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03/15/2018 12:00 AMWhen you're a mom, it can be hard to be on top of everything all the time. And if the movie Bad Moms has taught us anything, it's that it's okay to not have your, er, "act" together. With that in mind, we came up with some easy lunch ideas that you can prep ahead of time that can be used for school lunches for your kids and work lunches for busy moms on the go.
Chicken salad is probably one of the easiest things you can make outside of the staple PB&J, and you can make enough over the weekend to ensure that it will get you through the week. Just mix together shredded chicken and mayo, stick it in the fridge, and all you have to do in the morning is slap it on bread and stick it in the lunchbox. For a more grown up approach, add some grapes, craisins, and almonds. *Note: Lasts 3 to 5 days in the fridge.
Making it out the door in the morning is all about being prepared. If you can pack healthy snacks the weekend before a hectic work/school week, all you'll have to worry about is making a PB&J or maybe a quesadilla with refried beans and shredded cheese. Packing lunch will seem much less daunting knowing half of it is already ready to go.
Crockpots are perfect for moms who don't have time to spend hours at night cooking. For a simple and delicious lunch, chicken marinated in Caesar dressing is definitely worth a try. Just take one pound of boneless chicken breasts and cook it in the Crockpot with water for 2 1/2 on high. Drain out the water and add in one bottle of Caesar dressing, and then cook on low for half an hour. This makes for yummy sandwiches for school lunches, or put in on a salad for a work lunch.
The best part about making the effort to cook an actual dinner and not just picking something up through a drive-through is that you can use the leftovers for lunch the next day. If you're making pasta for dinner, double the quantity and use half for a cold pasta salad for lunches. It's super easy; just add some salad dressing, cheese, and veggies of choice and you'll have a lunch that you and your kids will want to eat. All you'll have to do the next day is remember to put it in your lunchboxes...
*Note: Be sure to use a salad dressing that is oil-based so that the pasta will stay moist for an extended period of time.