Life in Containers



Since I've been talking so much about routines lately, I thought I would share some food items that help keep us organized that I may have mentioned in those posts. First up is the Bentgo lunchbox that both boys have. I bought the first one when Richard started pre-school and had to start bringing his lunch. Now that he is in 1st grade, it's going strong on it's third year. Since we got to "test drive" it with Richard, I ended up getting one for Carson too when he started bringing his lunch. The tray is removable for easy washing. We have a total of 4 trays and 2 boxes, which means if I am feeling lazy one evening and they didn't have really messy food, I can get away with just changing out the tray for the next day. I usually hand wash both the trays and the boxes, but if the dishwasher is ready to go and has room, I have popped them in there. They are holding up great - the rubberized seal part on the inside of the lid is the only thing that is showing any wear. It's fun (and makes life easier) to find things to fit in each compartment. For instance, the largest space is perfect for half a sandwich. The long space fits a granola bar. A homemade lunchable is easy to recreate. I happen to love adult versions of these too (like the protein box at Starbucks) and have been known to make some up with other similar containers we have.

 Have a picky eater on your hands? Make meals more fun and interesting with Dinner Winner plates! Both boys went through this phase (Carson is still in it). I saw these plates online but was thrilled to find them at Meijer about a year ago! There are different designs and you put food in each section. The kids follow it like a board game and get a "treat" at the end. I hand wash these so the images don't get worn like they would in the dishwasher.

 



I mentioned that I purchased the 21 Day Fix program. These are the containers to use each day for your meal planning. Based upon your body/goals, you will find out how many of these to eat each day (for instance 5 containers of veggies). When I had the time and motivation to use this meal plan, I did really enjoy it. I never felt hungry, had more energy, and could notice some weight loss (remember, I didn't do the workouts which would have helped more). I really want to get back into this routine. I hand washed these containers.