A Happy Little Lunch Box

Get your sandwich cutters, we’re putting a little joy into the day…

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If there’s one thing I’ve been consistent about as a mother, it is making the world’s cutest lunches. And that’s very important to me because I am a silly goose and I need a little silly goosery in every day of my life, especially as a parent.

I started making themed little lunches when my boys were toddlers just to make the midday break a little more fun even during the busiest day of working from home with two tiny humans and sometimes as a way to introduce veggies or new foods in a more enticing way. I have never judged anyone who does not serve fun lunches or who doesn’t own 600 sandwich cutters. We each have to follow our own rainbow! Was/is every single meal over the top? No! Does it take me hours to make a single meal because I’m cute-ifying it? Also no! Is it just one of those fun family traditions that I enjoy upholding? Heck yes.

A little fish toast with cucumbers and coconut yogurt colored with blue spirulina and hemp hearts.

Now that my kids are getting older, my 10-year-old isn’t super stoked on bringing a puppy-themed lunch to school (and I sob alone at night because of it) and also prefers to pack his own a couple times a week. My 8-year-old is still holding firm on mommy love notes and heart-shaped sandwiches though. The new rule is that once a week, I will make a fun lunch for school and my youngest loves guessing the theme.

A pumpkin sandwich, celery and olive eyes, a cookie, a pumpkin orange with blueberries, and bat pretzels.

I too have followed some of those moms on social media (God love ‘em) who spend an hour making their kid homemade pasta for lunch or hand carve fruit. I am going to tell you now, that ain’t me. I stock up on (usually very on sale) items, use the food I already have in my home, and don’t pack things they won’t eat just for the **aesthetic**. It usually takes me ten minutes to make lunch and outside of cutting things cutely or adding a food pick, I’m not doing anything I wouldn’t do normally. This is just for fun and life needs FUN.

That being said, here are my happy lunch box besties:

• The Box: I have tried quite a few lunch boxes over the years and have some fan faves. A former client that I truly adore, Bentgo was one of the best ways to bring meals on the go when my kids were younger. The little dip spot in the middle and the fact that they seal so nothing spills? Perfection. Originally, I bought a couple of Target bento box style lunch boxes as a backup option (or for when the Bentgo was in the dishwasher) and now I buy new ones every other year because they hold up well. For thermos lunch days, I snagged two OmieBox lunch boxes on sale during Prime day last year. They have held up well for a couple of years and keep everything that should be hot, hot and everything else room temperature.

• Cut It Up: Sandwich cutters are life. Ok, maybe not but they are helpful and easy! And mine have lasted over six years now. I bought this pack of sandwich cutter shapes, these Uncrustable press things, and this set of fruit/veggie cutters. If I’m cutting cucumbers anyway, why not make them look like flowers?? Even when making zucchini chips, fries, or a salad for dinner, I love this crinkle cutter. Looking for something specific? Etsy is a great place to find super specific anything and they can help with lunch. I love this Mario sandwich cutter.

• Little Extras: To separate snacks or make sure everything doesn’t get jumbled together these silicon cupcake liners are my fave. We use them at home during crafting to hold little perler beads or whatever too and ours have held up for years despite thousands of trips to school and through the dishwasher. Looking for yogurt on the go without the Gogurt? These are my go-to for yogurt, applesauce, and fruit/veggie/protein purees. I have been posting my kids’ lunches on IG for years and as a sweet gift a friend sent me these Wilton food markers years ago and I have gotten SO much use out of them (nothing like making an Uncrustable REALLY dressy). I also have a little box of food picks in my kitchen to add a cute touch to any lunch and make some messier items a little more school friendly. I buy these on clearance and also have this set of animal picks and have snagged other themed picks on sale over time too.

• Party Time: A little way I stock up on cute food things? I look at the clearance aisle. The edible googly eyes that have been a staple in my home are almost always a post-Halloween clearance find (or you can get them at Michael's whenever you want). I also buy little sprinkle mixes or healthy holiday snacks on sale and just keep them around for a happy, little opportunity. I also check clearance for sandwich cutters (I just nabbed two outer space themed ones from Michael’s for $1 each).

A rice cake cat with fruit and little Tofurky/hummus/pumpkin seed cucumber flowers.

Do some people think our little happy lunchbox tradition is silly or basic? Yes, they’ve told me as much. But do I think there are a lot of ways that my family shows our love for one another through making things - I make silly lunches and draw goofy pictures on the whiteboards in my kids’ rooms every night, my youngest makes me air dry clay mugs and spoon rests, my oldest writes me stories to read whenever I travel - and this is an extension of that. It is just a fun thing that started one day and didn’t really stop. If you want to add a little joy to your kid’s (or your!) day, make them a sweet little shaped sando. Or write a love note. Or send cute gummy snacks. Or just find your own little way to be like, “OMG I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND THIS IS HOW I AM SHOWING YOU IN A SMALL WAY THAT TOOK ME TEN MINUTES.” It’s all about creating those sweet, and manageable, traditions.

To keep up with what I’m cutting up for lunches you can follow me on Pinterest or check out my recommended products on ShopMy. What are you making for lunch?

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