This post is sponsored by Horizon Organic, all opinions are my own.
Kids Build Their Own Organic Lunch Routine:
Take the hassle out of lunch prep with a routine that allows kids to make their own lunches by selecting from a variety of organic ingredients that are mom approved–like Horizon Organic.
As a mom, one of my roles is teaching my children to become independent and self-sufficient.
But I am not about to throw them into the deep end without some resources or tools to help them swim.
In an effort to help my kids take on more responsibilities, and become a little more independent when it comes to lunches for school, I created a lunch routine that has been amazing for our family! I can’t wait to share it with you.
We also have an after school snack routine, and I will occasionally pre-fill these lunchboxes for them, or use these lunchbox ideas!
Here is the basics of how it works: The kids are responsible for packing an organic lunch they will eat. But, I make it easy for them by pre-filling 5 bins with delicious, nutritious, organic food options like Horizon Organic cheese sticks and milk boxes. They then have to select one item from each bin to go into their lunch!
- Bin 1: Dairy– Horizon Organic Milk boxes, cheese sticks, etc.
- Bin 2: Protein – Organic deli meats, organic sausage and kielbasa bites, organic hard boiled eggs, pepperonis, nuts, seeds, etc.
- Bin 3: Organic Fruits– Whatever is in season, washed and chopped, or portioned
- Bin 4: Organic Vegetables– Washed, chopped, and portioned organic vegetables that are in season
- Bin 5: Organic Grains – Organic crackers, homemade organic muffins, bread, etc.
- Optional: Treat Bin!
Because the kids have to select at least one item from each bin, I know they are going to get a well-balanced, nutritious lunch.
I fill those bins, and pick quality organic ingredients like Horizon Organic. And after a lot of controversy and flack for this post, I have switched to reusable storage bags instead of the disposable ones pictured here.
This system is so great because as a mom, I get a lot of control over what they consume, but, because they get to pick what that item is, they take ownership. And they are more excited for their lunch.
This routine makes lunches easy, and reduces waste because kids have choices, while also insuring a nutritious lunch.
Why Organic?
At my house, school starts EARLY, and it’s the rare day when my kids are going to sit down and give their breakfast all the attention they should.
By lunch, they need some serious fuel. And it needs to be more than good for them, it has to taste great too if it is going to end up inside them.
All of us need to take care of our bodies, but kids are a special case. Their brains and bodies are still forming.
- They need antibiotics when they’re sick, not added to their food so that they have them all the time and germs become resistant to them.
- They need to grow naturally, not have their growth accelerated by added growth hormones.
- And they deserve to inherit a world where the land and water can sustain them and their children in the future. Hence switching to Reusable Storage Bags
Horizon Organic makes a number of awesome organic products that are easy to incorporate into lunches.
You can find a list of products here. The best solution is to simply give your kids plenty of options and see what they like best.
How do I incorporate organic foods into my kid’s lunchbox?
- Offer variety: This is why the bin system has worked so well for our family. The choices and variety mean they can switch things up or have the same lunch every day, whatever THEY choose. And by offering a wide variety of organic foods to them, I know their nutritional needs will be met! Win-Win!
- Make food fun: Kids like foods in packages with cartoon characters, right? Yes! And Horizon Organic understands that and incorporates fun characters in their packaging. Whether it is fun packaging, fun sizes, or fun shapes, making kid food fun, or bringing an element of fun into their lunches will encourage them to eat better.
- Food needs to taste great: There is this weird idea that organic food might be good for you, but that it doesn’t taste good. And that is incorrect. Horizon Organic recognizes kids mostly just like food that tastes good. When you give kids tasty dishes prepared with organic ingredients, they’re going to eat well and enjoy it. Even if there are no characters. Select your variety and options carefully to insure they are hit quality, tasty organic foods.
- Food should be convenient. Organic foods don’t have to be difficult, hard to find, or require tons of time. This is not sustainable for busy moms with kids in school. This is why I love Horizon Organic foods, they offer single serve, deliciously, convenient products perfect for lunches. Fill your bins with these convenient lunchbox options.
Can somebody please tell me what organic really means?
In a nutshell, part of getting kids to eat organic is educating them on why organic matters, but how can you do that without understanding what organic really means? So let’s chat about it…
For a product to be labeled “organic” it has to meet very specific guidelines.
- No antibiotics: Organic meat and dairy products come from animals that haven’t been treated with antibiotics.
- No toxic or persistent pesticides: With organic products, no pesticides that are harmful to human health were used on the land or in the food.
- No growth hormones: Animals whose meat or milk is labeled organic can’t have been given growth hormones at any point.
