tips for packing a nourishing lunch

hi, my name is eleni, and i'm addicted to bento box.

there's just something about these oh-so-perfect compartments, that i fall more in love with every day! my inner ocd dances as piece by piece the sections are filled to create a symphony of nourishment. lord help us all, my #ocdlife and #momlife have fully collided and there's no turning back! to watch this happen on the daily, follow me on instagram @mynourishedvibes.

homemade veggie spring rolls/blueberries/homemade elderberry gummies/terra veggie chips/ghiradelli dark chocolate chips/dye free pickles with fermented garlic

you know i love my labels!

feeding others is my love language, so as fall approached i got more and more excited to pack these lunches for my sweet dimitri. but i also got overwhelmed easily, questioning how i would have enough time, energy and creativity to offer him nutrient dense lunches every day. full gear into our routine, i offer you these tips i've discovered along the path.

1. timing

i hate doing anything last minute, so just the idea of making school lunches in the morning, stresses me out!  to keep it stress free, with time to intentionally choose each item, i always pack dimitri's lunches in the evening. with the momentum of dinner clean up still coursing though my veins, i reach for the yumbox and enjoy the task at hand as i fill each compartment.

2. left overs

as i start to fill the compartments of the masterpiece of artwork bento box, i almost always start with left overs from the dinner i just cleaned up after. on most nights our meal has a simple roasted vegetable in the line up, like my roasted butternut squash recipe. since i'm a planner, before dinner is even served, i'll stash a few roasted veggies to the side, so i know there will be enough left over.

3. fresh fruit and veggies

now that i've got dinner left overs checked off the list, i shop our fridge for fresh produce. we almost always have peppers, cucumbers and carrots. a quick chop and they're ready to get tossed in. if the stars align and i also have a dip, in she goes! at this time i also check my pantry for what nuts and dried fruits i can use.

4. freezer supply

i can not tell you enough how important those two words are! like for real. having a stash of homemade, nutrient dense foods in my freezer, gives me the convenience of packaged foods without all the damage. a few times a week ill do a little work to make sure things are stocked up. a fun baking session results in an ample supply treat-yo-self material. or an afternoon of a netflix marathon results in hundreds of stuffed spring rolls, or spanakopita, that i can bake a couple the morning of use. #winning

freshly baked mini pumpkin spice muffins and mini english muffins ready to freeze

5. fermented foods
my next slot to fill is small, but so important! check out my recent post over at PostModernhood to hear my love saga  reasons we eat fermented foods daily. since these foods contain probiotics that help digest your food, its important to eat them at every meal. dimitri has had fermented garlic (get my recipe here) each day because i seem to have an endless supply, and more importantly, the kid freakin' loves it! any fermented food will do, so go with what your kid likes.

fermented garlic/jalepeno/onion

6. store bought
now that i've put all my key players into the game, it's time to call in second string. i fill in the blanks using these items last and in the least amounts, because they are most "convenient" at the store, meaning they have little to no nutrients. some times this is a hard to digest white flour tortilla filled with better ingredients like veggies or peanut butter. and some times its gluten free pretzels (easier to find than gluten free tortillas), or dark chocolate chips. it doesn't matter what it is, if it's processed at all, the nutrients are removed. but since i am not perfect, and we live in a modern world, i just try to choose my best where we as a family should allow wiggle room with limited damage to our wellness.

i'm actually jealous dimitri gets to eat these everyday!

7. relax!
that's it! i'm done! and now i get to go put on my pjs….

show me your best nutrient dense lunch on instagram and hashtag it #MyNourishedVibes! 

See you there!