Back to School Lunch Box Hacks: Easy, Stress-Free Ideas with Bake It Creations

The school year is here, and that means packing lunch boxes every day! If the thought of preparing daily lunches feels overwhelming, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. With a little planning and some clever tricks, you can make lunch box prep quick, easy, and delicious. Here are our top tips to streamline the process while using Bake It baking mixes to add homemade goodness without the hassle.

1. Your Freezer is Your Best Friend

Mornings can be hectic, so why not get ahead by using your freezer to your advantage? Our baking mixes freeze beautifully, making them perfect for prepping ahead. And you may not think of a freezer when you think of cupcakes but it really does work. 

• Bake a batch of cookies, brownies, or banana bread and freeze them in portions for easy grab-and-go snacks.
• Freeze cookie dough balls so you can bake fresh cookies in the morning with minimal effort.
• Pre-baked muffins and mini cupcakes can go straight from the freezer to the lunch box—they’ll be thawed and ready to eat by recess or Lunch! 

2. Save Time with Baking Mixes

Homemade baking doesn’t have to be time-consuming. With our baking mixes, you can have fresh cookies in just 15 minutes and it is just as good as you making it from scratch. 

• They’re so simple that kids can help make them, turning baking into a fun family activity. For most of our mixes you only need one bowl and a little elbow grease to mix away, making it simple and easy to bake at home no matter your skill levels in the kitchen 
• We have something for everyone: cookies, brownies, cupcakes, and banana bread—snacks that kids will actually eat (and love!) but that you know are just like from scratch. 

3. Turn Banana Bread into Muffins

Want to stretch your baking mix further? Turn our Banana Bread Baking Mix into muffins!

• A single pack makes 18 muffins, which are perfectly portioned for lunch boxes. You can check out the how too here 
• Muffins are easy to eat and fit neatly into any lunch box, making them a great alternative to slices of banana bread. They also taste great as is and don't need heating up. 

4. Think Mini for Perfect Lunch Box Snacks

Mini versions of treats are ideal for little hands and snack-sized portions. Try making:

• Mini banana muffins—great for bite-sized energy boosts.
• Mini cupcakes—a fun lunch box snack.
• Mini choc chip cookies—one pack of our mix makes around 47 mini cookies. Store them in ziplock bags for DIY mini cookie packs, a delicious alternative to store-bought ones. Check out how to make them here 

5. Need More Lunch Box Ideas?

If you’re looking for more lunch box recipes, we have plenty over on Ashley’s Place you can click here to check them out. Check out our collection of tried-and-tested ideas to keep lunch boxes exciting and nutritious, especially when you need to mix up the sandwiches. 

6. Prep Lunch Boxes the Night Before

Mornings are easier when lunch boxes are prepped in advance. While some foods need to be made fresh, snacks can be packed the night before.

• Prep everything except for the sandwiches or wraps and store them in the fridge overnight. If you don't mind a sandwich made ahead of time you can make these too, I personally like to add them fresh. 
• This small step can save you precious time in the morning and makes you feel like your ahead and not rushing to think what is going in the lunchboxes. 

7. Get the Kids Involved

There is loads of research into how kids are more likely to eat what they help prepare, so why not make lunch packing a team effort?

• Let them bake cookies or brownies with you—our baking mixes make it super easy and less messy so they can bake with ease. 
• Have them choose their fruit for the week (e.g., apples vs. bananas) to encourage them to eat it.
• Allow them to help assemble their lunch—it fosters independence and gets them excited about their meals. It also helps with their fine motor skills, and even skills like mathematics and hand eye coordination 

8. Do What Works for Your Family

Not every lunch box needs to look like a Pinterest masterpiece, they are lovely but not always practical.  If your child prefers the same sandwich every day or isn’t a fan of carrot sticks, that’s okay. The goal is to pack lunches they will actually eat, not just admire.

• If your child loves vegemite sandwiches every day—go with it. It makes packing the lunches easier too. 
• A little goodie like a cookie or mini cupcake can make lunch more enjoyable. Who doesn't love finding a cookie in their lunchbox it's a little bit of happiness, or when you know it is in there so you're super excited to eat it at lunch and you look forward to it. 
• Remember, you’re doing an amazing job. Packing lunch boxes daily is no small feat, so don’t put too much pressure on yourself or feel like you need to be a certain way, do what works for you, works for your family and your kids. There is alot more rules about what goes in lunches these days which can be hard to follow especially when you have fussy eaters so just remember what works for someone else might not work for you and that you are a superstar helping feed a little human on the daily. 

With these tips, lunch box prep doesn’t have to be a daily struggle. Whether you’re baking ahead, getting the kids involved, or keeping things simple with our delicious baking mixes, there’s a way to make it work for your family. Happy lunch packing!

Looking for more easy lunch box ideas? Check out our full range of baking mixes and recipes to make school lunches stress-free and delicious!