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It’s July, and although we’re just right in the middle of summer, back to school season is on my mind! As a mom, along with buying all the school supplies and getting everyone organized for the New Year, I also have to keep everyone fed. Aside from dinner, I have to think about breakfast, school snacks, lunch, and after school snacks.
One way I save myself a lot of time and frustration is by meal planning and making meals and snacks ahead of time. For this, I turn to Ziploc® brand products. Today I am sharing 5 make ahead meal ideas. These meals are quick, easy, affordable, and Ziploc® brand products make them very portable.
I recently purchased Ziploc® brand Sandwich Bags, Snack Bags, and Ziploc® brand Containers. I love Ziploc® brand because they have such a great variety of products for all of our household needs. Their bags are also tough and durable, so I can send them with my son to school without worrying about the bags opening and getting food all over his school supplies. The bags also have Easy Open Tabs®, making them easy to grip and open. Their containers also have a One Press Seal, so that they remain closed, and there are no leaks!
You can find a variety of Ziploc® brand bags and storage containers at Kroger in the food storage aisle.
1. Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits – This is a great quick-fix meal idea. I, for one, do not like measuring and grabbing multiple ingredients in the morning when I’ve just gotten up. So one solution that works great (especially if you have multiple kids) is to measure and bag your fruit and granola in Ziploc® brand Snack Bags the night before, and then pair them with a nice yogurt in the morning.
Older kids can even mix up their own. If you have high school students who are in a hurry in the mornings, they can even pre-mix everything in a Ziploc® brand Container and eat it when they get to school.
2. Overnight Oats – Here’s another breakfast solution that could also be used as a lunch or after school snack option. Overnight Oats are the perfect mom-approved healthier breakfast, because you make them the night before.
Here I’ve made a batch of Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats. To make them, I used 3/4 cup oatmeal, 1/2 cup chocolate almond milk (or chocolate nutritional shake), 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, and mini chocolate chips for topping. Just mix up these ingredients and place them in your Ziploc® brand Container. Refrigerate overnight, and at breakfast time, you are good to go!
3. Meat & Cheese Snacks – Even though this is the easiest and most well-known snack and lunch option, I have to include it because it is our son’s favorite! On nights when we’re not cooking at home, he will often choose this over other quick food options.
When packing it for lunch, simply place your meat, cheese, and crackers in Ziploc® brand Snack Bags, and then place them in your lunch container. I made this one for my husband; it has chicken slices and Colby jack cheese cubes. But when I’m making this for my son, he prefers cheddar cheese slices (sliced off a block of cheese), bologna (I use two pieces and cut them into fours), and about 8-10 crackers. He also loves hot sauce, so I place a bottle of hot sauce in a Ziploc® brand Sandwich Bag and place that in his lunch box. Ranch dressing is another great option to include with this.
This not only makes for a quick and filling lunch or snack, but it’s also cheaper and tastes better than buying the pre-packaged meat, cheese, and cracker combos at the store.
4. Quesadillas – This is probably my favorite way to “think outside the sandwich.” My son loves tacos, burritos, and quesadillas, so when I’m coming up with food ideas for him, I always like to keep those things, I already know he likes, in mind. A basic cheese quesadilla can be whipped up in minutes on your stovetop or in the oven. My son also likes chicken & cheese quesadillas.
But you could put anything your child likes in a quesadilla or wrap. For example, you could make ham & cheese quesadillas or even a peanut butter and jelly quesadilla.
5. Snacks for Dipping – Finally, we have snacks for dipping. In my house, we always have snack foods on hand, largely because I, myself, am a big snacker! And I have no problem giving my kids the cookies and the chips, as long as the portions are controlled, and as long as they get enough nutritious food during the day.
Here, I’ve packed up some pretzel sticks and some vanilla wafers in a Ziploc® brand Snack Bag. I’ve placed them together in the same bag for two reasons. First, I wanted to show you just how much will actually fit in the Ziploc® brand Snack Bag. The second reason I bagged them together was that I simply didn’t want to waste a bag, but if your kids are afraid of “mixing foods” you may want to bag your pretzels and cookies separately.
I also have a bag of fruit here, and alongside these, I have a small container of caramel dip, and a single serving of our favorite chocolate-hazelnut spread I chose these two because they paired well with the snacks I’ve bagged up. You could also use this same idea, and add a small cup of ranch or cheese dip and a serving veggie sticks and crackers. The main goal here is to pre-package the snacks so that your child won’t eat an entire box of cookies after school.
Are you already preparing for back to school? What is your biggest back to school challenge? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section.
And for more Back to School inspiration and ideas, check out Ziploc® brand on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube, and their social hub.
I love these ideas because I often get into a snacking rut with my kids. I think these are creative choices for all three of them. #client
I love Ziploc bags for school lunches- some great ideas here!