips! I love them!
I get busy with other things and forget to pack lunch for my husband constantly. Bless him.
This is brilliant! I appreciate you sharing your tips with us all.
I would dig an ebook with more lunch tips and ideas.
THANK YOU!
How do you keep your bread from being soggy? My husband complains if I make the sandwiches the night before, let alone 4 days before?
*facepalm* Why haven't I been doing this for years? You are BRILLANT! One tip, though, instead of chocolate syrup, try Nutella. Heh..heh…my picky eater thinks she's getting away with something. Yummo
I have just found you. LOVE these lunch ideas! Did you ever do the ebook? And I haven't finished looking yet, but do you have b'fast stuff on here, too?
Yes, the ebook is in my store. There is a link at the top of the blog page to the store. :) I have not made a breakfast book yet but hope to very soon! :)
Just do peanut butter on both pieces of bread then jelly in the middle. This way no jelly actually touches the bread and you never have soggy pb&j!
I used to make my children's lunches every morning as well. Why should I get up before they do just to make their lunches.
I make 20 sandwiches every two weeks. One of my children will only eat pb & j. They other will eat anything but mostly just pb sandwiches with the bottom crust cut off.
I do the grocery shopping every 2 weeks & when everything is put away I take out 1 loaf of bread at a time & make 10 sandwiches then another loaf & do the same thing. Then I freeze them. They do not get soggy nor stale. I take them out in the morning & put them in their lunch bags & by the time they have lunch their sandwiches have defrosted & they have a fresh sandwich.
2 Things:
This is GENIUS!
How does the juice work with apples? Do you let the apples soak in each individual bag, or do you do it when you cut, then separate? I have always bought pre-bagged apples for this reason, and I am all for saving some money!
Our child doesn't like too many sandwiches, so we got her a thermos. We pack her hot leftovers every day. I pack everything the night before except the hot food.
Just let the apples soak while to assemble the sandwiches then drain and pat dry before you bag them up. I like to use sprite or 7up also. It works even better and no lemon taste!
I saw lots of posts about the PB&J, but what about the ham & cheese?? Could you freeze it as well?? How do you keep the bread from drying out in the fridge?? I have noticed when I make a sandwich at night by lunch the next day the bread seems to be dried out.
HELP
Momma in need!
I use sandwich baggies so nothing dries out.
Hats off to ya for being so super! Unfortunately, those of us who are sharing ideas on here are not-so-super and obviously need the extra help, so unless you have some tidbit that could aid in our deficiency, please refrain from the negativity. Thanks! :)
Thanks for all the great ideas and tips on here! I have a 9yo son who is homeschooled, and a teenage daughter who doesn't eat hardly anything unless it's "grab-n-go". Knowing I can make sure they are getting the nutrition they both need for meals on-the-go is a relief! Prepackaged and processed foods lining the pantry are a thing of the past!
I have been making PBJ sandwiches and freezing them since my kids started Junior High now one is in high school and they still love the way I make them. I have a shelf in my pantry and we line out 40 lunch sacks and fill them with chips or dried fruit or granola bars. In the morning they grab a bag and a frozen sandwich and they are off. Now they are old enough to prepare the sandwiches themselves and on Sunday we try to do it together. Ok maybe my son rolls his baby blues at me and I do it for him on occasion…..can't help it. What's a mother to do. Im teachng them time management skills that are helpful for anyone. I also have a great home made granola bar recipe they like and at about 27cents a bar and no preservatives I know they are eating healthy.
shopmarykay@gmail.com
i love this idea! My husband always complains its not fresh' when i try and make lunch the night before so im going to do this and not tell him to see what happens, Ha!
The environmental factor does make me a bit sad though.i just couldn't live with myself using that much disposable plastic every single week…….in this example there were 50 bags used in just one week? and that's every week?? For only one family?
i hope you dont mind if i make a suggestion? What if just the sandwiches were kept in zip lock bags and the dipping sauces for snacks in indivdual reusable containers? Everything else pre prepared in bulk in one large reusable container for each item? eg a tub of orange slices for the week, a tub of strawberries and so on.
There are so many lunchboxes on the market these days that have divided sections with containers that seal with a screwtop lid. Then each morning the sandwich is done and all that needs to be done is fill the lunch box with the pre- prepared snacks?
Thanks for showing a great idea :) I was wondering what toppings were safe to put on a sandwich to freeze
Yes, I use 50 bags in a week but that is for 4 people. If I were to run my dishwasher an extra 2 times which is what it would take to fit all the containers then it would use more energy and be less "green" then throwing away 50 flat plastic sandwich sized bags. For us this works. My plans are suggestions and you can always adapt them how you see fit.
If my kids eat a school lunch they are tossing out more containers than 2-3 lunch bags. So far this is the greenest choice for us. I wish they made greener lunch bags but so far I have not found them.
Hi! I just found your blog and have a question about prepping fruits and veggies ahead like that. When I have tried it in the past I found that things didn't stay fresh and/or got slimy. How far ahead do you prep – looks like a week? and also any tips to keep things fresh?
I prep on Sunday or Monday for the whole week. I never put any mustard/mayo/etc on sandwiches. We save packets from fast food places to send in the lunches.
I just learned that washing strawberries in a bowl of water with 1 T apple cider vinegar prevents mold growth and slime. Works for blueberries too.
