How to Make Lunch Packing Easier & Italian Caprese Pasta Salad

The daily grind of lunch packing can be grueling. After a lot of trial and error, here’s what I’ve learned about how to make lunch packing easier.

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How to Make Lunch Packing Easier

I have never been and could never be one of those people who “forgets to eat lunch.” It might actually be my favorite meal of the day. But, packing school lunches for my kids is a whole other story. The daily grind of coming up with ideas, trying to add variety to lunches so that my kids don’t get stuck in food ruts, and working to offer healthy, well-balanced meals is seemingly never-ending.

A few years ago I decided to change my approach. I did three things that made me realize how to make lunch packing easier:

1. I started asking for more input from my boys—what did they actually want to eat in their lunches? What fruits and vegetables would they be excited to see in their lunchboxes?
2. I started to get the boys involved in the actual packing of their lunches.
3. I started prepping more foods ahead of time that could easily add substance and sustenance to the lunchbox.

Asking them for input made a big difference, especially in the fruit and vegetable consumption. Not only were they more excited to eat the food in their lunch boxes, but they also had a sense of ownership over it which further motivated them to eat.

If I’m honest, getting them to pack their own lunches is great some days and glitchy on others. Some mornings they blow me away by how quickly and effectively they pack their lunches. Other mornings, getting them to put a cheese stick, apple, and whole grain muffin into the bento box feels like the biggest ask ever. But no matter what, they are more engaged in the process and therefore eat more of the food.

Make-Ahead Lunches

The trick that has really been a game-changer in the quest to make lunch packing easier is preparing foods ahead of time. The weeks when I have a stash of chimichangas, calzones, or muffins made for the taking, everything moves more smoothly in the mornings because a lot of the decisions are already made.

In the weeks when I have prepared make-ahead meals, it takes my boys about 2 – 5 minutes to pull their lunches together each morning. A pre-made item, a fruit, a vegetable, maybe an extra, fill up a water bottle, and they’re done!

A Favorite Make-Ahead Recipe to Make Lunch Packing Easier

One of my favorite make-ahead options for school lunches (not to mention pot-lucks and picnics) is a pasta salad (recipe below!). This is for a number of reasons:

1. It is super simple to throw together
2. The taste gets better throughout the week as the flavors meld more and more
3. It’s pasta, so my kids are always game
4. I can include lots of different vegetables and everyone will happily eat them.

Having the Right Lunch-Packing Gear is Key

As someone who has now been packing school lunches for 14 years (!!), I have experimented with lots and lots of different lunch packing gear and have developed strong feelings about what supplies actually help to make lunch packing easier.

Tip: Use Developmentally Appropriate Lunch-Packing Gear

Before I dive into sharing my favorite gear that will help to make lunch packing easier, I want to recommend that you make sure that your kids can open (and close) whatever containers you pack their lunches in.

Why? Because when kids are little (pre-school and early elementary), not only are they easily distracted by all that is around them, but they are also still developing some of the fine motor skills that are necessary for opening (and closing) lunch containers. And, while teachers or lunch aids may be available to help, chances are your kids will lose precious minutes waiting for a helping hand when they could be eating. Therefore, the more self-sufficient they can be, the better.

So, before you take the tags off of any new lunch-packing gear, make sure your kiddos can open (and close!) them with ease.

Bento Boxes Save Time and Energy

I’m a big fan of bento boxes. I love that they offer a visual reminder that helps both me and my kids to remember to include a main and two or three fruits or vegetables in a lunch. I also love that they are easy to throw into a lunchbox without worrying that items will be crushed.

There are two types of bento boxes that I particularly love:

Yumboxes are my absolute favorite for littler kids because they are easy to open and close and seal shut, so there are no leaks. Plus, the trays come out and are dishwasher safe, which makes cleaning a breeze!

EasyLunchboxes (pictured above) are my other favorite. They are a little trickier to open and close, so I really started using these more once my kids were in elementary school, but they are super sturdy (our original set is still going strong after 7+ years of almost daily use) and easy to clean. While they aren’t leak-proof, these small leak-proof containers fit inside the bento boxes and are perfect for sauces and dips.

Thermoses Give You Options

Both my kids love leftovers for lunch, especially if we’ve had a favorite meal for dinner the night before. But many of those dishes taste better when warm and that’s where thermoses come in. Again, finding one your kids can easily open and close on their own is key, which is why we’ve always used the Foogo Thermoses. They hold a good amount of food (although with tweens and teens I find that we need to supplement with additional items in the lunch) and stay warm for a good, long time.

Pro Tip: Pour some boiling or very hot water into the thermos while you are reheating the leftovers. This will take the chill off of the metal and help the food to stay warmer for longer.

