Making sarnies the night before - does it ever work?

[Mij]

I'm trying to get out of the house earlier on the days I work, but as Mij's third law of shared childrearing says, even when DP has responsibility for getting DD ready for anything, final responsibility for them both still lies with Mummy. So I do DDs packed lunch.

As childminder can no longer heat up three separate toddler meals - don't blame her, no microwave - we're mostly doing sandwiches. I can get everything else done the night before, but not these, as I can't find a way to make sure they're still tasty the next day. Any tips?

In fact, if I could find a way of doing this, it would save a fortune as I would then take sandwiches too, avoiding the need for a costly nip to the very nice Italian deli round the corner (good job I only work away from home two days a week).

Please help.

I always do my packed lunches the night before

cheese or ham or whatever

all fine

madness to do in the morning imo, I have too much to do getting small people ready

we do them the night before - they wouldn't eat if we didn't!

No idea but I think no slop such as mayo or butter maybe? No lettuce, probably best avoid tomato...

Maybe they need to go somewhere cold and dry, or be kept in a muslin pouch or one of those lakeland bread bags. Maybe lakeland have a solution come to think of it...

I'm confused - i make up sarnies the night before and they are fine. What's the problem with yours?

Just don't use tomato or cucumber so they don't go soggy - or if you do take the watery seeds out.

I always make sandwiches night b4
I just dont have time in the morning to be doing sandwiches too
single mum plus 2 kids - one school age

its fine
he never complains

in fact have started making whole lunch box & sticking it in the fridge - its fine

I also always do it the night before in fact I pack the whole lunch box the night before drink container and drink included and stick it in the fridge.

I always do them the night before. Dh has to have a gluten free diet so if we didn't get round to it in the morning he would have trouble getting a suitable lunch at work.

What seems to be the problem when they are done the night before? If they are soggy (e.g. due to salad etc) you need to make sure they have butter/mayo or similar to "waterproof" the bread. Most supermarket sandwiches seem to be on the shelf for 2 days or more so you should be able to find a way round it.

Alternatively make the adults a salad, I guess the children wouldn't like this? Or get all the fillings prepared the night before and assemble in the morning. e.g. make a bowl of tuna mayo or whatever.

What are you putting in them? I have never had a sandwich go soggy, just avoid tomato.

ledodgy - same here

What about a little tupperware box of things like mini sausages, cubes of cheese, grapes, cherry toms, cucumber, crackers, ham, yogurt etc instead, then its cold but tasty and easy to prepare the night before?

ham salad
chicken salad
marmite and cheese (my kids lurve)
all done night before no probs!

am i the only person that slices and wraps the tomato separately to avoid the dreaded limp sandwich at lunch?

I think it highly likely that you are RS!

I always do mine the night before, two school age dc and one work age dh, none complain

I refuse to go the way of my mother though, she would make bags and bags of ham or cheese rolls and freeze them. Then take one out of the freezer in the morning and put it in my lunchbox to defrost during the morning. It was invariably still frozen by lunchtime!!

I frequently do pickle or coleslaw in dh's sandwiches, but just make sure it is inbetween two slices of meat or cheese so it is not in direct contact with the bread. I also 'waterproof' the bread with butter.

Cherry toms are the best solution-kids love 'em! Just put a handful in a seperate little box within their lunch-box/bag.

I could never cope with doing lunches in the morning, the sandwiches would be in a much worse state than sitting in the fridge all night. I can barely pour the cornflakes.

RS how wonderfully organised and civilised.

ds1 asks me not to put the tomatoes in the same bad as they make the top of his sandwich soggy.
He doesn't like them in his sandwich either and I told him he was a gussy bugger.

fussy even

i'll make his sandwiches for him Mrs C - i can wrap his tomato as well

Perhaps Mr Carrot would like to take over sandwich making duties in the Carrot household?

He'd love you, Rubyslippers, and so would dd.

Ive got her ruby slippers for christmas actually, finished sticking the gems on yesterday, they look quite good.

awww - what a lovely present ...

hand finished as well

Mr Carrot does them the mornings I forget the night before, which is quite a few. It works out about even.