This may sound over the top, but when Bella was a baby, I was already excited to pack her lunches for school. That excitement quickly dissipated once I started actually packing them night after night… but the idea was magical ;) I am a firm believer that packing lunch the night before is the secret to a happy morning. I usually pack hers while I am cooking dinner since I am already in food preparation mode.

We use a bento box which has been a life-saver because Bella is a little environmentalist and despises throwing things in the trash (this is not a joke, her teachers will vouch for me). I wish I could take credit for this mostly adorable/slightly neurotic trait of hers, but this really came from her own little soul. Once she realized that whatever goes in the trash goes to a landfill (which she describes as “everyone's litter”) she was insistent that we recycle as much as we can, and avoid trash at all costs. It has really made a difference in our family’s recycling, and we even use reusable plastic baggies for her snacks now. These are actually really convenient and can be washed in the dishwasher, so it’s a really easy swap that can make a big impact on reducing waste. I plan to write an entire Earth Day blog dedicated to Bella.

I actually don’t have a ton of information to share on school lunch ideas because my child is a creature of habit and demands the same lunches day after day, but these are my staples… I just use the same parameters as I do for the rest of my meal planning: Lean protein, whole grains, fruits and veggies, and healthy fats. For my kids, the “healthy” fat is usually cheese, but they’re growing so I allow it as a major food group ;) Cheese is also a common snack. Most days for a snack she will take an apple with string cheese or peanut butter, or pretzels with peanut butter.

I usually just alternate days between her two favorite lunches. Her first choice is an organic turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread (we like Nature’s Own brand) with provolone cheese and a little light mayo, baked Lays or veggie straws, a clementine (peeled) or cut-up pineapple, and a peanut butter cup (Justin’s brand). Or I will pack her a peanut butter sandwich (no jelly or it will come home untouched) on whole wheat bread with pretzel goldfish, grapes, and some Hershey kisses or chocolate chips. Some days she also requests cut-up veggies like bell peppers, carrots, and cucumbers with a ranch cup and I include a Baby Bel cheese for fat and protein and pretzels for carbs. I also put chocolate in there, because preschool is hard ❤️

She has been requesting that I add pasta to the rotation, so I ordered her a thermos and am going to attempt sending some whole wheat pesto pasta when we have it left over from dinner and see how that goes. I will send that with some cut-up veggies and an applesauce pouch, which her teachers must recycle ;) If you feel inclined to order a Bento box and some reusable plastic bags to help reduce waste in the landfills, please let me know and I will pass on the good news to Bella!