How to Be SuperMom; 17 Ways to Quickly Pack a Healthy PlanetBox Lunchbox
School is back in session for many of you or will be in a few short weeks. Did you lovingly pack your child's lunchbox the night before? Perhaps you took the time to handwrite a note, or you spent time cooking or preparing your child's favorite meal?
Yay! That's great!! But I'm going to go out on a limb here and predict that in a few weeks (or even days!) you are going to be so over it. Busy schedules creep up, morning coffee becomes more important than a handwritten note, and the thought of making yet one more meal (a lunchbox) after you just finished cleaning up after dinner is just. too. much.
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It is at this point that you will be SO GLAD you have this post! I'm going to share 17 ways to quickly pack a PlanetBox lunchbox in just minutes! Yes, you can reclaim the title of SuperMom. Your kids will have variety once again and they might not even realize how healthy their lunch is because it will look so cool!
Pin this helpful post for later!
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If you don't have a PlanetBox lunchbox you can grab one here. (That's my affiliate link. I partnered with PlanetBox because I love their stuff so much!) We have been using our first PlanetBox for going on 5 years now!!!
PlanetBox is my favorite, but...
Of course, all the ideas here can be applied to other lunchboxes. However, I find the PlanetBox "Rover" (shown below in all the pics) is the perfect size for elementary age children, middle school age children, and even some teens and adults. (If you have a super eater, perhaps consider their "Launch" size which is a bit bigger.)
Some of my other favorite lunchboxes can be seen in action in my Lunchbox Gallery or School Lunchbox Packing Ideas and Tips – part 1 or School Lunchbox Ideas & Tips - Part 2. You can also buy my favorite lunchbox products in My Lunchbox Shop.
Let's get packing...
17 ways to quickly pack a healthy PlanetBox lunchbox
Lunchbox #1
Protein/Healthy Fats: Organic Valley string cheese wrapped in mortadella, with extra mortadella rolls, guacamole
Veggies: carrots (prepped ahead of time: long cuts and smaller cuts for inside the pineapple), bell pepper bites (also prepped ahead of time)
Fruit: pineapple ring (this was prepped ahead of time)
Whole Grains: Late July multigrain tortilla chips (most are gluten-free)
Special Treat (totally optional): yogurt covered raisins
Lunchbox #2
Protein/Healthy Fats: Bacon (prepped beforehand), olive slices, cream cheese
Veggies: bell peppers
Fruits: apple slices, raisins
Whole Grains: Late July multigrain tortilla chips (most are gluten-free)
Special Treat (totally optional):
Lunchbox #3
Protein/Healthy Fats: Ham & cream cheese (in roll-up), cashews
Veggies: bell peppers, tomatoes
Fruits: blueberries
Whole Grains: whole grain tortilla
Special Treat (totally optional): Newman's Own Fig Newmans Fruit Filled Cookies
Lunchbox #4
Protein/Healthy Fats: Fork In The Road all natural grass-fed beef hot dogs (leftover from last night and cut up into bite-size pieces)
Veggies: Persian cucumbers (sliced) and Annie's Organic Ketchup (kind of a veggie?!?)
