It's safe to say that we all agree … packing school lunches can be one of the most stressful parts of the day. Sending the

kids off with a healthy lunch box that is fun, tasty, and allergy-friendly is a formidable task. 

So, we're sharing our favourite lunch-packing hacks for saving time and sanity!

Let's win the 'Battle of the Box' together! 

Freeze... Please: Freezing sandwiches in advance is Lunchbox Hack 101, but they need to be wrapped

"really well", or they can suffer freezer burn. Instead of freezing whole sandwiches, try keeping your bread in the

freezer and then making your sandwiches the night before using the frozen bread. It defrosts slowly overnight in the

fridge and is fresh for the day.

Set up a lunch packing station: Set up an easy-to-reach shelf or basket in the pantry and fill it with snack options

that you (or the family) can quickly grab. Crackers, popcorn, pretzels, nuts, dried fruit, cookies, muesli bars and more!

Likewise, in the fridge, you can allocate a drawer or shelf to cold snacks like cheese, yoghurt, veggie sticks, whole or

cut-up fruit, dips, cold meats, and more to make snack packing a cinch.

Try Packing Lunches the Night Before: Weeknights can be super busy with after-school activities, homework,

bathing and dinner, right? But before you call it a night, do your future morning self a favour and pack the

school lunches. It saves a whole lot of time and energy the following morning. Some parents swear by this,

others not so much, but it's something to consider if you're finding school mornings uber-hectic.

Bake It Till You Make It: Get set for the week by baking a selection of lunch box goodies on a Sunday

afternoon. Our favourites include cookies, muffins, bliss balls, slices, pizza scrolls and quiche. The bigger

the batch, the better, as many baked goodies can be kept in the freezer for weeks.

Get the Kids Involved: One way to ensure the kids will love the contents of their lunch boxes is to get them

involved in the process. It's also an opportunity to teach them about making healthy food choices, learn kitchen

skills, and value the time and care that goes into preparing meals! Whether they help with packing snacks, making a

sandwich or wrap, filling their drink bottle, or emptying their lunch box and popping it in the dishwasher, getting

the kids involved saves you precious morning time.

Invest in a Bento-Style Lunch Box: Whether your little ones like to snack on finger food or favour sushi over

sandwiches, a bento-style lunch box is like their own self-contained grazing platter. The compartments and mini

containers help them to organise their snacks and to remember what foods to pack. There's no need to search

high and low for just the right size containers or to add extra packaging or plastic wrap with a bento-style

lunch box. Opt for a sturdy, dishwasher-friendly option that lasts longerand saves hand washing.

From your morning coffee to the school run, lunch, and a tea break at work to weekend celebrations, we've got you

covered with all the essentials.