- Non-GMO: GMO stands for “genetically modified organisms.” Non-GMO means there are no GMOs in the food chain. The animals themselves weren’t genetically modified, and neither was their food.
- Healthy living conditions: Organic products come from animals kept in healthy living conditions, so that the food they produce is as nature intended.
In a nutshell, organic foods are grown or processed without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides and the animals are raised in healthier living conditions.
This means none of that stuff is being passed through the food to your child! That is awesome.
What goes into a good lunch?
Kids’ growing bodies need nutritious, organic food. They need protein, enzymes, vitamins and minerals, healthy carbohydrates, and they need all of it to be free of chemical additives, pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics.
The trick is to provide it in a way that they’re excited to eat it.
Lunch Ideas
Here are a few ideas of our favorite options to fill your bins with:
Bin 1: Organic Dairy
- Horizon Organic Milk boxes, in different flavors.
- Horizon Organic Cheese Sticks
- Quesadilla triangles made from Horizon Organic Cheddar Cheese
- Horizon Organic sour cream for dipping (mix in a little organic ranch seasoning for a great veggie dip)
- Horizon Organic Cottage cheese (great served with fresh fruit and seeds)
Bin 2: Organic Protein
- Organic deli meats
- Horizon Organic hard boiled eggs
- Uncured organic pepperoni slices
- Nuts- if you aren’t at a nut-free school
- Seeds, etc.
Bin 3: Organic Fruits
- Whatever is in season, washed and chopped, or portioned
- Our favorites:
- Apples
- Berries
- Peaches
- Nectarines
- Grapes
Bin 4: Organic Vegetables
- Washed, chopped, and portioned organic vegetables that are in season
- Our favorites:
- Sweet bell peppers
- Cucumbers
- Cherry tomatoes
- Sugar snap peas
- Carrots
Bin 5: Organic Grains
- Organic Crackers
- Homemade Organic Muffins
- Organic Whole Grain Bread
- Organic Rice Cakes
Optional: Treat Bin!
Use the store locator here to find Horizon Organics products near you. And check Horizon Organic out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest to find more fun ideas for nutritious, easy, organic lunch ideas for back to school.
Michael Wurm Jr says
This is such a great idea! Love it!
xo Michael
Sabrina says
I am loving this! Not only does it make it easier on me but it’s also teaching the kids how to make good choices.
Rachael says
Yes! So true. But mostly it is just helping me. Hahha jk
Steph says
Organic Does NOT mean it is non-GMO! Some organic foods have been genetically modified!
Rachael says
This is true. Thanks for the info.
Jaide says
These are great ideas! Thank you!
Rachael says
You are so welcome.
Jessica Burgess says
YES!!!! I so need this in my life. My 7 year old can totally do this. Thank you so much for the ideas!
Rachael says
My pleasure. It has really helped us a ton, hopefully it works for you too!
Krissy Allori says
This is such a great idea! It takes away the frantic lunch preparation that happens in the morning!
Rachael says
Exactly! I love that is keeps it simple, and means my kids have a good lunch every single day.
Liz says
Love this idea even for myself! Since I work at home, I struggle to take the time to prepare lunch.
Rachael says
Yes, I have one just full of snacks for me. Hummus and veggies, washed and chopped fruit, nuts, etc. It keeps me from grabbing something not as good.
Lisa Mills says
I’m an empty nester and I need to do this! I often stress so much about food prep, that I just give up. This I can do and keep in the fridge at work.
Rachael says
Oh that is a great idea! I know I love having them for quick grab and go lunches for me too. Or snacks!
Stephanie @ Punjabi Desi Foods says
Wow… This recipe is so simple and easy to make and I hope this will also very yummy. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe with us.
Joanne says
How do you prevent cut up fruit and veggies from being slimy or brown and gross by the end of the week? Things like cucumber slices never last more than a couple of days for me.
Rachael says
Joanne, That is definitely a challenge. My kids usually pick the cucumbers first, so I don’t usually have any that last long enough to get slimy. Sometimes I will refill midweek so I don’t waste anything by it going bad. So I would say you need to just think about what you are using. I put apples in whole. I wash berries with a vinegar solution which helps them keep longer, and I put in whole mini cucumbers, or a slice them and remind the kids to grab them first. The key is not putting in too much. So get a feel for how much your family actually needs and put in a variety of items that will and won’t go bad. For example, I used to slice bell peppers, but they went slimy too fast, so now I use mini peppers. Hope that helps.
