3 Smart Tips for Organizing a Lunch Station
There’s the obvious back-to-school prep — like stocking up on pencils, pens, and notebooks, maybe even a new lunch tote or backpack — but there’s another area that deserves consideration: your kitchen. With a little prep and organization in the kitchen, the transition from lazy summer to back-to-school will be a lot easier.
1. Clear the clutter!
You know those random piles of “stuff” that always seem to gather and linger on the kitchen counter? The things you’ve been meaning to clean up and organize all summer? Now’s the time to buckle down and actually clear the clutter and get organized! It’ll be a lot easier to do this now than when school is back in full swing.
2. Clean out the pantry, then restock it.
If your pantry is like mine, you’ve got some things hiding in the far reaches you’ve totally forgotten about. There are probably some things that haven’t been stored properly, and some things you’ve been hanging onto that will simply never get used. Now’s the time to clear it out and stock up on all the staples you do use.
3. Create a lunch station.
Creating a snack or lunch station, or rather two — one in the fridge and one in the pantry — is a simple way to streamline lunch prep, and bring calm to chaos. Clear out a low pantry shelf (something the kids can reach), kitchen cabinet, or area in the fridge to keep quick-grab snack options. Also consider keeping these areas more organized with open bins or storage boxes.
Read More: 3 Smart Tips for Organizing a Lunch Station
4. Stock the freezer for easy dinners.
Freezer meals are your friend. They’re your way to get dinner on the table without actually having to think about dinner. The hard work is already done — all you have to do is take dinner out of the freezer and reheat. Stock your freezer with some of your favorite meals so as you transition from summer to back-to-school time, you have one less thing to worry about.
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5. Plan for packing.
Consider how you’ll be packing lunches and plan accordingly for the school year. In addition to stocking the pantry and fridge, now is also time to stock up on things like resealable baggies, plastic wrap, napkins, tupperware, lunch bags, and any similar items you use regularly.
6. Hang a whiteboard in the kitchen.
Whether you use it for laying out your meal plan for the week, keeping a running tab on what’s in the fridge and freezer, or jotting down a grocery list, it’s an easy way for everyone to stay on top of things.
What else do you do to prep the whole house for going back to school?