How To Build a Better Lunch Box (and GIVEAWAY!)

*This is a sponsored post* 

One week.

While the first day of autumn does not arrive for another month, my family's summer is officially over in one week. Why? Because school begins!

This year is extra special. Not only because Hubby and Chica are back to the school grind (as teacher and 3rd grader, respectively). But Bug is going to be a big kindergartener!  Our program is in its last year of half day K, so it's only a few hours a day. But it will be a big shift having to put her on the bus (NO, I'm not crying - there's something in my eye) and to have everyone out of the house every day.

One of the things I'll be trying to focus on this year is offering better lunches for the girls. During the summer, since there was more time and we didn't have to pack anything, we had some great "out of the box" lunch ideas. Produce was fresh from the garden or farmer's market, and we had the time to be more creative.

My goal is to extend the same ideas to our school lunches. And, luckily, Giant Food Stores is here to help! Not only are their Nature's Promise products chock-full of healthy goodness, but their on-staff nutritionists offer great tips on building a better lunch. 

Here are some tips on building a better lunch box this school year!

Group It Up

MyPlate is a fantastic resource for what our "plate" should look like for each meal. With the pickiness of kid's palates, it's easy to get into a habit of missing some of the core food groups. MyPlate is a goo reminder to include the five food groups each day. 

Parenting Lunch Box Goal: aim to include a minimum of 3 food groups in your child's lunchbox each day.

Section It Out

I started doing this last year and I feel like it was super helpful for both me and my girls. Using a lunchbox with divided sections or separate containers helped me think beyond the sandwich and get creative. I felt free to try foods like salads or dips and vegetables that I wouldn't be able to use in a traditional lunch box. It's also a gentle reminder to include different food groups. It's a win-win, because the kiddos like seeing the different sections and not having their food touch.

Pump It Up

Pump it up...with protein! I've been more conscious of trying to incorporate foods full of protein into school lunches. Not only is protein an important part of MyPlate, but it's a great way to keep little tummies full for longer. Almond butter is one of my favorite protein sources (I always have a jar of Nature's Promise Almond Butter in my cabinet). Pack a double protein punch by adding some some granola as a greek yogurt topper.

Think Outside of the (Lunch) Box

How often do we plateau in a lunch-making routine of PB & J sandwich, goldfish crackers and a squeezy yogurt? This is a great lunch, but the same ol' same ol' can get boring. 

Use your divided lunchbox to break OUT of the box with new ideas! Try tortilla roll-ups, carrots and ranch dressing, quinoa salad or build-your-own tacos. Sometimes a smattering of random things is a great option, too. Cut up some cheddar cheese, add some crackers, hardboiled eggs, applesauce and raisins for a tapas-style meal. 

I know several parents who have had success putting mac-n-cheese or meatballs in a quality thermos and it's still warm and ready to go at lunch time! 

Shake it up - your kids will thank you!

*****

To help you build a better lunchbox, Giant is awarding one of my lucky readers a $25 gift card to start the school year right! To enter, fill out the rafflecopter below. Happy winning - and cheers to a great school year!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I was provided product and monetary compensation for this review and giveaway. All opinions are my own.

Keeping Lunch Fun with Fit and Fresh

We're already 3 weeks into school, and I'm looking for new ways to make Chica's lunches more exciting. Gone are the days of the 3-year old who is happy with PB & J every day.  Oh, no. My growing 7-year old desires a little culinary creativity for her mid-day meal.

Or, rather, for Mom to get out of the peanut butter sandwich rut.

Pinterest is a wealth of ideas, and I'm trying new things each week. For moms who want to shake up the boring lunch routine, it's important to be prepped with the proper equipment. Namely, lunch box containers.

I've really been digging the Fit & Fresh line of lunch box products. One, they are durable. They stand up to the Backpack Gauntlet of being tossed, kicked, knocked and bumped to and from school. Two, they are leak-proof. If anyone has ever had to deal with a soggy homework folder or a ruined picture from art due to a leaky lunchbox, you know the weight of this.  Three, they are BPA free. Lastly, the come in awesome colors, which makes lunch fun and exciting!