Petra says
Great idea
BUT so much plastic,we are trying to clean the worlds from plastic, might be good idea to film new show with more sustainable packaging. Thank you
Rachael says
Thank you for the suggestion. I will not be refilming, but I think everyone should do what is best for them, and of course keep the environment in mind as well. What is your favorite sustainable solution for replacing sandwich bags?
Jeanne says
This is a good idea but so much waste! Why dont you buy some reusable bags and help lessen the damage of plastic waste! The oceans will thank you.
Rachael says
Yes, since making this post I have invested in some of that beeswax wrap and some small containers for my kids to take in their lunches. Convenience often wins out. But I appreciate the reminder to be more eco conscious.
Carla says
I love the food choices and the idea of getting the kids to prep their own lunches while ensuring they are nutritious and wholesome, however, I have a big problem with the execution. All I see is individually packaged foods (cheese strings and milk) and you even packaged things that don’t really need to be packaged like grapes. That’s very wasteful and not sustainable at all. Perhaps you could try reusable bento-style lunch boxes for the kids. You could have all the fruits and veggies cut up, sectioned off and ready to go in bigger containers and the kids can just fill their bento boxes with the items they want. Basically, what you are doing now minus all that packaging. This works well with my kids, and I buy zero individually packaged foods. The various sections in their stainless steel bento box helps to give them an idea of portions. Also, in the bento box, the various fruits, veggies, grain remain in their own little section, so there is no need to package anything.
In addition to the reusable lunch boxes, we have organic fabric snack bags and small stainless steel containers for yogurt, apple sauces, etc. You can purchase reusable drink containers and refill them with the organic milk of your choice. There are tons of options for reusable bags and although they are definitely more expensive than the ziploc bags, they are more environmentally friendly.
Rachael says
Great tips!
Jane K says
Thanks Rachael for the awesome meal prep! It’s the best one I’ve seen. And don’t feel bad about the plastic. Since the the whole point of the article is a week’s worth of lunches and I can’t afford 15 (3 kids) stainless steel bento boxes, I’ll be using plastic! And feeling zero guilt since our mornings will be so much smoother and I reduce, reuse and recycle in many other areas of my life. Thanks again Rachael!
Rachael says
Thank you so much. I am glad you appreciate it. Hope back to school goes well for you.
Jessica says
Thank you for these ideas! Will be shopping this week for them. ordered his lunch kit and stuff already just needed ideas what to put inside. Have a question though where can I find the recipe for organic muffins they look delicious!
Dani says
Great ideas! Would love to see the plastic baggies removed from the routine but still great ideas. Reduce, reused, recycle!
Rachael says
Thanks!
Rachel says
Must you wrap everything in plastic? ?
Rachael says
Absolutely not. You do you. Figure out what works best for you and do it that way.
Terrie says
I love the clear bins you use to store the items in your refrigerator. Can you please tell me where you purchased them? As a way to help her stay independent, I assist my elderly mother by providing meals for her to choose from during the week. Your ideas are wonderful, and I can see that they will help me give her a lot of choices while allowing her feel like she is still in charge. Thank you so much! Hope the school year runs smoothly with your little peanut!
Rachael says
I got them at Target, but you can also find them on Amazon.
Melinda says
This is great! I will totally be using your ideas! Any way I can get my kiddo to enjoy being independent and making his own choices is great! I also liked your tips in the comments about how to keep the fruits and veggies fresh. That tends to be my biggest issue. I love the horizon organic milk!
Also, I don’t get what everyone’s complaint about the plastic bags are. My folks always taught me to wash them until they develop holes. I think they are awesome and easy open for little ones, especially the ziplock stand and fill with the zipper close. Those can last me for just as long as my bulky plastic containers.
Rachael says
Thank you Melinda! I am so glad this was helpful to you and you aren’t jumping down my throat about the plastic bags. Hahah
Lindsay says
Great ideas, but you’re using A LOT of plastic baggies! Not great for the planet
Joanne says
The amount of rubbish is terrible. As a parent you really ought to be teaching your children better. Every “snack bag” that saves you minutes stays around for hundreds of years.
Rachael says
I think commenting on someone’s parenting because they are trying to provide healthy lunches, and telling them what they ought to and ought not to teach their children is pretty terrible. I agree single use plastic is problematic, feel free to sub in reusable containers, reusable lunch bags, etc. Have a great weekend.
Yolanda says
Love this idea! Thanks for sharing! I have looked on both Target and Amazon sites and cannot seem to find the bins you are using. They look like the perfect size! Do you happen to have any links or know what brand they are? Any help would be appreciated!
Rachael says
Hmm I have these ones https://amzn.to/2QCJGHm as well and really like them. #affiliate