I want to share some of the things we do in our family that makes lunch making (and eating) smoother!

1. Meal plan with your kids: As my boys have gotten older they are starting to have strong opinions about what they want to eat for lunch! On Sunday I’ll usually get their input on our food plan for the week, right before we hit the farmer’s market together.

2. Think Outside the Sandwich: there’s only so much you can do to make a sandwich exciting. But when you add hot foods into the mix you really open up the world of possibilities! One of the best aspects of packing hot food is you can simply warm up last night’s leftovers. Make sure you use a stainless steel thermos like the one inside OmieBox to pack their hot entrees – it’ll make sure foods stays nice and warm until lunchtime.

3. Include a Fruit and Vegetable in Every Meal: make these staples in our lunches everyday so kids learn to reach for these items rather than packaged snacks or desserts. Vegetables can be challenging to pack sometimes, so I always make sure the main entree contains a good amount of veggies! Another way I tackle this is by roasting corn, beets, broccoli or cauliflower the night before. They taste great the next day and my kids love the mix.

I recently discovered Yummy Spoonfuls in the Target refrigerated section. These are fresh pureed fruit and veggie pouches made in California. Because they don’t have some of the preservatives that make pureed pouches shelf stable, they have a fresher taste which my kids love. In a pinch I just toss in one of these pouches and have the peace of mind in knowing they are still getting their daily fruit and veggies!

About the Author

Nancy Yen is the founder of OmieLife, and developed the OmieBox after realizing there must be a better way to pack lunches for her young sons. She enjoys challenging conventional wisdom, and is always looking for a better way to do things.

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