Don’t look now, but back to school is here! Are you ready for one of the biggest challenges for Moms  – preparing school lunches day after day?

Whether you have older children who attend school, or your toddler attends daycare or a preschool program, here are 7 back-to-school lunch tips:

1. Make dinner do double-duty

You’re already in the kitchen preparing your family’s dinner, why not use that time to get a head-start on the next day’s brown bag lunches?

Make a double batch of meals that taste just as good “the morning after”, or cook dishes that can be transformed into something “new”, such as pasta sauce that’s just as yummy as pizza topping (on ready-made crust of course).

To make meal planning easier, take a look at Dine Without Whine. It’s a monthly service for planning your family’s meals and grocery shopping.

2. Include lunches when meal planning

To do tip #1, you need to be more organized. This means including your kids’ lunches when planning your family dinners.

3. Let the kids participate

Lighten your load and teach your children some important life skills at the same time. Even small children can help prepare their lunches.

If morning is too stressful, then make this an after-dinner activity – which brings us to…

4. Make advance preparations

Do whatever you can do ahead of time. For example, cook in batches on the weekend, or put leftovers in packable containers the night before.

5. DIY fast food

Commercial packed lunches are attractive but unhealthy. But who says you can’t make your own? Buy your own colorful and attractive lunch boxes, such as a bento-style lunchbox.

Fill it up with a variety of healthy food. Think of mixing up foods with different textures and colors. And cut them up into small pieces so they’re easy and fast to eat.

6. Soup it Up

Soup makes a quick and healthy lunch. You can cook a large pot in the weekend and pack it in a thermos for a warm and satisfying lunch. Serve with whole wheat bread and some fresh fruit and you’ve got a complete meal!

7. Sprinkle in some fun

Sneak a little surprise into your child’s lunchbox once in a while. It could be a little chocolate treat, stickers, or a sweet note from you. Getting something unexpected makes lunch fun.

With planning and creativity, your children can have healthy, delicious lunches without too much work for you.

For meal planning help, go to Dine Without Whine. It makes meal planning a breeze, while helping you save time and money.

Then you’ll have time and energy for those school lunches.

If your a busy mom (like most most moms) feeding your toddler the best foods is high on your priority list, but not always the most time efficient.

You can still feed your toddler wholesome, organic meals without any of the stress,
even if you are a mom on the go.

There are a few organic food companies that come to mind when I think of convenience meals for toddlers.

Happy Baby – Premium Organic Baby & Toddler Meals

Peas of Mind – Healthy frozen food for growing kids

Mom Made Meals

Also check out these organic convenience foods for baby and younger toddlers-

Tastybaby

Petite Palate

Bella Baby Foods

Get into the spirit of 4th of July this weekend with some patriotic toddler treats.

From Family Fun:

Independence Day Pops

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
3 cups vanilla yogurt
Red food coloring
Blue food coloring
Waxed paper
Sugar cones
Popsicle sticks

1. To make a half dozen pops, tint 1/2 cup of the yogurt with red food coloring and 1 1/2 cups with blue food coloring. Leave the rest plain.

2. Make waxed paper cone liners by folding six 12-inch square sheets into triangles, wrapping each around a sugar cone, and using tape to hold the shape. Then place the paper cones inside the sugar cones.

Step 4 – Independence Day Pops 3. Fill each cone with 1 tablespoon red yogurt, followed by 2 tablespoons white yogurt, then 3 tablespoons blue yogurt. Insert a Popsicle stick and freeze the pops until firm, about 4 hours, using the cone box to keep them upright (as shown).

Fruit Flag

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
29 large strawberries
30 large blackberries
7 or so large bananas
Lemon juice

1. Hull and halve 29 large strawberries and set them aside.

2. Arrange 30 large blackberries, as shown, in the upper left corner of a serving tray or cutting board (it should be at least 8 by 13 inches).

3. Cut 58 banana slices, 3/4-inch-thick, into a bowl. Sprinkle on lemon juice and toss the slices gently with a rubber spatula to keep them from browning.

4. Assemble the banana slices in rows as shown and top each slice with a strawberry half.

Check out Family Fun for more 4th of July crafts and recipes!