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I Finally Replaced Store Bought Lunchables and My Kid Actually Prefers It
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items Spending four bucks a pop on those little plastic trays that barely had enough food to fill a kindergartner felt ridiculous. My daughter would eat the cookie and leave half the rest. So I started building my own version with real ham, actual cheese, ...
Sections
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Bento Boxes and Containers That Make Packing Easy
Deli Ham That Actually Tastes Like Real Food
Cheese Slices and Snack Cheese Worth Eating
Crackers That Hold Up Until Lunchtime
Cookies and Sweet Treats to Finish the Box
Fruits and Sides That Round Out the Box
Bento Boxes and Containers That Make Packing Easy
I used to throw everything in a sandwich bag and it would all get smashed together by noon. These containers keep the crackers crispy and the cheese away from the cookie, which apparently matters a lot when you're six.
Grab this if your kid refuses to eat anything that touched something else in the box. Five separate compartments mean ham stays dry, crackers stay crunchy, and you stop hearing complaints at pickup.
Customer reviews for Bentgo Kids
Toss this in a backpack and nothing leaks. I tested it with ranch dressing on a bumpy bus ride and it held up. Perfect for parents who pack the night before and need it to survive until noon.
Sistema, Food Storage Container, 820ml Multi Split
Use the ice pack base if your school doesn't have fridges. Keeps cheese cold for about five hours in my experience. Wish I'd found this before I sent warm mozzarella to school three days in a row.
Rubbermaid LunchBlox® Entrée Kit - Walmart.ca
Switch to this when you want something flat that slides into a lunch bag without taking up all the room. My daughter calls it her snack tray and honestly that's exactly what it is.
Fit & Fresh Kids 14 Piece Leak-Proof Lunch Container Set
Keep the whole setup cold without a separate ice pack. The walls literally freeze. I forgot it in the car once in September heat and everything inside was still cool two hours later.
PackIt Freezable Lunch Bag
Deli Ham That Actually Tastes Like Real Food
The ham in store bought lunchables has that weird rubbery thing going on. Once I started slicing real deli ham into little squares, my kid ate every piece and asked for more. That had never happened before.
Pair this with a sharp cheddar and your kid won't even remember what a Lunchable tastes like. Thin sliced so it rolls up or folds into cracker-sized pieces without fighting you.
Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Honey Uncured Ham, 9 oz Pack
Get this if you're watching salt intake but still want flavor. I cut each slice into four squares and fill one compartment. Lasts about a week in the fridge if you reseal it properly.
Customer reviews for Hillshire Farm Ultra Thin Sliced
Try this for the kid who says regular ham tastes funny. No artificial ingredients and it actually smells like ham, not chemicals. My picky eater approved it on day one.
Hormel Natural Choice Smoked Ham Deli Lunchmeat
Snag this when you want a slightly sweet ham that pairs well with buttery crackers. My daughter calls it candy ham and I'm fine with that because she eats the whole portion every time.
Land O'Frost Premium Honey Ham
Keep a few of these in the fridge for emergency packing mornings. They're cheap, pre-portioned, and honestly taste better than whatever was in that plastic Lunchable tray. Stock up when they go on sale.
Carl Buddig, Original Smoked Ham Lunchmeat, Sliced
Cheese Slices and Snack Cheese Worth Eating
Real cheese was the biggest upgrade. My daughter took one bite of actual cheddar after months of that processed orange square and looked at me like I'd been holding out on her. I kind of had been.
Toss a handful in the cheese compartment and you're done. Already the right size for little hands and crackers. No cutting, no mess, no finding dried cheese shreds on the counter later.
Sargento Mighty Bites Uncured Salami and Mild Cheddar
Grab a block and slice it yourself if you want thicker pieces. Costs less per ounce than pre-sliced and honestly tastes way better. Weekend meal prep takes about three minutes with a sharp knife.
Tillamook Medium Cheddar Cheese Block, 16 oz
Use these on days when you're running late and can't slice anything. Peel-and-eat format means your kid can open it without help. The wax becomes a toy afterward, which is a bonus I didn't plan.
Mini Babybel Original Cheese Snacks
Try these if your kid thinks plain cheddar is boring. The two-tone look gets a reaction and the flavor is mild enough for picky eaters. I buy two bags at a time because they disappear fast.
Great Value Cubed Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese
Spread one wedge on crackers for a different texture day. My daughter treats it like frosting, which, sure. Whatever gets protein in. Perfect for the kid who wants to build their own little cracker sandwiches.
The Laughing Cow Creamy Swiss Cheese Wedge
Crackers That Hold Up Until Lunchtime
Nothing worse than opening a lunch box to find cracker dust. I tested probably ten different brands before landing on ones that survive a morning in a backpack without shattering into a million sad crumbs.
Keep these as your go-to base. They're buttery, sturdy enough to hold a cheese cube without snapping, and every kid already knows and likes them. Buy the family size because you'll eat half the box yourself.
Are Ritz Crackers Healthy? What a Dietitian Wants You
Switch to these when you want something a little lighter and flakier. They hold up surprisingly well in a container and pair perfectly with honey ham. My daughter says they taste fancy, so there you go.
