I’ve mentioned how much I LOVE these Ziploc Divided Containers. (back in stock on Amazon – SQUEE!!!) They are reusable, wash super easy, and are cheap! Even though they are inexpensive, they last a LONG time. I did finally recycle 2 that were about 3-4 years old because they finally broke a little bit being tossed around in their lunch boxes – they were still usable, if not using liquids though! But that many years of almost every day use, is pretty good considering the price!
The part I love the most, is that they always remind me to pack them a healthy lunch with fresh fruits and veggies. The big container is for their main portion – a sandwich, cheese and crackers, a bagel – and the two others are for fruits and veggies (in our house at least!). They usually get one fruit – watermelon, cantaloupe, sliced apples, oranges, strawberries, blueberries, homemade yogurt, etc. – and one veggie – snap peas, carrots, cabbage, cucumber, etc. Somedays, they’ll get 2 fruits or 2 veggies, but usually one of each. This is how I make their lunches every day. Well, once or twice a week they get leftovers or chicken nuggets in their Thermos. (Super handy for a HOT lunch!). They both help streamline making lunches and choosing what to make.
Now, I make the 3 kids that go to school’s lunches each morning – or the night before usually (yay for extra fridge = extra fridge space!), even though the 2 older ones are old enough to make their own. Honestly, if you are making one, you might as well make 3. It doesn’t take any longer and less mess.
Well, its summer now, so mom is on break. I NEED a break from that school routine. Last week, the older 2 had band camp. They needed to take lunches each day of camp. I told them they were responsible for themselves and I didn’t care what they packed.
Seriously, they could have packed a lunch box full of candy, cookies, and caramel popcorn and I would not have cared. That is how fried mom’s are at the end of the school year.
So I spent my mornings cuddling my baby and they made their own lunches before I drove them to camp each day. I didn’t even ask them what they packed, so I wouldn’t worry about it. Simply asked that they had their lunches.
At the end of each camp day, I would give in and ask them what they packed. Parenting win of the year: They packed the same healthy lunches that I packed them each day, thanks to their training on using the Ziploc Divided Containers every day! I was shocked. Maybe it didn’t occur to them that they could take a lunchbox full of candy, but hey! I’ll take what I can get. When left on their own, they made good, healthy choices! YAY! Each day they either pack healthy fruits and veggies in their Ziploc Divided Containers or packed leftovers in their Thermos with fruits and veggies as their sides! Sometimes, It’s these little things that make me think we’re doing SOMETHING right at least! (I write this as I hear them fighting downstairs… Ya win some, you lose some -ha!), Having chopped and prepped fresh fruits and veggies at all times helps a lot with this too! (we bought one of those fridges with the refrigerated external drawer – LOVE IT!!! Such a good decision to buy it! It’s always full of fresh fruits and veggies – ready to eat – string cheese, yogurt, etc.)
(FYI – I am not paid to endorse either product. Simply love them that much!)
