We’re only 1 full week into the school year and this has proven to be a MAJOR mom hack as well as time + money saver for us!
I introduce to you…. homemade Uncrustables! (If you’re unfamiliar, they sell these in the frozen aisle at the grocery store and they’re about $4.20 for a box of 4 – which for us, would only cover 1 full day of lunches). With 3 kids now in school full time and needing lunches packed 5 days a week, I knew I needed to come up with a way to simplify making these and figuring out what I’m doing for their lunch beore that morning.
Let’s be real, mornings are hectic with trying to get everyone ready, breakfast finished, teeth brushed, and hair looking nice before rushing out the door in time. Add in packing 3 lunches and I’m overwhelmed, not gonna lie.
I stumbled on this tool a few weeks ago and knew I wanted to attempt it. I used 2 loaves of bread and was able to make 20 sandwiches to freeze! It comes with a neat little cutter and sealer – so genius, right?! It’s safe and easy to use. Once they’re assembled, I place them in a little bit of saran wrap and then add them to a gallon size freezer bag. The night before school, I take out 3 sandwiches (you can set a reminder on your phone at the same time every day!) and leave them in my fridge overnight. The next morning when I pack their lunches, I grab them out of the fridge and they’re almost all of the way thawed. By the time they have their lunch breaks, they’re full ready to eat and not the least bit frozen!!!
Not only has this saved me time and headache in the morning, but it’s also saved a bunch of $. I know eating these 5 days a week may get to be a bit much, so C and I are thinking of a couple of other ways to incorporate some protein by still using this method (frozen, thaw, pack in lunch) and I’ll be sure to share those soon!
To reduce the use of plastic, I’m considering getting these fry bags to put the sandwiches in (thanks to my eco conscious hubby), so that’s next on my list of things to try for this!
Oh, and if you’re wondering about the crust – don’t worry! NOTHING goes to waste! We save the crust for other meals (we just made a yummy breakfast/brunch with them this past weekend, which I’ll also share to my blog!) or homemade croutons. YUM!