Buttery Crackers
Use these for the oval shape that actually fits a folded piece of ham on top. Sounds silly but the shape matters when you're six and building little stacks is half the fun of lunch.
Town House Original Oven Baked Crackers
Try these if you want to feel slightly better about the nutritional content. Still taste good enough that kids don't complain, and they're sturdy. I stopped buying the reduced fat version because nobody touched them.
Can Wheat Thins Be Part of a Healthy Diet?
Toss in a pack on days when you're out of cheese and need a backup protein source. Two crackers with peanut butter filling plus some ham and fruit is a full lunch. Check your school's allergy policy first though.
Lance ToastChee Peanut Butter, 10 Count 1.52 oz
Cookies and Sweet Treats to Finish the Box
The cookie is the reason my kid opens the lunch box at all. I'm not above bribery. But at least now it's a cookie I chose instead of that dry disc that came in the Lunchable.
Toss five or six minis in the treat compartment. They're the right size, they don't melt, and my daughter trades them at lunch like currency. A whole bag lasts us about three weeks of packing.
Chips Ahoy! Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie Snack Packs
Swap these in when you want something lighter. They pair weirdly well with the cheese compartment if your kid is a dipper. Less sugar than most options and they never go stale as fast as I expected.
NILLA, Wafers Mini Cookies, 11 oz, Vanilla Flavored Snack
Grab the resealable bag and portion out a small handful per lunch. Thinner than regular Oreos so they fit in shallow containers. My kid thinks she's getting a full Oreo and the portion is actually reasonable.
(3 pack) OREO Thins Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Keep these around for the kid who prefers buttery over chocolatey. They're simple, they don't crumble easily, and they taste like something a grandma would actually bake. Understated winner in our rotation.
Court dismisses lawsuit over Lorna Doone cookies
Use a single pouch on days you want to switch from cookies entirely. Still sweet, still a treat, but feels different enough that my daughter thinks it's a special lunch day. Easy parenting win right there.
Entenmann's Little Bites Chocolatey Chip Mini Muffins
Fruits and Sides That Round Out the Box
A box of just ham, cheese, crackers, and a cookie felt incomplete. Adding one fruit or veggie side made me feel like a real parent and not just someone assembling a charcuterie board for a first grader.
Toss one in the bag, no prep needed. They don't bruise, they don't brown, and my kid actually eats them. Drain the juice first unless you want a sticky lunch box situation. Learned that one the hard way.
Dole Fruit Bowls Mandarin Oranges in 100% Juice
Grab a pouch for zero-effort fruit. Squeeze and eat, no spoon required. My daughter finishes these before she even touches the crackers most days. Buy the big box because they go fast.
Mott's No Sugar Added Applesauce, 3.2 oz clear pouches
Keep a box in the pantry for those mornings when you forgot to buy actual fruit. Not exactly a health food but it counts enough to stop the guilt. Kids go absolutely wild for these at the lunch table.
Welch's, Fruit Snacks, 40 Ct, Mixed Fruit Soft Snacks
Try dropping three or four cherry tomatoes in a compartment if your kid is the rare one who eats vegetables willingly. Mine started eating them because her friend did. Peer pressure finally working in my favor.
NatureSweet Glorys Cherry Tomatoes, Fresh, 9 oz Package
Snag these as a bonus crunchy side when you want to add variety. They taste nutty and different from the main cracker, which keeps lunch from feeling repetitive. Works for parents who snack on the extras too.
Crunchmaster Original Multi-Seed Crackers
Drinks That Fit in a Lunch Bag Without Leaking
I sent a full water bottle to school exactly once before it soaked the entire backpack and ruined a library book. Now I only pack drinks that seal properly and fit next to the bento box without crushing anything.
Toss one in and forget about it. Organic enough to feel okay about, sweet enough that your kid drinks the whole thing. The straw actually punctures on the first try, which sounds minor until you've dealt with the ones that don't.
Honest Kids Appley Ever After Organic Juice Drink Cartons
Keep a box of these by the door for grab-and-go mornings. Flat pouch means it slides in next to the lunch container without taking up space. My daughter has strong opinions about juice and this one always passes inspection.
Capri Sun, Juice Pouch, 100% Juice Blend, Fruit Punch, 6 oz
Switch to this reusable bottle if you're tired of buying juice boxes every week. The spout locks closed so nothing leaks in the bag. We've had ours for eight months and it still doesn't smell weird, which is honestly impressive.
Customer reviews for Contigo Kids Straw Water Bottle
Freeze one the night before and pack it as a cold treat that also keeps the lunch box cool. By noon it's slushy and drinkable. Works great in warm months when ice packs alone aren't cutting it.
Pedialyte Electrolyte Solution Freezer Pops
Grab these for the kid who thinks plain water is boring but you don't want full sugar juice. The character tops become toys and honestly that's half the reason my daughter picks this over everything else in the fridge.
Good 2 Grow Juicy Waters Fruit Punch, 8 Fl. Oz.