Having little containers helps me as the Mom breakout of my square sandwich mindset (pun intended). When I have little divided spaces to fill, my imagination kicks in to find fun ways to fill them. Hummus and carrots? Awesome! Make your own pizza? Bring it on!

Two Fit & Fresh must-haves for the lunchbox shuffle this year:

Fit & Fresh Kids Leak-Proof Reusable Divided Meal Carrier 

The whole lunch fits safely into this container, with dividers to keep your child's sandwich and two snacks separately. It will all stay chilled with the two ice packs that can be snapped into the lid. As always the container is BPA free and the ice pack is non-toxic. The meal carrier features a newly designed soft TPE lip that makes the container easier to open and close for your child! No more squished lunches!

Fit & Fresh Kids' Dip N Dunk 

Fruits and vegetables are fresh and fun again with the Dip N' Dunk. Let that carrot take a dip in a cool pool of hummus! 

Perfectly portioned servings of vegetables are a tasty treat when dipped, dunked and munched! With its snap-in ice pack and leak resistant lid - the sky's the limit on fun and healthy eating!

Container holds 1 cup of fruits or veggies, and inner tray holds 2 tablespoons of dip.

Check out the whole Fit & Fresh line - and happy lunching!

5 Reasons To Love the Fit & Fresh Bento Box Lunch Kit

**Scroll down to the end of the post for a promo code to get 2 Bento Lunch Kits for $25 before 9/8!**

Tomorrow is the first day of school.

As a kid, I was anxious about the bus ride, about my teacher, about my classmates. I'd worry about getting lost, forgetting my homework or encountering that awkward moment when you accidentally call your teacher "Mom" in front of the entire class.

(What, no one else had that happen?)

Moms get anxiety on the first day of school too. We worry about our kid's worries: about how they will fare on the bus, in the classroom, with their classmates. I worry creating a routine again, about the chaos of mornings and being ready on time.

One of my biggest stressors, actually, is making lunches. I try my best to pre-make lunches the night before. But let's be honest: that lasts for about a week into the school year, then all bets are off. I get lazy, which means I put off making lunches until the morning. Mornings are scrambles in our household: scrambling the get up, scrambling to get dressed, scrambling to eat, scrambling to get to the bus stop on time. When I leave lunches until the morning, not only am I pressed for time and rushed, but my creativity flies out the window.

Since Chica started school, I've become a big fan of Bento Box lunches. No, I'm not crazy artistic with them. I just really appreciate having everything compartmentalized and reusable because it forces me, even on busy mornings, to think outside the box.

(Pun intended).

This summer, I had a chance to check out the Fit & Fresh Bento Lunch Kits.

And friends? These are the bees knees. Here are 5 reasons why you need to rock lunch with Fit & Fresh Bento Lunch Kits, like, immediately:

1) No more baggies (and waste!)

I love that Bento Boxes are reusable. It means at the end of the day I can throw the containers in the dishwasher. It means no more plastic baggies and tinfoil - which means less waste. And it means less money spent, because you won't have to buy baggies and tinfoil to put snacks and sandwiches in - so you're saving money!

2) No spillage 

This is a big one for me. Not only is Bento Box compartmentalized, but the 2 smaller side compartments come with their own half cup container with a lid. So I can put yogurt in one and granola in the other, and there will be no mixed mess when Chica opens her lunch!

3) Durability and cleanability

Yes, I know cleanability isn't actually a word. But it should be. The Fit & Fresh Bento Box is made of a hard durable material, which can withstand drops, kicks and wear & tear of an elementary school day. It is covered in an easily-wiped down cloth material on the outside, and smooth material on the inside. I can't begin to tell you how messy my 2nd grader is. Suffice it to say, cleanability is SERIOUSLY NECESSARY.

