School Lunch Ideas for Teenagers: How to Pack & Recipes by MOMables

Hi guys, in today's video I want to talk to you about how to pack teenage-worthy lunches, meaning a lunch that will satisfy bigger appetites. Two elements to consider when packing lunches for teens, the lunchbox, the lunch bag, and the food itself. Let's talk lunchboxes. The least amount of cuteness, the better. Some plain options include these easy lunchboxes and these Sistema containers for sandwiches and snacks. Again, no characters and no kiddy colors. I found that thermoses were still an option, especially if they're plain and carry some delicious hot leftovers. Most schools don't have a microwave available, so in winter a hot lunch is definitely a great idea. I have a video in this channel that shows you my five favorite thermos containers and why, so make sure to watch that. I'll link it and the thermoses in the description box below. What do you fill a thermos with? Gosh, so many options. Chili, chicken soup, skillet lasagna, pasta dishes, stir fries, basically anything that was a winner for dinner can be a winner for lunch. But remember that for many kids eating the same thing from dinner for lunch is a no-go, so maybe just skip a day and send it. If you have a child that wants to use zip bags for their food because simply put, containers are not cool and you don't want to add more trash to the environment or waste money on zip bags, there are some great reusable options out there. Again, don't stress, I'll have these linked right below the video for you. Oh, another reason these reusable zip bags work so well is because once empty, they don't take up that much room inside their backpack at the end of the day because their backpacks can get pretty full. When it comes to lunch bags, the cute ones are definitely out. It's time. I know, I know, the one you bought four years ago is still holding up and now it's just not cool. And then just maybe they say, but everyone packs their lunch in a paper bag. How are you supposed to fit everything you want to pack inside a paper bag? But let me introduce you to the upgraded paper bag. It looks like a paper bag, but it's built with durable material and it's insulated. You can pack a ton of stuff inside from smaller containers to zip bags to a thermos, but it also folds flat and it doesn't take up a lot of room inside the backpack. Now, if you just want a more traditional lunch bag that will hold containers, zip baggies, all that jazz, I've got two here that I recommend. So now that we got some of the technicalities out of the way, what do you actually pack for school? If your teenager wants to make their own lunch and you want them to pack healthy options, then the truth of the matter is that you'll need to have those healthier choices available. I'm going to link some of those lunch ideas below and at the end of this video, so I'd start with a solid main item like a wrap filled with lots of protein or a good sandwich. Add sides like hummus, veggies, fruit, hard-boiled eggs, and then turn everything into a meal. Having those items in the fridge available when it comes to packing lunches is definitely key. Also want to make sure that you pack enough food for them. A small assorted lunch box is not going to fly anymore. Building out a meal with things like cheese, hummus, nuts, hard-boiled eggs, whole grain crackers, fruit, veggies, all these things on the side, it's gonna be key. I know that a lot of people will pack a yogurt topped with granola instead of thermos for added fuel, especially if your teenager plays in an after-school sport. You can also send smoothies inside their lunch box like I show you in another video inside of a freezer jar. Links for these right below. As far as ideas, I have you covered with many healthy lunch ideas inside the videos below. If you love videos like this one, make sure to click on that red subscribe button because there are tons of great ideas coming your way every single week. See you next time!