Laptop Lunches: Summer Lunches With Love

By Nina Holstead
MamaBelly.com

Even though it is summer we are still packing lunches for work, camp and trips to the beach and pool. I love going shopping with my kids this time of year so they can pick out fresh fruit and vegetables for their lunches!

This summer lunch contains:

a simple herb salad and cheese wrap,
a mini pepper,
blueberry yogurt topped with fresh blueberries and
A few farm fresh strawberries.

The perfect lunch for work!

My kids prefer smaller portions and a variety of choices. The Laptop Lunches Bento Lunch Box makes packing several food groups so easy. No matter if you are packing for camp, school, or a day at the pool, with the right prep you can pack this lunchbox in under 5 min!

This colorful lunch contains:

a mini pepper and baby carrots,
blueberries with a few raspberries,
strawberries,
Goldfish crackers,
three mini stamped ice cream sandwiches filled with nut butter and
Yogurt topped with fresh raspberries.

Here a few tips to make packing lunches a little easier:

Pick out the fruits and veggies you plan to pack with your kids at the store. They are more likely to eat them if they got to decide which ones to pack or try.
Prep prep prep! Wash the fruits and veggies when you get home and store them in a container in the fridge ready to go. That way healthy snacks are always available and you save time when making lunch. I often shop and prep on Sundays so I am ready for the week.
It is so much easier to plan and pack at night after the kids are in bed then in the morning when you are rushing out the door! So, pre-pack what you can and store the Laptop Lunches containers in either your fridge or on the counter until you need them.

--> I filled the containers that need to be refrigerated the night before and placed them in the fridge. Take advantage of the fact that two of the Laptop Lunches containers have lids (but you can also cover the containers with plastic foil if need be). I highly recommend the Bento Buddies if you pack lunch every day since you get 4 lidded containers in the set! I filled one container with crackers and pre-cut the bread to save time in the morning as well. I used a fondant plunger to make the ice cream shaped bread but even a simple cookie cutter can make lunch more fun! I started with one star shaped cookie cutter 2 years ago. I just place the bread back into the bread bag and seal it. That way I only need to fill the sandwich in the morning. With a little prep packing a healthy and colorful lunch is fast and fun!
Don't forget last night's left overs! They make great lunches the next day!

Always have some healthy snacks in the fridge you can add to your lunchbox in the morning when you are short on time.
Freeze juice pouches or to go yogurts to keep your lunchbox cold and the drink and food fresh on hot summer days!