Fruits: pear slices
Whole Grains: Late July organic mini cheddar cheese bite-size sandwich crackers
Special Treat (totally optional): coconut date rolls (found at Whole Foods - bulk section)
Accessories: fun food picks (with a whole great set of Bento-style accessories!), (stainless steel "small dipper" container comes with the PlanetBox lunchbox)
Lunchbox #5
Protein/Healthy Fats: organic whole milk Greek yogurt, avocado (cut into bite-size pieces)
Veggies: homemade kale chips (recipe here)
Fruits: mandarins, frozen berries (in yogurt)
Whole Grains: Newman's Own Fig Newmans Fruit Filled Cookies
Special Treat (totally optional): Bare Baked Crunchy Coconut Chips Gluten Free Chocolate (and really, the Fig cookies could qualify as a treat too)
Accessories: (stainless steel "big dipper" container comes with thePlanetBox lunchbox)
Lunchbox #6
Protein/Healthy Fats: Organic Valley string cheese stick (cut in half), avocado (cut into bite-size pieces)
Veggies: cherry tomatoes
Fruits: mango, raisins
Whole Grains: Bitsy's Brainfood Smart Cookies (also contain veggies and fruit and you can also find them at Whole Foods)
Special Treat (totally optional): Juju gummy star (free of artificial dyes or flavors and found at Whole Foods)
Accessories: silicone muffin molds
Lunchbox #7
Protein/Healthy Fats: hard-boiled egg (prepped beforehand, with raisins as eyes), avocado (cut into bite-size pieces)
Veggies: Persian cucumbers (sliced)
Fruits: cantaloupe (cut into bite-size pieces)
Whole Grains: Garden of Eatin' Organic Corn Chips Sea Salt
Special Treat (totally optional): Bare Baked Crunchy Coconut Chips Gluten Free Chocolate
Accessories: silicone muffin molds, fun food picks, random small lizard toy from home
Lunchbox #8
Protein/Healthy Fats: homemade ranch dip (recipe here), organic string cheese wrapped in mortadella, olives
Veggies: cucumbers (sliced), baby carrots
Fruits: blueberries, raspberries
Nuts/Seeds: Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers Gluten Free Farmhouse Cheddar
Special Treat (totally optional): Annie's Homegrown Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks Berry Patch
Accessories: fun food picks, (stainless steel "small dipper" container comes with the PlanetBox lunchbox and yellow silicone "pod" is extra)
Lunchbox #9
Protein/Healthy Fats: homemade gluten-free and grain-free almond flour muffin (cut in half and covered with Justin's chocolate hazelnut spread), Energy Balls (recipe here) or use Made In Nature Organic Figgy Pops Supersnack Apple Cinnamon, string cheese (cut in bite-size pieces)
Veggies: cherry tomatoes, Calbee Harvest Snaps Snapea Crisps Gluten Free Lightly Salted
Fruits: kiwi slices
Special Treat (totally optional): Annie's Homegrown Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks Berry Patch
Accessories: silicone muffin molds
Lunchbox #10
Protein/Healthy Fats: salami, cheese slices
Veggies: carrots (sliced in round pieces), radishes (sliced), cherry tomatoes, small bell peppers (sliced horizontally)
Fruits: apple slices
Whole Grains: whole grain crackers
Special Treat (totally optional) candy-coated chocolate sesame seeds (free of artificial dyes and flavors - found at Trader Joe's)
Accessories: silicone muffin molds, Bento eyes food picks
Lunchbox #11
Protein/Healthy Fats: salami wrapped around cheese sticks (cut in half) using food picks, Wholly Guacamole individual pack (found at Costco)
Veggies: mini bell peppers (cut in half), Terra Real Vegetable Chips Original Sea Salt
Fruits: apple slices
Special Treat (totally optional): Bare Baked Crunchy Coconut Chips Gluten Free Chocolate
Accessories: fun food picks
Lunchbox #12
Protein/Healthy Fats: Sandwich: Alvarado St. sprouted whole grain bread, ham and cheese, Primal Kitchen Mayo with Avocado Oil Paleo Original, cashews, olives
Veggies: mini bell peppers (cut in half)
Fruits: blueberries
Whole Grains: Alvarado St. sprouted whole grain bread
Special Treat (totally optional): chocolate covered coconut bites (found at Costco)
Accessories: silicone muffin molds, fun sword food picks, random Halloween teeth accessory
Lunchbox #13
Protein/Healthy Fats: olives (with food picks), cheese stick (cut into bite-size pieces)
Veggies: mini bell peppers (sliced), carrots, cherry tomatoes
Fruits: blueberries, strawberries
Whole Grains & Seeds: organic Sunrise Energy Bars (made with dried fruit, nuts, seeds and oats - found at Costco)
Special Treat (totally optional): chocolate covered coconut bites (found at Costco)
Accessories: Bento eyes food picks
Lunchbox #14
Protein/Healthy Fats: ham and cream cheese (in tortilla roll-up)
Veggies: carrot and cucumber sticks
Fruits: mango and strawberries
Whole Grains & Seeds: whole grain tortilla, Somersault sunflower seed crunchy bites
Special Treat (totally optional): Annie's Homegrown Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks Berry Patch
Accessories: silicone "pod" from PlanetBox.
