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1. Stick a weekly meal planner on your fridge or wall to motivate you to get organized ahead of time and make mornings a lot less stressful. You can even have the kids write their own suggestions — this way there's a 90% chance they won't complain about their lunch!
2. Swap out those bulky ice packs that take up a ton of space in the lunchbox and freezer with slim ice packs that'll keep your kiddo's meals c-h-i-l-l-e-d without weighing their lunch bag down. Win Win.
3. Make your own Smuckers Uncrustables copycats at home with an ingenious sandwich cutter and sealer without spending nearly $10 for a box. Prepare for your life to be *utterly butterly* changed.
4. And get them to devour their fruits, veggies, and sandwiches with a cutter set that'll jazz up lunch with enticing shapes to ensure that even the pickiest eaters don't come home with an untouched lunch.
5. You can also make different fruits more appealing by threading them on skewers to create colorful kabobs. I mean, which kiddo can resist gobbling up food on a stick? (Pro tip: Avoid using fruits prone to browning).
6. And, instantly turn everyday food into kid-pleasing hors d'oeuvres with animal-shaped food picks that'll add just the right amount of cuteness to any lunch box. Do they make adult versions?
7. Set up a self-serve lunch station using a few plastic bins (just like this smart mama did below) so the kids can curate their own lunches in the morning. It's never too early to teach them a little self-reliance right?
8. And put an end to the frantic daily scramble to find a missing lunchbox by assigning a dedicated spot using Command hooks inside your pantry or cabinet door.
9. Looking for a compact little lunch bag to send snacks to school? This mini freezable snack box with built-in ice packs will keep perishable snacks cool and fresh all day (it also clips onto your purse, stroller, or backpack, making it especially handy for taking snacks for your littles on the go!)
10. Or perfectly fit Bento-style lunchboxes or tupperware containers in a spacious insulated lunch bag that has room to spare for extra snacks and even a small thermos. It also has a water bottle holder so your little student isn't left fumbling around with a gazillion small containers at lunch.
11. Brighten your child's day by slipping a funny joke card in their lunch box. The cute punny jokes are guaranteed provide the perfect pick-me-up when they're having a rough day.
12. And don't toss those fruit snack boxes featuring cute characters in the trash. Just cut out the character and add a printed speech bubble for a fun surprise that'll have kiddos squealing with joy.
13. Or opt for a set of scratch-off lunchbox notes to add the perfect pick-me-up. Write a sweet note, cover it with the scratch-off sticker and slip it into their box. They'll be SO excited to discover your hidden message!
14. Try this magical hack for preventing apple slices from browning in the lunch box: Cut slices and then wrap a rubber band, hair tie, or pipe cleaner around them to hold in place.
15. Speaking of apples, use an apple corer and cutter to pop out 16 snackable slices with just a push of a button and spare your tired hands. Easy peasy apple squeezy!
16. Separate fruit, veggies and snacks with reusable silicone baking cups that'll ensure those yummy cookies don't get soggy from the mac and cheese.
17. Wanna know the easiest lunch recipe EVER? Turn english muffins into kid-sized pizzas with just pizza sauce, cheese, and the toppings of your kiddo's choice. Your little sous chefs will love helping make these yummy personalized pizzas. Plus, these are freezer-friendly, so you can save even more time by making a batch over the weekend.
18. And btw, you can recreate store-bought Lunchables at home by packing a combo of healthy snacks in a compartmentalized lunch container. It's like assembling a charcuterie board — but for your kids.
19. Do your kids request eggs for lunch literally every day? Make perfect hard-boiled eggs quickly and easily with a rapid egg cooker. It's ~egg-ceptionally~ foolproof — just set it and forget it until the timer goes off.
20. Prevent leaky messes all over their lunch box with condiment containers with screw-top lids that are ideal for dippable dressings and sauces.
21. Put an end to complaints about cold lunches with a vacuum-insulated stainless-steel food thermos. Now you can spice up their school day with minestrone soup or lasagna. Mamma mia!
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.