“Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.” -Nora Ephron
As a child, I loved buying school supplies for as long as I can remember. I think of elementary school shopping when the school had all of the supplies in bulk and I got to go pick all the best colors of pencil cases, folders, and sharpeners. I think it is a symbol of a fresh start. The crispness of a brand new 5 subject spiral before a semester began was thrilling. A tangible example of the opportunity of the year.
As an adult, I channel this fall excitement into picking out cute office supplies for my home office.
As a mom, I feel slightly less excitement due to the daunting number of tasks on my “to do before school starts” list. School clothes, school lunch prep, getting my brain around making school lunches again, school supplies, meeting the teacher, etc.
I can help with one of those things, but you’re on your own for meet the teacher.
I’ve compiled my favorite dishes to make ahead of time and freeze to set you up for success in the new school year. While I highly recommend sending leftover dinners for lunches, there isn’t always enough or they are too soupy for a toddler to bring or various reasons. These gluten free/dairy free freezer goodies are lifesavers when you just need something nourishing to put in the box.
While you may say some of these options look like breakfast foods, I agree. E loves nothing more than having breakfast for lunch. It’s as easy as doubling our pancake batter, flipping a few more on the griddle, having the same amount of cleanup, and popping the surplus in the freezer.
Top 10 Freezer Lunch Prep Ideas
- Muffins
- Thick soup (easier for toddlers to eat)
- Oatmeal squares
- Pancakes
- Waffles
- Meatballs
- Smoothie packs
- Casserole squares
- Bean Burritos
- Pizzas
Stocking up on these freezer items in the month before school starts is crucial for my sanity as the chaos of fall begins. It is especially important to me, because the new baby is coming soon, and dad will be on lunch duty. Let’s make it easy on him!
The beauty of this style of lunch prep is that all we have to do in the morning is throw in these frozen and they will be thawed by lunch time. All we have to do is throw in some random fruits, veggies, or whatever other snacks we have on hand for the week and she has a complete meal loaded with nutrients and variety. You can customize these foods to meet your family’s preferences and allergen concerns.
Happy prepping!
Katie True
truefamilyfood 