Hot and Cold Lunches!

We all face different temperature issues when packing lunches for our kiddos. Sometimes it's how to keep everything cool, other times we try to find ways for them to eat a hot, home-cooked lunch.

Hot lunches are a great way to avoid sandwich fatigue and repurpose leftovers so we aren't always making something new. Some schools, especially for the younger tots, will heat up packed lunches for them. But as our kids have gotten older, it's a bit more of a free-for-all! Our best solution so far has been using a thermos, but here are a couple of our lunch packing tips!

For keeping cold:

Freeze your bread! Freezing the sliced bread for sandwiches keeps it fresher longer, and also ensures that the sandwich filling (like chicken or egg salad) stays cooler longer. The bread will be perfectly defrosted by lunch time!

Freeze yogurt! Yogurt can last longer than you think without strong refrigeration because it's bacteria cultures fight off anything hazardous, but freezing a yogurt is an easy way to add an "ice pack" without taking up a lot of extra space in a lunch.

Freeze a water bottle! Even a small water bottle or juice pack will keep lunches nice and cool in a backpack until lunch time.

Freeze the thermos! In the morning while you're packing a lunch and mainlining coffee, fill the thermos with ice water and let it sit in the freezer for 10 minutes. Pour out the ice water, put in your cold items, and be amazed at how long they stay chilly! This is perfect for packing a smoothie or milkshake for their lunches!

For keeping warm: 

Boil the (wide mouthed) thermos! Simply boil a small pot of water and pour it directly into the empty thermos, screw on the lid, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Remove the water and put in your favorite hot lunch! We love everything from an omelet, to chili, to meatball or mac n cheese. Even potstickers or shepherds' pie make great options!

Separate! Put napkins with utensils, a pack of crackers, or a banana in between the hot thermos and any sort of cold food you might be packing.

What are your lunchbox hacks? And how in the world do you get your kids to bring home the ice packs and all the containers?! :)

Back to School Lunch Inspiration

Part 1: PROTEIN!

Lunchbox inspiration is always a tough one, especially when you’re just trying to get back into the routine! Fruit is the easy part, but a good protein can often be a struggle, so this week we’ve rounded up the best Peas Perspective ReciPEAs to help you beat the back-to-school burnout!

Keep checking back as we’ll be posting Lunchbox Inspiration posts all season to answer all your questions, like hot v. cold, what to pack when they’re wearing white ;), and alternatives to fruit and dairy burnout!

1.     Healthy Hotcakes

These heart-healthy hotcakes are great for lunches, and folding in some leftover cooked quinoa give them a heartier texture AND ups the protein content! They’re even great smeared with a little nut butter for an added boost of protein!

2.     Homeade Granola Bars

By making them at home, you can control the sugar content and eliminate additives to make these tasty bars totally customizable for lunchboxes. Nuts like almonds, pistachios, and sunflowers have the highest protein to lowest saturated fat ratios, so they’re perfect to add in to these healthy bars.

3.     Kamut Krispies

We all know sometimes our littlest eaters skip the good-for-you parts of their lovingly packed lunch and dive straight into the sweets. Nothing feels worse than seeing their sandwich sitting untouched in their lunchbox when they get home. A batch of these Kamut Krispies will ensure that even if they only eat dessert, they are still getting some iron and protein!

4.     Curried Tuna and Pesto Egg Salads

This blog post has some of our favorite ideas for getting extra protein into little lunches. The Curried Tuna Salad uses yogurt instead of mayo for a double dose of protein, and the Waldorf Chicken Salad is perfect for kids with a sweet tooth by adding in diced apple!

5.     Whole Grain Quinoa Bowl

Using quinoa instead of rice for this recipe means an easy family dinner can instantly double as lunch tomorrow!

6.     Sandwich Sushi with Chickpeas of the Sea

Chickpeas replace tuna for a perfect Meatless Monday lunch hack! Plus, the lettuce keeps everything from getting soggy in a lunchbox and the “sushi” pieces make toddler mealtime a breeze.

Does YourPlate Look Like MyPlate?

Has the USDA's new MyPlate logo influenced the way you put together meals for yourself and your family?

Here's a snapshot of a lunch plate here at Peas HQ: veggie lasagna (grains), broccoli, greens and carrots (veggies), goat cheese (protein/dairy) and a nectarine (fruit) [not pictured]. Looking good!

Share a photo of your lunch or your kid's lunch with us!