Create a Place in the Fridge for Making Children’s Meals
Based on my informal survey of moms and dads, the worst part of the morning at school is packing school lunches. I’m not sure what makes this the most daunting task – maybe it’s the nature of Groundhog Day , or the feeling that you are one person’s inventory table, or little Hudson’s inevitable complaints that he wanted roast beef, not turkey, and now is his day. the worst.
It’s orientation week for freshmen at Lifehacker! This week, we’ll share how to break out of the summer fog and plunge into the autumn burst of activity, whether you’re heading to campus for the first time, getting your kids ready for school, or looking for ways to simply be more productive in school. So buckle up your Trapper Guardians with Velcro, apprentices. The class is now in session.
Here’s what you should do: Tell the children, “Do it.”
Let the children pack their own food by setting up a place to prepare meals in your refrigerator. Just buy some plastic containers (I got these modular ones from Target) and stock them with takeout items like cheese, yogurt bags, or small bags of fruits and vegetables. Then place them on the refrigerator shelf for your kids to reach. You can create a similar setting in a low cabinet for non-chilled items like breads, butter bags, cups of applesauce, and muesli bars. For young children, it can help to number the bins and tell them to pack all six (or any other number) of items. Yes, you are still doing some of the initial work, but they get autonomy by making sure their dinners are completed.
The system also allows you to instantly see what you need more, so there will be no surprises when it is 7:05 am and the bus arrives in 10 minutes. Try it. It’s time to delegate and cross your worst morning task off your list.