Ideas for Packed Lunches and a GIVEAWAY!

Whether you're packing a lunch for yourself, your spouse, or your kids, it can be a challenge deciding what foods to pack and how to pack them. Here are some tips (and a great giveaway!) to help you through it.

I try to make litterless lunches whenever possible. When I pack food in reusable containers and bags, it's better for the environment and it's usually cheaper and healthier than pre-packaged foods. You'll also save a lot by not using as many plastic sandwich bags. I've been loving my reusable sandwich and snack bags that I found from Anytime Sacks. I got Spongebob bags for Cole and Diego bags for Bennett (or Dabodee bags, as Bennett would call them). They're really easy to wash too, you just wipe the nylon liner with a damp cloth, or for tougher messes just toss them in the washing machine and hang to dry.

Here are the boys' lunches from the other day:

This time I put granola bars in the little snack bags, and a whole apple in each of the larger bags. At daycare I need to label everything or it'll end up in someone else's lunch, so I like sticking the apple inside a bag with their name on it. Purchasing a label-maker was one of the best investments I've made, because I sure need a lot of labels!

I also like using the little round Ziploc containers, Rubbermaid juiceboxes, and Corningware dishes. The Corningware is super handy for putting leftovers in and reheating them, if you have access to a microwave. If you don't, then a thermos is great. I prefer not to reheat foods in plastic, so that's why I like these dishes.

As for foods to put in your lunch, here are a list of my favorites:

• Fruit (grapes, apples, strawberries, blueberries, mango, melon, oranges, etc)
• Cheerios mixed with raisins or dried cranberries
• Homemade bars (Fruit-filled Cereal Bars, Mini Fruit-filled Cereal Bars, Energy Bars, Fruit and Seed Bars, Cinnamon Raisin Granola Bars, Fruity Granola Bars, Apple Date Bars, Strawberry Yogurt Squares, Apricot Orange Squares)
• Granola Balls
• Cereal Crunchers
• Muffins (Triple-Hitter Muffins, Lunchbox Muffins, Banana Yogurt Muffins, Oatmeal Carrot Muffins, Tropical Mini-Muffins)
• Peanut butter and Jelly Roll-ups
• Quesadillas (Shredded Chicken Quesadillas, Black Bean and Pepper Quesadillas)
• Yogurt
• Homemade Bear Paws
• Applesauce, Berry Applesauce
• Whole grain Goldfish crackers
• Sesame Flaxseed Crackers
• Veggies (baby carrots, cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes) and dip
• Cheese cubes
• Homemade Fruit Leather
• Sandwiches (ham and cheese, peanut butter and honey, peanut butter and jelly, cream cheese and cucumber, cream cheese and jam, cream cheese and avocado, egg salad, tuna)
• Pizza
• Weelicious Pizza Pinwheels
• Mini Crustless Quiche
• Pasta salad
• Quinoa Greek Salad
• Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce
• Pita Pockets with Greek Salad and Hummus
• Leftovers!

Now I'm sure you'd like to hear about this giveaway, so here it is.


Anytime Sacks Giveaway:

You can win a snack and sandwich sack of your choice from the listed on their Etsy shop. It can be a matching set or different fabrics.

To enter, just leave a comment mentioning one of your favorite things to pack in lunches. Make sure I have your email address so I can contact you if you win.

You can receive bonus entries by doing any of the following (just make sure to leave a separate comment to tell me each bonus entry you do):

• Add Anytime Sacks to your Etsy Favorites
• Share this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, or blog
• Follow us on Google Friend Connect
• Subscribe to us by Email
• Follow us on Twitter
• Become a fan on our Facebook page (by clicking 'Like')

This contest will close Thursday January 27 2011 at midnight PST.

Winner will be chosen by http://www.random.org/. I'll contact the winner by email, and the sacks will be sent by Anytime Sacks.

Good Luck!