10 Easy Lunch Packing Ideas

You can find more information on our web, so please take a look.

As much as we like to plan out the things we do in life, packing lunch at home is often falling at the bottom of our priorities. Eating out for lunch all the time can be bad for your diet and your wallet, so we put together easy lunch packing ideas to get you through the week. .

Here are 10 useful tips for making your own lunches:

1. Plan out your meals. Planning out your meals ahead of time makes preparing and packing easier. Make your favorite lunch must-haves a part of your weekly grocery list.
2. Use reusable containers. Using reusable containers makes packing easier and more fun. Plus, they are better for the environment than disposable bags and containers.
3. Make in bulk. In other words, meal prep your lunches. You will be able to save time assembling lunch items all at once versus daily.
4. Pack easy to grab snacks and sides. If you are in a hurry in the morning and aren&#;t always the best about making your lunch ahead of time, simple, grab-and-go snacks are perfect to throw in your lunch box.
5. Don&#;t be afraid to use last night&#;s leftovers. When packing up leftovers for the night in containers, start packing your lunch. There&#;s no need to waste time transferring food from your left-over containers to your lunch containers!
6. Store non-perishables in your desk. Consider stocking up on your favorite non-perishable lunch items in an office drawer or kitchen area if you have one. This makes it easy to quickly add onto your lunch or grab a quick snack throughout the day.
7. Use your office&#;s fridge. If you have a shared office fridge, consider leaving items you use almost daily for your lunch. These could be your favorite food condiments or beverages.
8. Organize a work lunch-in day. Packing your own lunch every day can get redundant. Organize with co-workers to have a lunch-in day where everyone signs up to bring something. This would be the perfect time to show off your new favorite recipe!
9. Expand your horizons with new lunch ideas and recipes. Switching up your lunches and trying out new recipes is perfect to keep packing your own lunches fresh, and exciting. Plus, you may find your new favorite recipe this way!
10. Keep your lunch in a spot you will be sure to see in the AM. One of the hardest things about packing your lunch is remembering to bring it! This can be frustrating, but if you leave your lunch by your keys, or leave yourself a note in the AM, you will be sure to remember it.

These are just a few tips to help keep you motivated to pack your own lunch. You don&#;t have to pack your lunch every day, but even cutting down how often you eat out or order in on a weekly basis is a great start!

For new recipe ideas and inspiration, check out our recipes.

5: Avoid most cut fruit

If you follow my pages, you know how I feel about cut apples.  

I have no problem packing those days in advance, because browning has never been a big problem for me. But other than apples, I avoid packing cut fruit very much in advance.

A night before is ok, but no longer than that. Instead go with whole berries, whole grapes, whole plums or apricots, whole peeled mandarin oranges.

Link to Tongqi

Most of the more juicy fruits start to release their liquid as soon as they are cut, so after a day or two the fruit will be a little more dry, and you&#;ll have some juice making a mess in your lunchbox. But fruits with their outer skin intact will retain their moisture better and stay fresh longer. 

Bananas are ok for a day or two if all you&#;ve done is cut off one end - that end might get a little dry/brown but the rest of the banana will be just fine.

Oranges or mandarins are ok if you peel them carefully, ensuring not to break any of the protective membrane on the sections. 

6: Choose cut vegetables carefully

Some veggies will keep just fine when cut, and others don't.

Lettuce, carrots, celery, and broccoli all store well when cut ahead - think about the kinds of veggies that don't release a ton of water after they sit for a while. These are all actually great choices for doing a once-a-week prep - get them all cut and stored in containers in your fridge so they are easy to grab and throw in a lunch or salad. I like these green storage containers for produce, they do help keep it fresh.

Not all veggies will tolerate being cut and stored ahead of time. Most slicing tomatoes top this list. Cut or sliced tomatoes are just not the same overnight in the fridge. If you want tomatoes in your lunch, choose small cherry or grape tomatoes instead - the size that can just be put in the lunch whole or just cut in half. Cucumbers are hit and miss, I've had pretty good luck with keeping sliced cucumbers for a few days, but not always. But it&#;s pretty easy to find the mini snacking cucumbers now and those are great for lunch.

I think you just need to do a little trial and error, it seems to depend on the variety and how juicy they are. Avocados will turn brown on the exposed flesh after being cut, but if that little bit of brown doesn't bother you, then go for it. The flavor isn't affected. Think about other veggies you can include that can be left whole - sugar snap peas, fresh green beans, mini sweet peppers. 

7: Cut with a sharp knife 

This seems like a small tip, but it does make a big difference.

If you are going to pack cut fruits or vegetables, try cutting them with a very sharp knife.  Very sharp knives slice through foods with much less pressure - and that means less bruising and less damage to the fruit and vegetables. If they are cut with minimal bruising, they will lose less juice, there will be less browning, and they will last longer.

You don't have to spend a fortune on a whole set of sharp knifes. Get one good knife, the best you can afford. Or at least get a good knife sharpener - my favorite knife sharpener is not at all expensive. You won't believe what a difference it will make. 

If you want to learn more, please visit our website 3-Compartment Lunch Box.