I used to be the lunchbox queen—cutting star-shaped cucumbers, arranging tiny fruit kabobs, even matching themes to the day of the week. But then the internet went full bento-box bonkers; it wasn’t enough to send a decent lunch—you practically had to curate a Disney-themed mini art exhibit just to keep up. And suddenly, my lovingly packed lunches felt… inadequate.
Somewhere between the Pinterest pressure and real life, my spark fizzled.
Now, with only one kid left in elementary school, when my first grader came home and asked me to make her “cheese hearts like Maya” my own heart kinda soared…THIS I can do, sister. So I’m crawling back into the lunch game with low expectations and a little perspective. The goal? Ditch the daily sandwich rut and just keep it simple, fun, and most importantly, edible.
Here are five easy swaps:
- Apple Sandwiches… round slices of apples with a smear of peanut butter and a sprinkling of granola… and if your little one is ok, a touch of lemon keeps them bright and crisp.
- Tortilla Roll-Ups… I love filling these with anything from pimento cheese to egg salad to lunch meat… you can even do peanut butter and banana with a light drizzle of Nutella.
- Mini Bagels… up the ante of a bagel sandwich by giving it British tea sammies vibes… with cream cheese + thin sliced cucumbers with a sprinkling of salt or bagel seasoning.
- Sandwich Kebabs… a deconstructed sandwich with all the goodies stacked on a toothpick, caprese-style. Layer bread, meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, repeat (or skip the veggies for pickier eaters).
- Breakfast (for lunch): hard-boiled eggs, mini pancakes, berries. For added protein throw some nut butter in-between those mini pancakes.
It doesn’t need to be Instagram-worthy, just eaten (and maybe not returned half mushed in the backpack). And speaking of returned, here are a couple mom hacks to save your sanity (and wallet):
- Don’t let them toss the evidence. I once found out that one of mine had been chucking full organic yogurt drinks in the trash every day for weeks. I thought they were a hit. Now I tell them: bring it all back. I want to see what’s working (and what’s not).
- Make it fun, not fussy. A few cute, reusable toothpicks and mini cookie cutters can go a long way—especially with picky eaters. A star-shaped melon chunk or a sandwich on a stick suddenly makes lunch way more exciting.
- Invest in a real-deal lunchbox. A good bento box that keeps wet stuff from leaking into dry stuff? Game changer.
We don’t need to do it all. Just do what works—and pack it with love.