If you wrap the sandwich in a paper towel inside the bag, the sandwich doesn't get soggy and you don't need to pack a napkin. :) I bulk pack for myself sometimes, always a fresh, non soggy sandwich.
Great idea for the kids, and for me as I am up and out the door before anyone else in the house gets up and I want to be quiet – can't do that banging around making breakfast and lunch, so I prep it all the night before and grab and go! Just one question, I noticed as I scrolled through the comments that a lot of them were from women making their husband lunches for the day….why can't HE do this for himself? My hubby and I do stuff like that for each other a lot, but it certainly isn't my job (or his). Just sounded kind of odd IMO.
LOL! I guess some people are old fashioned.
I certainly would not be making anyone's lunch that complains about what I put in it!! ;)
I see all the comments about the bags. I have these: http://www.easylunchboxes.com. You'd use one per person per day. Just pop in all the oranges, pretzels, sandwiches, cookies, etc. and put on the lids. Then put in the dishwasher at the end of the day (I've found that bottom rack is fine). I've had mine for a year and they still look new (not flimsy like Ziplock/Gladware containers. We love them for eating in the car, at games, in the stroller, etc. Easy since you don't have to open and seal all the baggies. However, I wouldn't want to use them if my kids were accidentally throwing them away!
You are a genius! My kids aren't in all day school yet, but this is still an amazing idea for streamlining life at home!! I always prep or make dinners ahead of time so why not lunch…or even breakfasts…thank you!!
Have you tried hummus on a sandwich? My daughter used to love red pepper hummus sandwiches.
these are fabulous ideas!! Thanks!
and kudos to the ladies who make their husbands lunches(even if they complain sometimes)!!!
Do you have any lunches without wheat? My family doesnt eat bread!
This is genius, idk why i havent been doing this! lol. I used to do this every day haha! guess i need to get back on track! perfect!!
what about putting butter on the sandwiches?? does it freeze ok? or should it be done after?
My son loves tuna fish. Try cheese and pepperoni (turkey) on a wrap and roll it up – fun!
Dollar Tree has small containers w/ lids. They are about 10 of them for one buck and they are reusable.
I agree, I love this idea! I need to invest in these little containers too! awesome :)
Love the shoebox in the fridge to distinguish the lunch items and love the prepack fruits, dips, chips and crackers! But I'm having a difficult time believing that a sandwich sitting in the fridge for a week is going to be good. And then someone on the comments feed says she makes sandwiches TWO weeks ahead? That just sounds unappetizing. But I am going to try Everything else in this article! Thanks for sharing!
@Kim- Don't be scared :) All the parts of the sandwich are kept for a week or more so placing them together will not cause them to spoil faster. Just remember, do not put any mayo, mustard, etc or they will get soggy. :) Try it with one sandwich and see if you like it before you decide.
How do you keep the orange slices from drying out? If I even cut the oranges that morning ahead of time my husband says they seem dried out by the time he eats them at lunch! Thank you.
Nicole- Are you keeping them in sealed baggies? I have never had them dry out when kept in a bag.
This is such a great idea! I will be freezing the PB & J because we like the bread to taste super fresh for pb&j, i cant believe i never though of this! For the people who are worried about all the bags, maybe you can use the ziploc "evolve" bags, they are supposed to be greener
To solve that problem I wrap the orange in a damp paper towel and then put it in a reusable container for lunch. I do this the morning of, not in advance.
I love your ideas! Thanks so much for sharing. I noticed what people have written about being more environmentally friendly. I wonder if kids could get in the habit of just putting everything back into their lunchbox after lunch then it would all go home. I could see how if they have to put things in the trash, everything would go in the trash and expensive containers get lost. It would be interesting to do the cost comparison for plastic baggies versus buying a bunch of small containers for dips and sandwiches. Anyways, thanks for your blog. Like I said, I really appreciate the tips!
I use a whole load of bread and then just put out back in the bread bag. Then I take them out as needed and put in reusable container. Of course my kids are too young to make lunch, so it’s just about making it easy on me and hubby! I do put pb on both sides to make sure it doesn’t get soggy. Nothing in their lunch bag is disposable, so they don’t throw anything away. I use Glad mini rounds 4oz so I won’t cry if they are lost.
Thank you for sharing your tips – your way of fridge organizing is very interesting. I did the same with plastic baskets instead of shoe boxes, it works great for us (no mess ! no hungry&angry kiddos!)
I have only one concern about precut veggies and fruits. Just after being cut they start to lose vitamines (oxidation). I wonder if they are nutritious any more after spending 5 days in chunks? What do you think?
I prefer rather to collect handfuls of baby tomatoes / grapes / mini cucumbers/ whole strawberries/ blackberries / belly pepper than precut them.
I am not sure about the vitamin loss. I just know that if it is not “grab and go” my kids will go for crackers or chips instead. I think they lose more vitamins by not eating them at all. I can put whole strawberries in the fridge and no one will touch them. I can put cut strawberries and they are gone in a day! You should always do what works for your family. This just happens to be the way it works for us. Now if I can only get them to cut them all up so I don’t have to. A girl can dream, right? ;)
Love the idea of make ahead lunches (I have 3 in school)… however, I really don’t care for all of the plastic waste, and some schools (ours included) are strictly ‘Litterless Lunches Only’. While it seems like a pain, I feel the litterless lunch rule helps teach the kids (and parents) about preserving our planet.