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Contrary to what you might see on social media, making lunch for kids does not need to be complicated or stressful. Those viral cookie cutter-shaped sandwiches, miniature eating utensils or “carved” fruit kabobs aren’t a part of lifestyle guru Kamaria Moore’s lunch-making playbook.
“I feel that is such a waste of time and a complete waste of resources. Who wants to spend money on these little gadgets,” says the busy mom who packs daily school lunches for her three-year-old daughter.
Instead, the entrepreneur behind the Living Moore brand and website says making lunch for kids can be pared down to five simple tips.
Have a Menu Plan
“There must be planning involved,” states Moore about the first thing to consider when making lunch for kids—and that means menu planning and food prep. “Usually, I start at the top of the week; I start Sunday,” she says about how she approaches school lunch planning.
She concentrates on making foods that will pack and travel well, like pasta, rice, sandwiches, quesadillas or chicken nuggets. “I might make pesto pasta, a macaroni and cheese,” offers Moore about her technique of cooking several different dishes using one “staple” ingredient as a base for the recipes.
Citing an example of this technique, Moore shares, “There are different variations of macaroni and cheese, like the Thanksgiving version that’s baked. And I have my stovetop version, which is just butter, heavy cream and, whatever cheese that I have, salt, pepper and a little nutmeg. I also make rice, so I’m able to make fried rice and its different variations.”
Freeze Everything When Making Lunch For Kids
Moore says the key to making lunch for kids a success is to freeze everything. Once she’s prepared the foods planned for the week’s lunches, this mom places it all in the freezer.
“I’m a huge proponent of freezing. I don’t think people really think, ‘Oh, I can freeze rice?’ Please freeze it. If you order takeout and you have lots of rice left over, freeze it and sauté it up and now you have a side dish or a main [course],” she offers.
She shares that quesadillas and grilled cheese sandwiches, or cheese toasts, freeze beautifully when bread slices are buttered, wrapped in parchment paper, and placed in a resealable plastic bag.
An important step in making lunch for kids, says Moore, is to be certain to move the selected lunch entree from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before so it can thaw properly. “Don’t take it out of the freezer the morning of,” she emphasizes.
This way, all that’s needed to do is to re-heat the lunch item and assemble the rest of the packed lunch (fresh fruit or blanched veggies, crackers or dessert), saving time and your sanity.
Pick the Right Packaging
Packaging plays an important role when it comes to packing a school lunch because the idea is to keep the food as fresh as possible. “You don’t want things to get soggy,” notes Moore.
“If something is supposed to be warm, you don’t want kids to open it up and it’s cold. For example if you have a thermos, warm it up with hot water first—don’t just put hot food directly into it.”
Likewise, Moore will use parchment paper to wrap sandwiches for freshness, especially ones containing cheese. “I wouldn’t put it in a Ziploc bag because there’s too much moisture with the bread and the cheese,” she says.
“I always tell people, when it comes to sandwiches, think about when you go to a deli. They don’t hand it to you in a plastic bag, right? It’s wrapped in paper, or foil, to maintain the integrity of the sandwich and that’s what you want to do.”
As for the lunch container itself, Moore likes the idea of a bento box. “I think bento boxes are good…I really like them because they’re already compartmentalized and you can get insulated ones,” she observes. “And for the most part, they’re plastic and clean easily; it definitely helps keep food fresh.”
Opt For Balanced Portions
If you’re finding your child coming home with an unfinished lunch, avoid waste and consider the amount of food you’re packing in the lunch. “I would say portion control is key,” says Moore.
“My child is three years old, so I’m not sending her to school with a full sandwich. Instead I’m giving her a half sandwich. I’ll give her little sliced-up fruit—but it won’t be a portion for a five- or six-year-old—it would be just enough for her.”
RELATED: The Beauty of a Well-Mannered Child at the Table
Get the Kids Involved
Finally, Moore is a big proponent of getting kids involved when it comes to their school lunches. “Do allow a child to put something in their lunch so it’s not just on the parent doing that,” says the lifestyle pro. “Ask them, ‘What would you like in your lunch?’ So now they’re involved in the planning and they’re helping.”
Depending on how old they are, Moore says to get the kids to help in the actual process of making the lunch. “Get them involved in making it or by having them put something in the lunch,” she says.
With a little planning, making lunch for kids can be a cinch. “Be intentional about what you’re going to make for them,” advises the lifestyle pro. “I feel like keeping it simple is always the best.”
For more from Kamaria Moore, including lifestyle tips and recipes, and to order her book, “Moore Living Guidebook Vol. 1,” visit Moore Living online and be sure to follow her on Instagram.
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