Baggies Are Essential

Whether it’s to hold a sandwich or some snacks, baggies are incredibly helpful for easy lunch packing. While I usually use reusable ones, for field trips and other times when my kids won’t be able to bring their lunch supplies home I also always have some disposable ones on hand.

Accessories Can Help, Too

There are times when you want to include little treats or other bits and pieces in a lunch. For those times, I like to have little silicone cups that fit into the bento box and pouches that can hold apple sauce/smoothies/etc.

Get a Bag That’s Big Enough

Once you’ve got these beautiful lunches packed, you need to have a way for your kid to carrying them to school and that’s where the lunch box or lunch bag comes in. One of the tricks here is to make sure that whatever lunch box or bag you get is actually big enough to hold the bento boxes or other lunch packing tools you go for.

There are many options out there, but there are two that stand above the rest, as far as I’m concerned:

If you want to make sure that the food stays as fresh and cool as possible, PackIt freezable lunch bags are the way to go! You throw the whole bag into the freezer the night before and it will serve as a giant cooling pack all morning long.

And if you want a really classic insulated lunch box, the Lands End lunchboxes are super solid and very reasonably priced! We’ve been using ours for years.

Don’t Forget the Water Bottle!

Not only do kids need healthy lunches to maintain their focus at school, but they also need to stay hydrated! Whether you like to send your kid with water, flavored water, or juice, sending their drink in a reusable water bottle is both environmentally wise and more effective at keeping their drinks cold.

Like with the bento boxes, I recommend finding a water bottle that is easy for your kid to open and close.

When my kids were little, we loved these thermos bottles because they kept the drinks cold and were easy to open and close. But once we were able to move on to water bottles that required a little more precision to prevent leaks, we fell in love with these both because they kept the drinks colder for longer and because there were no more straws to wash!

Want to see more of my favorite lunch packing gear? Check out The Scramble Store for a complete selection (along with all my other favorite cooking equipment).

A Make-Ahead Lunch to Make Lunch Packing Easier: Italian Caprese Pasta Salad

As I mentioned before, I think pasta salads make a fantastic make-ahead lunch because they are endlessly variable, make it easy to include vegetables, and are a consistent crowd-pleaser. This version, Italian Caprese Pasta Salad, is one of my crew’s favorites because they all love classic caprese salad.

Italian Caprese Pasta Salad

Jessica Braider

This summery pasta salad is a tasty way to enjoy a warm and relaxing evening (it’s great at a picnic or a potluck!). It is also a great make-ahead lunch. Prepare a big batch on the weekend and either distribute into single servings or put it into a bento box compartment or thermos every morning.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 419 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 16 oz. farfalle pasta use wheat/gluten-free, if needed
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes halved
• 1 red onion finely diced (about 1 cup)
• 10 - 12 oz. marinated artichoke hearts drained and coarsely chopped
• 8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese diced (1 1/2 cups)
• 3/4 cup fresh basil thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove garlic minced, about 1/2 tsp.
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil

Instructions

 

• Cook the pasta according to the package directions in salted water until it is al dente, then drain and rinse it in cold water.
• Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, combine the tomatoes, onions, artichokes, mozzarella, and fresh basil.
• In a large measuring cup, whisk together the oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, and dried basil. Add the pasta to the serving bowl, pour the dressing over everything and toss to coat.
• Refrigerate it for at least 1 and up to 24 hours before serving.

Notes

Do Ahead or Delegate: Cook the pasta and store tossed with a little oil to prevent sticking, halve the tomatoes, dice the onion, drain and chop the artichoke hearts, dice the cheese and refrigerate, peel the garlic, combine the spices, prepare the dressing, or fully prepare and refrigerate the salad.

Flavor Booster: Add 4 oz. of diced salami and/or 1/2 cup of sliced olives.

Tip: Fresh mozzarella is a perfect addition to this dish. While shredded mozzarella is commonly used in Italian-style dishes, fresh mozzarella has a creamier texture and is the perfect addition to this dish.

Like this recipe? Check out The Scramble's family-friendly meal plans to see just how simple getting dinner on the table can be!

Nutrition

Calories: 419kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 15gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 441mgPotassium: 336mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1161IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 186mgIron: 2mg

Keyword Company/Entertaining, Dinner, Fall, Gluten-Free, Holidays/Special Events, Kid-Friendly, Kosher, Lunch, Main Dish, Make-Ahead, Nut-Free, Picnic, Salads, Side Dish, Spring, Summer, Vegetarian

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Further Inspiration

Want more ideas for feeding your kids? Check out these other resources from The Scramble:

The Formula for a Healthy Lunch

30+ Out-of-the-Box Ideas for Healthy School Lunches

Navigating Treats & Snacks in School Lunches

Healthy Lunch Ideas for Teens

Getting Your Kids to Pack Their Own Lunches

To help make lunches and dinners go smoother in your house, try The Scramble’s meal planning service.