To not be looking forward to doing lunch boxes again from the 8th

[HaroldandGeorge]

I hate doing school lunch boxes. Once the kids are back to school, I’ll be doing 3 lots of packed lunches every day again. My DH is pretty easy to cater for as he will have a soup flask or porridge pot (add hot water) most days. But it’s my 2 Dc I struggle with. I want to have a variety of go-to quick lunches, especially ones you can prepare the day before. Would premade cold toasties work? They love cheese toasties...

I find the monotony of buttering sandwiches grinds me down. So, hit me with your quick and easy alternatives to ham/cheese sandwiches.

I used to slice choc chip brioche for my ds but now he has announced he’s not over keen on them anymore, so my easiest of all lunches is no cancelled!

My dd loves shop bought scotch pancakes toasted. Wondering if she could have them cold from the packet.....

FOURTEEN? Why are you making a fourteen year olds lunch?!

It seems like a stupid question as you'd already have considered it, but... can't they have school dinners?

I understand you wanting to nurture but you are doing your 14 year old no favours making her school lunch. At exam time yes but not on regular days.

@HaroldandGeorge

As my kids are 7 and 14, I am probably not classed as SAHM but a housewife. Therefore, my job is to take care of majority of household tasks which includes lunches. Our way of life wouldn’t suit everyone but it works for us. My kids could do their lunches, but the nurturer in me wishes to make their mornings as stress free as possible. Once the kids are at school, the day is my own and I can do the chores at my own pace. So although I hate doing lunchboxes, I am happy to do them for my family. Hence why I’m trying to find painless ways of doing them as quick as possible! Any other suggestions about lunches gratefully received.

Another way of looking at it, is that it's your job to teach your kids to be independent, and as a sahp you have the time to instill this - sometimes it's quicker just to do things ourselves, but it's not necessarily the best route. 7, maybe. 14, honestly -absurd.

Get your child to do and give them the responsibility.

There are reasons I’m not going to go into why my 14 yr old doesn’t do his lunch himself.

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions so far. I will try to gain the motivation to try all these out!

But I will take your opinions on board and maybe make it a shared job rather than solely my responsibility.

Cold bakers omelette or quiche would be good and do a couple of lunches.
Do a couple of days of deconstructed lunches: Meat (chicken drumstick, ham, left over turkey), Carbs (crackers, roll, flapjack) add fruit and veg plus maybe a yoghurt/cheese cubes/hummous.
Make pasta for lunches which can be made in advance.

I can't quite get my head around that you make your husband's packed lunch tbh.

And for the kids, if you really hate it, then I'd suggest they either do their own (especially the older child) or have hot lunches in school.

I thought this today too, and ironing the uniforms, but then I thought 'choose your poison Tokyo, it's either packed lunched and ironing, or homeschool!' I know which I'd prefer!

Slice of quiche, with some cherry tomatoes is very easy!
Cornish pasty or Cheese and Onion Slice if they will eat them cold.
Scotch Egg.
Chicken drumsticks/thighs.
Slice of Gala Pie from the deli counter.
Chicken Satay sticks.

@Babyboomtastic Why wouldn’t I make him a packed lunch?? I’m doing them for the kids anyway, he works hard all day and his wages allow me the luxury of being a housewife. It’s all about working as a team, sharing out jobs and responsibilities.

@TokyoSushi Very true!!!

I just pay for school dinners and avoid making packed lunches at all!

Lunch boxes will be made with great joy. They are going back to school 😃👍

@Frozenintime

@JimmyTheBrave

How about those mini tortilla wraps? Takes the buttering stage away I guess. Stick on some pre-grated cheese and a bit of ham.

I was going to say wraps, takes out the buttering and you can use pre grated cheese to make it even quicker.

I feel the same.

I made DC and DH packed lunch. Much easier and less mess if I do it. If I’m making for one may as well make several. But yes, it’s the emptying the grim Tupperware after school that I hate. It all flips about in the dish washer and doesn’t dry. Agghh.

I was gutted when our secondary school said they'd need packed lunches until Easter. DS eats a very limited range, and only ham on sandwiches which even he gets bored with and leaves. Tinned ravioli in a flask for us until the Easter holiday and fingers crossed he can have meals nuggets in a baguette again thereafter.

Mine love sausage rolls or tuna or vegetable pasta as an alternative

Oh and crudités with pitta and houmous

I hate doing them too. One thing I've found handy is savoury muffins made with wholemeal flour and cheese and whatever other bits I've got knocking about in the fridge. You can do a big batch and freeze them then pop a couple of frozen ones straight in the lunch box along with some veg sticks, yogurt and fruit. They thaw out by lunch time and are always well received.

Make too much for dinner and then next day's lunches can be packed after dinner. Do a big pot of rice/cous cous/fusilli pasta and add a dollop of stew/stir fried veg/drained tuna.

the DCs can prep celery and carrot sticks a few days at a time bagged up ready to be added. buy those tiddly pots of jam (as used by hotels) as the jars are perfect for a small portion of mayo or humous and are easy to wash up.

And get DH off his lardy posterior and do his share. they are not just your kids. at a very minimum he should be doing at least his own work meal prep.

Pasta salad? Could make a big batch.
Is 14 year old able to butter the sandwhiches and help you?
Crackers and cheese?