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Mommy Sleeps In: Make-Ahead School Lunches

May 15, 2013

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Make-Ahead Lunchbox Ideas and Tips

Last week, I took a new approach to my daily bento lunch prep … I made it all ahead of time.

Way, way, way ahead of time.  No more getting up early each morning to fashion lunches.  Nope, not for me.  I had the majority of each lunch made Sunday night.  My mornings were about sleeping in last week.

A whole thirty minutes extra, people.

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[exceptional-citing quoted=”featured-bento” template=”bubble-gray-round” date=”” ]In This Lunch: Corn Dog Cupcakes, ketchup, cheese cubes, apples, peas.[/exceptional-citing]

Corn Dog Muffins for a Make-Ahead Bento

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Instead of getting up and cutting out shaped sandwiches and the like, I utilized idea from the Momables* blog and their school lunch planning service.  I’ve been a subscriber to both the Momables newsletter and the lunch planning service for several months now AND I recently joined the team as a contributing writer; I’ve discovered great snack and menu ideas and — thanks to one of the best newsletters I’ve ever seen — have fallen in love with the creator Laura’s tips and glimpses into amazingly organized personal meal plans.

And last week, I finally mustered up the strength to try something Laura has recommended time and time again: preparing the majority (if not all) of your week’s lunches on Sunday.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

  • I made and froze my version of the Momables’ Gluten-Free Piggy Cupcakes (aka Corn Dog Muffins), pulling them out to thaw for a no-fuss lunch.

Corn Dog Cupcake Bento

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  • I experimented with apples and three different ways to keep them from browning, allowing me (on Sunday) to cut all of our apples for the week.

Momables Apples

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  • Inspired by pasta dishes from the Momables lunch menus, I prepared tortellini and stored it in the fridge, ready to go with a small container of sauce for later in the week.

[exceptional-citing quoted=”featured-bento” template=”bubble-gray-round” date=”” ]In This Lunch: Tortellini, Pasta Sauce, Cream-Cheese stuffed Pepper, Apples and Grapes, Annie’s Bunny Crackers[/exceptional-citing]

Pasta and Cheese School Lunch

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  •  Challenged by Laura’s mantra of saving time, I cut up cheese and sliced ham, making little kebobs and storing them (in air-tight bags) in the fridge for my own “30-Second Wow Lunch.”

[exceptional-citing quoted=”featured-bento” template=”bubble-gray-round” date=”” ]In This Lunch: Cheese and Ham Kebobs, Pretzel Crisps, Homemade Ranch Dip (in the polka-dot container), Apples and Strawberries, Cherry Tomatoes.[/exceptional-citing]

Prep Fruit and Vegetables Ahead of Time for Easy School Mornings

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Each day last week, getting lunches ready simply meant pulling the bento box out of the fridge, where it waited (partially filled with the more stable items).  Then, I added things like pretzels or crackers, tossed in the pre-sliced apples or threw in the stuffed pepper.

While I have always prepared some items at the beginning of the week, this was my first time to do the bulk of the lunch prep on a single day.  It was easy, freed up a minimum of 30 minutes each morning, and definitely erased the stressful business of wondering “What Am I Going To Pack Today?”.

Yeah.  Definitely sold on this whole Momables way of doing lunch.


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Tagged With: Easy Lunchboxes, non-sandwich lunch, peanut-free lunches, popular bentos

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About Rachel Lacy

Rachel Lacy is the author of Following In My Shoes, where she blogs about Mommyhood, Family-Friendly Recipes and Bento Lunches, and Life in Texas. She is a lover of all things Coffee and Nutella.
You can also connect with Rachel Lacy on Google+.

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Trackbacks

  1. 10+ Back to School Breakfast & Lunch Tips and Ideas says:
    August 28, 2014 at 4:40 pm

    […] out these great Make Ahead Lunch Box Ideas for when momma needs to sleep in a bit! Great […]

  2. 13 Brilliant Back to School Ideas! - Ask Anna says:
    August 15, 2014 at 6:01 am

    […] 1//2//3//4 […]

  3. 10 Easy Lunch Box Ideas | Happy Home Fairy says:
    September 9, 2013 at 9:35 pm

    […] Following In My Shoes features this yummy lunch with a creative spin on the sandwich – instead of using bread, try a Sandwich on a Stick by threading cheese and meat chunks on a skewer. […]

  4. Around the Web: Back to School Lunch | SocialCafe Magazine says:
    August 18, 2013 at 11:03 pm

    […] Mommy Sleeps in Make Ahead School Lunches by Following In My Shoes […]

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Who is Rachel LacyMy name is Rachel -- I share tales about food and family. I'm a home-cook who focuses on fresh meals to both fuel us and to help us celebrate our family-life. My day starts with coffee. Lots of coffee.
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