School is just starting or just about to start for most school aged kids. The prices of school lunches can be outrageous, especially if you have more than one child to pay for. At an average of $2 a lunch that is $360 a school year, PER child! Some schools cost more than that. However, packing a school lunch can be overwhelming. Here are the best ways to pack a school lunch.

It is important to have a list of food that your child will eat. If you are going to take the time to pack a lunch it would be disappointing to find out your child won't eat it! Make your list with the help of your child and pinpoint the best days to send each item. If your family loves pizza and has it every Monday night, then the obvious day to send pizza would be Tuesday, see how this works? You may also use the schools menu as a resource. Using the schools menu will give you ideas on what the kids are going to be eating and on what days. If your child likes to eat what everyone else is eating, then knowing ahead of time will give you a better chance of packing the right meal. Now you have a menu to help guide you each day so you aren't stressed every morning trying to figure out what to send.

This menu also serves another purpose. When sending a lunch to school it is important to have the best equipment to store the food so it is still fresh and not ruined before lunch time. Obviously, you will need some kind of container to hold all the items in. This can be a lunch box designed for kids. There are plastic kinds as well as soft fabric ones. The fabric seem to work best as they are usually insulated and can be stuffed a little fuller than plastic. Also, examine each menu item to see if you will need to keep things cold or hot. For the cold foods it is best to have a freezer ice pack that can be put around the item to keep it cool. This can also be achieved by freezing juice boxes or water bottles that are not completely full as it will expand when frozen. Most cold items can be placed in either Ziploc bags or plastic containers. Plastic containers can be disposable ones you buy at the store, clean yogurt containers, or Tupperware. A thermos can also be great for keeping cold food cold. To save on the cost of a thermos, check local thrift stores or online auctions where you can by used ones at big discounts. Packing hot items is trickier.

There are several products on the market to keep hot foods hot until lunch time. There are the normal thermoses, vacuum containers, and food jars. The trick is using them properly. Containers such as a Thermos or a new product by Thermos called the Funtainer are best used warmed before placing the hot food into it. To warm the container place boiling or very hot water into the container and let sit for a few minutes while you warm the food. After the food is warmed, then you can empty out the water and place the food in it. It will keep the food warm for many hours, at least until lunch time. The Funtainer is great for younger kids, as there are characters on them that appeal to elementary ages. Regular vacuum sealed food jars are great for older kids as they don't look childish.

Now, how do we warm the food? There are several effective ways to warm the food up. This is where your planning is the most important. If you are including food that you ate the night before, you can heat the item in the microwave, oven or stove depending on style of food. Stew and soups are best warmed with a double boiler, or in a regular pot on the stove. Casseroles seem to do best heated in the microwave, but make sure to cover it. If you are making items in the morning rather than at night, then simply cooking them as normal would be great. However, most moms and dads find it less stressful to have most of the lunch ready at night, since mornings tend to be hectic.

Other things you need to consider when preparing a school lunch include policies of the school, how well balanced the meal you are sending is, and if you are giving proper portions. Schools have recently started changing policies on what can and can not be sent in a school lunch. This may go far beyond the plastic knife used as a weapon problem. With recent laws governing what schools are allowed to serve, some schools and school districts have taken it to include what is allowed on campus period. Some schools have banned soda pop, cookies or candies of any kind, peanut butter, nuts, and even kool-aid. If your child is caught with banned items, there may be serious consequences. Check your school policies regarding lunches preferably before the school year starts. Also, make sure that the lunches are well balanced. A well balanced meal has been proven to increase concentration and with long school days, kids need all the help they can get! Be aware of how much food you are sending and how much is being returned home. If there is still food left every day then you may be a few reasons to consider. You may be sending too much food, your child may not be eating enough, or the child doesn't like what you sent. With awareness, you can determine if there is a problem with the lunch or with the child. If your child is simply not eating, then that is entirely different situation that you will want to address.

With practice and dedication, packing school lunches will be easier and less stressful. As you continue to observe new trends and what your child is willing to eat, you will become a school lunch pro and your child will be the envy of the other kids. No longer will your child be stuck with a PB&J sandwich because it's easy, they will be taking chicken nuggets and burritos because it's good. So gear up and get going. Your child will thank you.