|
With back-to-school in full swing (whether we like it or not!), that means, so is packing lunches. *womp womp* But it doesn't have to be like that, friends! Packing your own lunch, whether for yourself or the kids, has many benefits. The benefits of packing a lunch or bringing your lunch from home include:
 Now, unless your packing all non-perishables for lunch -- like a PB&J, fruit cup, and bottled water -- the ol' brown bag lunch just ain't gonna fly these days. And as avid lunch packers, we've tested a variety of accessories (many fails) to make the lunch packing habit happen. We want you to make this important mid-day meal exciting again by arming you with the 8 best lunch box accessories so you can win at packing lunch each day. Keep scrolling to check 'em all out! DISCLOSURE: Some of these links are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you click through and purchase.  8 BEST LUNCH BOX ASSESSORIES FOR ADULTS:(1) TOTE-STYLE INSULATED LUNCH BOX You gotta have a insulated lunch sack to keep foods fresh, y'all! Considering that 1 in 6 Americans get food poisoning each year, according to the CDC, keeping your food safe is no joke. But no need to shell out big bucks for a functional and affordable insulated lunch box. We love these tote-style options at at Target as they allow you to pack almost anything (even the weirdest shaped Tupperware)...
(2) REFILLABLE WATER BOTTLE Hydration isn't just something athletes need to think about. Each day we should aim to drink ample fluids (from water and other beverages)...
(3) PORTIONED SNACK BAGS I love these bags! They're perfect for any & and all snacks or sides, plus make portioning out quantities super simple since the measurements are right there - from 1/4 cup to 1 cup. Get you some Up & Up Portion Pack Bags for just $1.79! (You might also like to check out our pro tip on how-to portion out high-calorie dips & spreads.) (4) ICY COOLS REUSABLE ICE CUBES Instead of storing awkward, bulky ice packs in your lunch bag, keep everything cool with reusable ice cubes like these Icy Cools Reusable Ice Cubes from the Container Store. It's recommended that you use at least 2 cold sources to keep lunches cold so this type of alternative can help keep your food safe. (5) PLASTIC MASON JAR WITH SALAD DRESSING LID Homemade salads have never been so simple. Layer your favorite salad in this non-glass to-go container from Aladdin ($12.99 at Bed Bath & Beyond) and keep everything crisp and fresh until lunchtime by storing your salad dressing in the built-in dressing compartment! (6) DIPPING CUPS WITH LIDS These durable Stainless Steel Dippings Cups from Bed Bath & Beyond ($6.99 for a 6-pack) are ideal for those delicious dips, spreads, and sauces that you don't want to get all over your other food. Must have! (7) GLASS STORAGE CONTAINERS The truth is that not all Tupperware's are created equal. And as many as I've tried over the years, they just don't get any better than Pyrex. Buy an assortment of sizes of food containers and they'll keep for years. Years I tell you! They're great for storing food prep, leftovers, and reheating items safely. This 18-Piece Pyrex Set from Target is under $45 and is a great starter set. (8) STAINLESS STEEL TUMBLER WITH REUSABLE STRAW Keeping drinks at their desired temp is critical for enjoyment so I love this stainless steel and acrylic tumbler combo from Sun Squad ($8.00 at Target) to keep my beverages cool or hot, hot, hot. Unfortunately, not everything can be kept in your refillable water bottle. :P What are your favorite lunchbox essentials? Tell us in the comments below! (Pst! If you're scratching your head about what to bring for lunch to work, visit our Pinterest Board for some ideas.) lindsey DISCLOSURE: Some of these links are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you,
we will earn a commission if you click through and purchase.
2 Comments
DISCLOSURE: Basic Invite sponsored this post. All opinions are my own. Hey friends! Can you believe it's mid-July already!? My brain (and body) are having a hard time digesting this, but it's a good reminder to follow-up on those tasks and to-do's that may have fallen off your priority list! It seems that every summer, I make some intention to revamp and reorganize some aspect of my life -- redo the living room wall, plant a herb garden, refresh the pantry, update our meal planning binder, etc. Do you get like this at the start of summer? Well I'm so excited that Basic Invite reached out to me recently to share about their adorable custom invitation, announcement, and stationary line. And I was delighted to find that they not only have an amazing selection and variety of correspondence to fit any occasion or event, but they also have FREE RECIPE RESOURCES!!!  Basic Invite has several recipe cards you can choose from and even editable recipe binder kits!! I'm completely nerding out y'all. 🤓 Here are a few of my favorites that I can't wait to order and refresh our meal planning binder with! Summer project complete. ✔️
 P.S. Did I mention that these particular picks are instant downloads so that means no downtime waiting on a delivery... you can start upgrading your meal planning resources stat! Oh, and they're FREE. If you're looking for some new recipe ideas, please check out our curated collections on our Pinterest or blog! And go take a peak around Basic Invite before the holidays roll around. I think you'll be really pleased with your ability to choose almost any color invitation you like (including colorful envelopes); receive a sample of your invite before you place an actual order; utilize a super handy feature that allows you to capture the most up-to-date mailing address of your loved ones; and enjoy fabulous FOIL designs! You can start planning your holiday picture cards, cheap Christmas cards, and Christmas party invitations now at 15% off with coupon code: 15FF51.  Happy holidays in July friends! Hope you enjoy Basic Invite as much as we do :) lindsey DISCLOSURE: Basic Invite sponsored this post. All opinions are my own.
Hey friends! I am sooo excited to be sharing about a new resource with you today as it's from a very dear friend and colleague I've known since my Dietetic Internship days at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. (Let's just say, it was over a decade ago and leave it at that haha.) This May 14th, 2019, EAT TO SLEEP comes out - a book all about what to eat and when to eat it for a good night's sleep! This incredible guide is by Karman Meyer, a fellow Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and the creator behind TheNutritionAdventure.com. I was lucky enough to review Karman's first book and am sharing how I incorporated her expert advice into our weekly meal plans. Keep reading to see how I pulled it all together.  In EAT TO SLEEP, Karman literally has everything you could want to know or need to achieve better sleep in her comprehensive book...
 For my household, we 1,000% know the importance of good sleep (after all, walking around like a zombie is no way to live!), but life happens and sometimes getting a good night's rest doesn't. This got me thinking more about how we craft dinners to be nourishing, balanced, and enjoyable - yes - but also, better for sound sleep! Here's how we approached this week's meal plan using advice from EAT TO SLEEP...
Check out how our meal plans turned out for the week!  Any grocery item with a ** was just to indicate a sleep-promoting food and you can see that I was able to include at least one of these incredible ingredients in every meal for this week! (Score!) Fortunately, in all of these master meals we're planning for this week, it was very easy to incorporate sleep-promoting foods.
If you want to learn more about each of these fabulous sleep-promoting foods or the food-sleep connection, I really hope you'll check out EAT TO SLEEP. Be sure to follow us over on IG (@themealplanningmethod) as we'll be having a GIVEAWAY of Karman's book soon, or you can pre-order your own copy at Amazon or Barnes & Noble here. Here's to getting them zzz's friends! lindsey Pst! Like this Weekly Meal Planner? Grab your FREE printable here so you can start planning meals today! |
Categories
All
 Interested in contributing to The Meal Planning Method blog?
|
