Unpacking the Secrets to Packing the Perfect Lunch

Ask anyone in our family and they will probably tell you I am an over-packer. Always have been, always will be. And I am proudly unapologetic about it as you will rarely find me without everything I might need in every. possible. situation. So when it came to finding the perfect solution to packing keto meals for school and on-the-go, I was on a mission. It took some trial and error and honestly I may own the biggest collection of food storage containers in the North East - but that's beside the point. I finally landed on the perfect combination of products to help make school meals seamless.

I set out with the goal of fitting everything he would need for a single meal into one container including his food, spoon/fork, mixer attachment, and heavy cream. Over the years as we have traveled, gone out to eat and attended daycare I noticed our old way of doing things wasn't working. I had the meal in small container, the mixer and silverware in different pouches and labeled corresponding heavy creams rattling around in the cooler bag. When it was time to eat I would have to search through multiple pockets or bags to find everything he needed. With his first year of school approaching I knew I needed to make things easier for his teacher and one-on-one.

Okay so we have to start with the container. For us, U-Konserve has been the King of Containers - sturdy, easy to clean and fits everything he needs in one place. I purchased three of these to travel with him to school for his morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack. We decided to make the investment into stainless steel because we knew they were going to get a lot of use. Plus our small, cracked and stained plastic containers had seen better days and I didn't want to risk using glass containers that could break in the classroom. As soon as I saw these, I knew that stainless steel was going to be the answer to my packing woes.

I LOVE these containers and I also understand that stainless steal products may not fit everyone's budget. If you are looking for something more affordable I recommend looking around for good quality bento boxes. They typically have a nice depth to them, allowing you to fit more and often come with their own silverware. Many also have separate compartments to help you and your child stay organized for meal time.

Alright so what's in the container? Well there are a few other products I swear by! I love these silicone baking cups. I weigh out food directly into them on food prep days and they are great for keeping ingredients separate until it's time to eat. At school his one-on-one can easily grab an item that needs to be microwaved and return it to his container for mealtime. The mini-mixer is the perfect travel-sized companion! When he needs to have heavy cream whipped at school, I pack the attachment along with his meal and keep the motor in the front zipper of his cooler bag. Along with the mixer I pack my favorite fork and/or spoon from Target and of course no meal would be complete without these perfect 2oz jars with lids for storing heavy cream. You can simply weigh your heavy cream and add water or use the mini mixer to make whipped cream. The 2oz jars are the perfect size and height to use with the mixer to avoid excess splatter.

When all his meals are ready for school, I label them using Washi tape so his one-on-one can quickly identify his containers. Washi tape stays on very well through both hand washing and in the dishwasher allowing you to get a lot of use out of each label. William brings three containers, four 6oz drinks, a mixer, ice packs and daily meal instructions for the school staff - so naturally it does not all fit in a traditional kids lunch bag. This Hydro Flask Tote is my absolute favorite insulated cooler bag for school meals and quick family outings. It's very sturdy, easy to clean and comfortable to carry.

Okay so now you've seen my favorite way to pack meals on-the-go and although I am excited to share my favorite products with you, what I really want to convey with this post is the convenience of fitting everything for each meal into one container. You will be so pleasantly surprised to see the difference that this minor adjustment makes when you're out and about with your keto kid. And at school his teachers and one-on-one have everything they need to prepare his meal in one convenient place.

Pro Tip: When you're choosing your products, I highly recommend walking around the store, mixing and matching until you find items that will easily fit together. And if you're buying items online be sure to pay attention to product dimensions! For links and full reviews of all these products check out the Shop My Fav's page.

Happy Packing!

Recipes featured in this post:
Mac & Cheese
Pumpkin Pie
Yogurt (scroll to bottom of post)