Although the summer heat is still in full swing, fall is just around the corner and back-to-school season is upon us! My daughter is now grown up and out of the house, making the season of prepping for the school year as nostalgic as ever. While every child and family is different, my daughter always preferred bringing her lunch from home while in school. I still recall how proud she was to pick out her adorable new lunch box at the beginning of each school year. I loved making Kennedy’s lunch with a well-rounded meal all wrapped up in said adorable lunch box in the early days. As she grew older we evolved from a lunch box to a brown paper bag… I’m still not sure whether she was too cool for a lunch box OR if it just wouldn’t fit in her already overflowing backpack, HA! In honor of the back-to-school season, I’m sharing my guide to school lunch essentials, and the little things that can make mornings much easier.

See an item you love? Shop your favorites by simply clicking on the graphics below! Make sure to scroll to the “shop the post” section at the bottom of this blog for even more school lunch finds!

As much as I loved making her lunch each day, there was the added time I had to factor in to complete this task. Some days were undoubtedly chaotic with last-minute scrambles to find a missing lunchbox or a creative alternative when the pantry seemed sparse. We found that starting to pack her lunch the evening before helped make mornings run much more smoothly. I would add a little sticky note each day, but I love these cute little cards and stickers that can easily be slipped into your child’s lunch. 

Bento Boxes are such an easy way to prepare a well-rounded meal for your child’s lunchbox. Check out my blog on Bento Boxes to see my favorite food combinations! 

Ahhh there are so many fabulous lunch boxes available it was hard to select just a few. You can shop even more adorable lunch boxes on Pottery Barn Kids!

Here’s to all the mothers and fathers out there, lovingly preparing those lunchboxes – may your heartwarming gesture be etched into the hearts of your children for years to come!