Trying to think of lunches that your kids will actually eat every day can be difficult. Here are our very best lunchbox hacks.

So you want to become a lunch packing pro? 

Today we have rounded up some of our favourite lunchbox hacks to make life easier for both mum and dad because let's face it, nothing makes a parent feel more deflated than when their child comes home with a half-eaten lunch.

So why not try these simple hacks to prep and pack your way to a better lunchbox and hopefully, an empty lunchbox at the end of the day. 

Invest in a good lunchbox

First and foremost, you will need a good leak-proof lunchbox and preferably one with some different storage compartments. And no, we're not talking about those snazzy little bento boxes that cost an arm and a leg.

A simple Sisemta lunchbox from the likes of Dealz, Dunnes and Homestore and More will do the job just fine. When purchasing your child's lunchbox, make sure they are able to open and close it without any struggle.

Appearance matters

This may sound silly but the reality is appearance matters when it comes to food. Would you eat a sandwich or fruit that has flopped across and mushed together in your lunchbox because I know I wouldn't! So, for this reason, we do recommend lunchboxes with a couple of different compartments. 

If your child never eats the crust, save the hassle and just cut it off, use reusable silicone muffin liners to separate food, use shapes cutters to cut sandwiches and at the end of the week pop in a healthy treat to reward them for their tremendous healthy eating throughout the week, it will encourage them to continue as the weeks go forward. 

Change the menu regularly

There is nothing as unappetising as the same meal day in day out so change things up every so often. Try new foods regularly by swapping the plain ham sandwich for a wrap or maybe even a brioche roll or bagel. Try offering new fruits each season such as pomegranates at Halloween and cherries come Christmas. Chop and change blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, apples, bananas and oranges throughout the rest of the year too. 

Use tiny empty containers to store dips.

If you don't have a lunch box filled with tiny compartments reuse small containers to store dips like applesauce, hummus and guacamole that you can serve with crackers, rice cakes, breadsticks, Broghies and homemade healthy pancakes.

Invest in a food flask

In some cases, kids just don't like cold food so why not invest in a Mummy Cooks food flask. They come in a variety of colours and are perfect for sending in a healthy nutritious lunch for school. They hold 300mls of food at a time and are designed to keep food hot for up to six hours. 

By using a food flask you can easily turn leftovers into lunches which will save you a few quid at the end of the week. You can store foods such as smoothies, pasta, noodles, homemade nuggets and even lasagne for your hot food-loving little ones. 

Make your own Lunchables

And finally, store-bought lunch snacks can cost a fortune so why not make your own. Lunchables, for example, can be made easily by using shape cutters and small crackers. Just tell the kids you are cutting down on plastic waste.