4) Ice, ice, baby

Have you ever had a semi-warm ham and cheese sandwich. I'll save you the suspense: they're super gross. That was one of the most irritating things about lunch when I was a kid: having great lunch ingredients that would just not make it to lunch time. Yogurt, cheese, lunchmeat would all get lukewarm and soggy.  Problem solved: inside the Fit & Fresh Bento Box are 2 freezer packs that snap into the lid. Food stays cold all day. BOOM.

5) Creativity ensues

Last year, Chica had a cloth bag lunchbox. It was great and all, but I couldn't use a Bento Box appartus with it. And I'm going to be honest: my creativity stunk. Having compartments gives me a chance to think, "Hmm - what can I fill this space with?" It gets me to think outside of the sandwich. I'm looking forward to a lunches that Chica is excited to open this year! If you're looking for awesome inspiration, check out the 100 Days of Real Food School lunch archives.

If you're ready to shake up your lunch routine (and maybe make your morning routine a little easier), head to the Fit & Fresh website to place an order!

BACK TO SCHOOL DEAL: I saw this as I was working on my post - but Fit & Fresh is offering an AWESOME deal. You can get 2 Bento Lunch Kits for $25 with code 2BENTO25. The offer ends on 9/8 & cannot be combined with other offers. Without the offer, each lunch kit is $19.99 - so that's almost 2 for the price of 1!

School Lunch Food Safety

It's nearly the end of November, and we've been into the school groove for almost 3 months now. As a mom who is new to the "school-aged child," it has been a bit of a learning curve to making lunches every day. For preschool, I only had to pack lunches 3 or so days a week. Now, it's 5 days a week (and 3 or 4 of those days I need to pack two lunches - one for Chica and one for Bug)! And since Chica is in Full Day Kindergarten, I also have to provide a healthy snack. 

It takes a lot more planning and preparation than I am used to!

Some days, it is all I can do to throw together a well-balanced lunch. When Chica started Kindergarten, I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't give her the same boring lunch every day. I look back guiltily over her preschool lunches, which consisted of a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich, yogurt and maybe a snack bag of pretzels or goldfish. Every day. That's it. I still feel bad about it! Now that we are in Elementary School, I'm working hard to shake things up (thank you Pinterest!)

But with all of the creative energies it takes amidst chaotic and hectic days, sometimes I am not always mindful with how I am handling the food safety end of packing lunches. After learning from the USDA about food safety a few months ago, I have changed a lot of my food handling techniques. It's hard not to once you are so aware! I utilize these strategies with dinner and baking, but it never occurred to me to handle lunches with the same care.

Did you know: 1 in 6 Americans (about 48 million people) could suffer from foodborne illness this year. The result is approximately 128,000 hospitalizations and sadly, an estimated 3,000 deaths!

We need to be packing those lunches with care!

Luckily, the Ad Council and USDA have worked together to create this very helpful guide on how to pack a safe and satisfying lunch. Whew!

Check out How to Pack a Safe & Satisfying School Lunch by Food Safe Campaign (Ad Council, USDA, HHS) on Snapguide.

They've also put together these awesome tips:

Tip #1: If the lunch you’re packing contains perishable food items like cold cut meats, eggs and yogurt, make sure to pack it with freezer packs or keep it otherwise chilled. Harmful bacteria multiply rapidly in the "Danger Zone" — the temperatures between 40 and 140 °F (4.4 °C and 60 °C). So, perishable food transported without an ice source won't stay safe long.

Tip #2: Frozen juice boxes can also be used as freezer packs. Freeze juice boxes overnight and use as freezer packs. By lunchtime, the juice should be thawed and ready to drink!

Tip #3: Pack lunches in an insulated, soft-sided lunch bag. Lunches with perishable food items can be unsafe to eat by lunchtime if packed in an old-fashioned brown paper bag.

Tip #4: If there is a refrigerator at school, tell your child to keep their lunch inside. But leave the lid of the lunchbox or bag open so that cold air can better circulate and keep the food cold.

Tip #5: After lunch, discard all leftover food, used food packaging, and paper bags. Do not reuse packaging because it could contaminate other food and cause foodborne illness.

Do you feel better prepared to pack safe and healthy lunches? 

To learn more, visit FoodSafety.gov.