Packing School Lunches Without Losing Your Sanity

The end of your workday bleeds into dinner, which rolls right into dishes, bath time, bedtime—then, just as you almost sit down to relax, you remember: you still have to pack their lunch for tomorrow. Exhausted, you cross your fingers there are enough leftovers to make something both delicious and nutritious.

If you’ve been there (or if you’re the organized type who preps ahead), this quick guide will give you tips, formulas, and a little inspiration to make packing your kids’ lunches easier and better.

My Personal Go-To Lunch Formula

I keep things simple for my daughter with a loose framework that I can mix and match each week:

• Breakfast: Milk, fruit, and either overnight oats, waffles, pancakes, or cereal with milk.

• Lunch: A vegetable + protein + carb source + fruit.

• Snack: Vegetables, fruit, and usually an energy ball or bar.

By sticking to this format and using what’s in season locally, I can make familiar meals feel new just by swapping in different fruits, veggies, or carb sources.

How I Plan Our Week

I make three different breakfasts and three different lunches each week. Each meal appears twice, so I’m not reinventing the wheel every day.

• Monday: Breakfast 1, Lunch 1

• Tuesday: Breakfast 2, Lunch 2

• Wednesday: Breakfast 1, Lunch 1

• Thursday: Breakfast 2, Lunch 2

• Friday: Breakfast 3, Lunch 3

Our “Real Life” Back-to-School Menu

For our back-to-school photoshoot, I wanted to show a realistic—not overly Pinterest-perfect—version of what a normal week of meals looks like.

Here’s what was on the menu:

• Fig bars – a versatile sweet breakfast or snack, easily made with most fruits.

• Pasta with sauce – served with berries and cheese.

• Sunflower butter + jam sandwiches – paired with peppers, berries, and cheese.

• Cheese board/snack plate – featuring raspberries, blueberries, cheddar, carrots, and energy balls.

• Blueberry pancakes – with a side of fresh berries.

The variations are endless. Eating with the seasons means you can swap in different vegetables, fruits, cheeses, or jam flavors—keeping meals fresh and exciting for your kids.

When you were a kid, what did you hope to find in your lunchbox?

Parenting isn’t easy, but making delicious food for your kids doesn’t have to be complicated.