We are all multi-tasking, busy parents who know the importance of our children eating a healthy and varied lunch. So even though the preparation of healthy lunches is too important to rush there are some shortcuts that will make it both easier and quicker, and pre-packed convenience products, loaded with sodium and saturated fat, is not one of them... 

1. Cupboard & Fridge Must Haves

Make sure that your cupboard always contain certain snacks, snacks are brilliant for filling out your lunchbox and/or use as alternatives when you run out of fresh groceries. Sometimes it is not the preparing of the lunchbox that takes time but actually thinking of, and finding the bits to put in it.

- Tinned fruit or frozen berries (for when you run out of fresh fruit)
- A box of crackers, bread sticks or rice cakes
- Soft cheese or hummus (if your children like these things they are good for dips with vegetables or bread sticks.)
- A bag of raisins, dried fruit or seeds

The above are just some examples that work in our house, think about snacks and greens that are popular in your household and make sure you never run out of them.

2. Use Your Leftovers
Whatever you have for dinner there will usually be something there that can be used in the lunchbox the next day, using leftovers in the lunchbox will save you both time and money.

- Cold meats can be used in a salad or in a sandwich.
- Some cooked vegetables are ok to eat cold; roasted vegetables can be used in a tortilla style wrap.
- Pasta, potatoes and rice can be used in a salad.   

Cold salad ideas:
Simply mix together a salad with leftover rice, vegetables and seeds, add seasoning and oil.
Potatoes can be mixed with either a vinaigrette type dressing or mayonnaise, add e.g. cucumber, onion, bacon or pepper.
Pasta is delicious with a bit of pesto and your child’s favourite vegetables, e.g. sweet corn, cucumber and pepper and why not some cubed cheese?  
 
3. Prepare Lunch as You Cook Dinner
So your chopping board is out, knife has been sharpened and your sleeves are rolled up. As you are cooking dinner this is also the best time to prepare next day’s lunch. Do this by either cooking some extra food that can be used for lunch or make the sandwiches whilst you are waiting for the potatoes to boil. Also, chop up extra vegetables (carrots, cucumber, pepper etc) into snack-sized pieces and keep in the fridge ready for nibbles and lunchboxes.  

4. Good & Useful Containers
Another time consuming task, especially when you’re feeling sleepy, is trying to find the right containers for the food you want to pack and once you’ve found it there is no matching lid. Think about the food you tend to pack most days and what the ideal packaging for that food would be.

- If you pack wet food a leak proof food container is a must.
- A reusable food wrapper is ideal for sandwiches and vegetable sticks.
- Many people find it quicker and easier to pack the lunch in a container that is divided into compartments.

5. Make & Bake
If you, every now and then, spend a little bit of time making or baking to freeze you will save a lot of time when it comes to packing the lunchbox. All you have to do is remember to get it out of the freezer. You will be so grateful, especially that day that your bread got stale or your alarm didn’t go off. It is also a fun way to get your children involved in cooking and baking and it might even encourage them to try new foods. Here are some examples of foods that are easy to make and freeze:

- Sausage rolls
- Mini quiches
- Homemade bread rolls
- Flapjacks
- Cookies
- Savoury Muffins

6. Employ a Sous Chef
If your child is old enough there is no reason why he or she couldn’t take part in some of the daily or weekly lunch preparations. It could be anything from writing a shopping list of healthy and tasty lunchbox ingredients to preparing sandwiches or chopping fruit. If your child is too young, ask your spouse or partner to pitch in or alternate days with you.

If you have a lunchbox time saving tip yourself, please submit them in the comments box below.