This was something the girls and I were happy about when we came home from Hawaii. Happy, happy happy!
Last year (see post here) I made the huge switch to a Bento box. From the first lunch I packed in a bento I knew I was never going back!
Although last years bentos were super cute, there were some problems with the size of the sections and some leakage. I read everything on line on bentos over the past year and finally landed on Planet Box (not given a discount or paid by the company) So far I've made 17 x 2 lunches in these new bentos and I can say that I'll use them until they graduate high school.
1. There is no faster way to pack lunches
I asked Scott to come up with something on the computer to help me plan out the week.
They girls sit down with me (they have a folder of past weeks sheets to look through and of course there is instagram for a gaggle of wonderful ideas) and we plan out the entire next week. At night after bedtime I pack any 'dry' snacks that can sit out on the counter at night. In the morning, I make the rest of lunch. I slice fruit, add corn, make a sandwich. It's quick and easy because it's all planned out. No thinking is necessary on early lunch packing mornings. Yes, there is no faster way to pack lunches.
2. It is forcing us to plan healthy choices.
There is large fruits section and large veggie section. There is a mini, itty, bitty 'treat' section. And guess what? They don't miss the big treat at all. They agree with me that a little treat goes a loooooong way! The planned out sections force us to 'think outside of the box' (get it?) We get really creative and then some days they just want peas for their veggies, super uncreative, but super easy and super healthy. Yes, this bento MAKES me pack healthier eating for my girls.
3. Variety, Variety, Variety
Because of the many sections each day is a like a rainbow colors and many different tastes. I can tell you right now that my past nine years of lunch box lunches were the best I could do but I wasn't forced to have so much variety. And fun!
4. They are they most sanitary lunch box system I've had in my nine years of packing lunches.
They pop right in the dishwasher after school. And here's what really rocks... they take up no more room than a standing up skinny dinner plate. That's it!!! And they come out SPARKLING clean and totally dry (not like plastic at all)
Great for an allergy family what MUST have no cross contamination. Great for a family that hates germs.
5. So in conclusion, we love love love they boxes. And you can ask me at the end of this school year but we are never going back! Lots of ease, lots of health, lots of variety and fun.
Opening
Anna: homemade mac and cheese, veggie puffs, mango chunks, peas, and five chocolate covered "power berries" from Trader Joes
Anna: Tortillini in sauce, peanut butter crackers, corn and peas, orange slices, powerberries
Dear Planet Box lunch boxes, I promise one day to really do you justice by taking half way decent photos of lunches packed in you. You are much more slick and pretty than these pics show!
I love the seperate compartments! Is there something that keeps the mac and cheese or tortellini warm? Brooklyn is very picky about warm foods staying warm and it's a problem with sending her lunches!! I might have to switch over for my oldest because these look fun!!
ReplyDeleteI have looked at the planet box the last few years but have always gone with another type of "bento box". Anna's lunches look great!
ReplyDeleteYou certainly have it down to a science!!
ReplyDeleteI am curious too as to a way to keep things hot and cold? Do drinks fit in the lunch bag at all? I use a separated container with 3 places for food that works pretty well and pack it all into the lunch bag. I had looked at these but Hayley wasn't too sure about the style. Love to hear how they work out :-)
ReplyDelete