14 Hacks for Tired Moms That Have to Pack Lunch Daily

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Let’s cut to the chase – motherhood is a blend of fatigue, joys, and excitement, but let’s face it, it can be downright exhausting. As a mom tasked with the daily duty of packing lunches, the fatigue intensifies, and the well of creativity for meal ideas often seems to run dry.

These lunch-packing tips will ease the burden and make the experience more enjoyable for you and your kids. And maybe they’ll actually eat them!

1. Batch Preparation

Making food from scratch every morning will add a few grey hairs to your crown. Dedicate some time on the weekend to prepare and portion out ingredients for the week. This will make the lunch-packing routine more manageable, and you won’t have to think on your [tired] feet in the morning.

2. Simple and Nutritious Choices

You don’t have to go all sous chef in your lunch options; opt for straightforward, nutritious ones instead. A balanced meal doesn’t have to be complicated; simplicity will save you time and energy. The kids might not care much for elaborate meals anyway.

Add some whole foods they love, particularly fruit and veg, and keep it simple.

3. Freezer-Friendly Fare

Your freezer is your best friend when it comes to meal preps. Prepare extra portions of meals that freeze well. This way, you can pull out pre-made options when you’re short on time or energy.

4. Delegate Lunch Choices

There’s no reward for the most exhausted mom of the year; learn to delegate, especially when you have older kids. Involve the children in the decision-making process and the actual preparation. This eases your burden and empowers them to make healthy choices.

5. Pre-Cut and Pre-Wash

If you can get pre-cut vegetables and fruits, grab them. If not, take some time each week to cut and wash produce in advance. This makes assembling lunches quicker than when you have to wash and cut up produce every morning.

6. Variety within a Theme

Creating a theme for your lunch will help keep your meals interesting. Stick to a theme for the week, making slight variations. This will keep you from getting a headache deciding what should be carried for lunch on a random Tuesday.

The kids will also have great memories of your lunch-packing superpowers to talk about when they’re older.

7. DIY Snack Pre-packs

You can make pre-packaged snacks at home that are easy to grab or purchase them at the store that way (depending on your budget and sanity). You can create individual school snack packs with nuts, dried fruits, and other healthy snacks.

This makes it easy to grab items for lunches without much thought.

8. Leftovers Reinvented

Last night’s dinner doesn’t have to go to waste; transform it into a creative and exciting lunch. Repurposing leftovers can save time, reduce food waste, and create a whole new meal while at it.

9. Utilize Convenient Tools

There are enough equipment and tools to make your lunch-packing tear-free. Invest in time-saving tools like a quality lunchbox with compartments or reusable silicone muffin cups for easy portioning.

Works smart, not hard.

10. Meal-Prep Community

A recipe shared is a lunch problem half-solved. Consider organizing a meal-prep exchange with other moms. Each mom can prepare a large batch of a different dish, and everyone swaps, providing variety without the extra effort.

11. Build-Your-Own Options

Teach the kids to make their lunch by creating a “build-your-own” lunch station with assorted ingredients. Kids can assemble their lunches, fostering independence and reducing your workload.

Examples might include chopped veggies, fruit, cheese cubes, lunch meat, boiled eggs, nuts, nut butter, spreads, crackers, bread, etc.

This is also a pretty fun family activity. They can compete on who makes the most nutritious or tastiest lunch.

12. Schedule Rest Days

Contrary to what the social media motivational speaker says, you can’t do it all, all the time. Have days for store-bought or cafeteria lunches. This gives you a break and creates excitement for the kids.

13. Mindful Packaging

You need enough containers for the lunch; invest in reusable containers and eco-friendly lunch-packing materials. This not only helps the environment but can also simplify the packing process.

14. Take Care of Yourself

Self-care is paramount; you will always be burned out unless you allow yourself breaks and moments of relaxation to recharge and better tackle the lunch-packing routine with a refreshed mindset.

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