How to Build the Perfect School Lunch

This post is a paid sponsorship from Snack Pack but the opinions are our own.

Parents with school-aged kids know that making school lunch for a year is no joke. You need durable containers, non-leaking water bottles that little hands can easily open, and tons and tons of snacks ideas (not to mention some fun snacks that kids like!). It’s a lot to think about and prepare for, but it’s definitely worth it when those lunch containers come home empty at the end of the day.

If you’re in need of some back to school ideas for your school lunches, we’ve got you covered.

Here’s how to pack a great school lunch for your kids:

Step 1: Get a Durable Lunch Bag

When looking for a lunch bag, paying attention to the interior is just as important as the exterior. You’ll want one that’s big enough to hold multiple containers or a bento-style lunch box, with an insulated interior to help keep food cold, in a material that’s easy to wipe down. Bags with extra zippered and mesh pockets on the outside are a nice bonus, too!

Step 2: Invest in Some Awesome Lunch Containers

There are lots of options out there, from bento-style boxes (great for kindergarten) to containers in all shapes and sizes. One thing to keep in mind for your littlest ones’ school lunch: make sure you get containers their little hands can open and close easily on their own! Tip: Have a trial run with them before school starts.

Step 3: Fill Them with Balanced, Healthy Options

We like to check off all the boxes when packing our kids’ lunches: A fruit, a vegetable, a grain, a protein. Some great examples include berries, melons, apples, pears, cucumber coins, sliced bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, snap peas, edamame, half of a bagel, whole-grain crackers and hummus, a small portion of pasta, a tortilla and cheese… whatever your child loves and will eat that offers them some balance to their day.

Step 4: Give Your Kids a Treat They’ll Love

Part of lunch-making should be super easy for you and fun for the kids. Which is why it’s nice to throw a treat into their lunch bag (no chopping, cutting, or shaping into little animals required!). We love Snack Packs because their puddings and juicy gels are delicious, kids love them, and you can easily pop a sweet treat into their bag.

Snack Pack Puddings are made with real skim milk, no preservatives and are gluten-free, and the Juicy Gels are made with real fruit juice from concentrate, with a reduced sugar line-up that has 0g of sugar per 99g cup. Done and done!

Step 5: Add a Little Fun to School Lunch

When you’re feeling extra energetic, add a special little note in their shcool lunch, maybe some stickers, or something extra, extra special for their birthday (two Snack Packs maybe!!). School can be a long day for kids, and while it’s important to fuel them up with good foods, it’s also important to make lunch a fun experience—especially if this is their first time at school.