Moms Eat Too: 5 Packed and Balanced Lunches

Since back to school season has started, we’ve seen and heard plenty about packed lunch ideas for kids, but here’s a secret: moms eat too! Some of us even like to pack our lunch and put thought into our food groups and macros. Meal planning helps me a lot. It cuts down on stress in my household and saves me quite a bit of sanity. After church on Sunday, the kids nap while my husband and I meal prep for a couple of hours. Not only has this Sunday tradition saved us money, but it’s also saved us a lot of time during the busy school and work week.

Here are our favorite {grown up} meals:

Moms, are you ready to pack some punch in your lunch? Any sectioned lunch box will do, as long as there’s a way to keep it cold. Although it’s a little big, I prefer the Pampered Chef small cool and serve tray pictured below. I like it because it has plenty of space and my yogurt, dip, or steak sauce fit perfectly in the middle compartment. I eat a lot of yogurt and I like a space to put my extras. Also, in case you didn’t notice, my favorite grocery store of all time is Trader Joe’s. If you’ve never been there, it’s time to make a trip! Their product selection is unique and their service is remarkable.  

Meal 1:

Trader Joe’s chicken wrap with pesto vinaigrette, Greek yogurt, fruit, cheese, and a Cliff “Z” bar. I may or may not have bought these bars for my kids and decided they are delicious.

Meal 2:

Boneless skinless chicken breast marinated in pineapple juice (I used Paula Deen’s Silly Salt for seasoning), veggies, homemade ranch dip, and Trader Joe’s Trail Mix.

Meal 3:

Chicken Salad Croissant (two halves), sliced cucumbers (I throw them on my sandwich for some extra crunch), fruit, yogurt, and Trader Joe’s Trek Mix.

Meal 4:

Turkey bacon resting on a mixed green salad, veggie skewer, yogurt (with a pinch of pumpkin flax granola resting underneath), a banana, and Trader Joe’s Mediterranean hummus dip and pita chips.  

Meal 5:

Grilled chicken salad with Olive Garden dressing and Trader Joe’s “Everything But the Bagel” seasoning, pimento cheese on sandwich thins, and Trader Joe’s trek mix (are you sensing a theme here?).  

What does your week of meals look like? Share in the comments!