Lunchbox #15
Protein/Healthy Fats: brie slices, salami
Veggies: cucumber slices
Fruits: raspberries
Whole Grains & Seeds: Somersault sunflower seed crunchy bites
Special Treat (totally optional): Sejoyia Organic Chewy Cookie Bites Gluten Free Vanilla Maple
Lunchbox #16
Protein/Healthy Fats: hard-boiled egg (prepared ahead of time - with bento eyes picks) + sea salt, (sea salt is in the small compartment for dipping - a favorite for my kids)
Veggies: carrot sticks
Fruits: strawberries, kiwis
Whole Grains: Late July multigrain tortilla chips (most are gluten-free)
Special Treat (totally optional): Sejoyia Organic Chewy Cookie Bites Gluten Free Vanilla Maple
Accessories: Bento eyes food picks, silicone muffin molds
Lunchbox #17
Protein/Healthy Fats: ham and cream cheese on sprouted whole grain tortilla (rolled up), olives
Veggies: Persian cucumbers (sliced and halved), cherry tomatoes
Fruits: raspberries, blueberries
Whole Grains: sprouted whole grain tortilla
Special Treat (totally optional): Bare Baked Crunchy Coconut Chips Gluten Free Chocolate, Juju gummy star (free of artificial dyes or flavors and found at Whole Foods)
Accessories: silicone "pods" from PlanetBox.
That's a wrap! (or a sandwich?)
I hope that these 17 ways to quickly pack a PlanetBox lunchbox in just minutes will help you get over the "overwhelm" of what the heck do I pack?? All of these lunches can be packed in less than 10 minutes, and I would even say less than 5 minutes once you get the hang of it. I seriously pack both . my kids' lunchboxes in less than 5 minutes each day. #thatsthetruth
Please share the love and Pin this, share on Facebook, email it to your other mom friends, or forward it to your husband or mom when you are sick or out of town and they are packing lunches instead of you!
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Aaaannnnnnddddd...drumroll...there will soon be a whole book like this blog post with pictures, recipes, and tips but OH SO MUCH MORE! We are talking grocery lists, time-saving tips, nutrition 101, etc. If this interests you then be sure to put your name on the list of people who will be notified FIRST when this e-book launches. (Note: this list is ONLY for notifications regarding the e-book launch. If you would like to join the LWL tribe, be sure to sign up at the end of this blog post or with the notification bar at the top of the page.)
Now it's time for you to tell me anything more you would like to know about how to pack easy, fun, and healthy lunchboxes in the comments below. I seriously would love to know what you want to know!
Happy lunchbox packing!
Quick Shopping Links
I linked to all my favorite healthy foods and snacks on Vitacost.com, where I do most of my shopping (and save tons of money!). However, here is the same list with quick links to Amazon if you prefer shopping there.
PlanetBox Rover lunchbox (on Amazon instead of directly from the company)
Late July multigrain tortilla chips (a variety of nut-free, gluten-free, non-GMO snacks)
Newman's Own Organic Fig Newtons (option for wheat-free and dairy-free)
Bare Baked Crunchy Coconut Chips Chocolate (gluten-free, dairy-free, non-GMO)
Sejoyia Organic Chewy Cookie Bites (gluten-free, Paleo)
You can easily shop for all the lunchboxes and accessories here.
