DIY Protein Box To Keep Your Stomach From Rumbling

I wish I would of seen your container before I bought mine, Ziplock brand. I saw this idea on a Weight Watchers site and have been using it.

Sue

These are great! Plus one of my fav quotes by my fav founding father! I’m a quote-spouter like my mom and grandmother (and now my kids are, so funny!) As I read your post I was thinking, great idea putting together your own, fresher, ‘know what’s in it’ protein box to go! Then I saw Justin’s PB packet—neat to go PB, would like having those around for snacking! LOVE your home-made box of protein goodness! [seriously more attractive, better contents and cost.] I will pass it on to friends and family.

BarbL

They look more like carb boxes than protein boxes, especially that one from Starbucks.

Donna K. Weaver

I love this idea. I never go to Starbucks, so I wouldn't have seen these. I thought of school lunches, which are a problem because our child doesn't eat anything anymore. But he might like something like this because of the variety in it. One thing, our school does not allow peanut anything or tree nuts or apples slices that have been cut at home. They do allow prepackaged apples slices, cookies, and other prepackaged snacks. For some reason they do allow grapes we wash and pack at home. Those rules limit what we could pack in our protein pack, but it will be fun to try this.

Susan McAuliffe

Susan, I can understand the ban on allergy foods [nuts] but what can be the reason for commercially prepared apple slices vs. a home-sliced apple? It sounds like a corporate strangle-hold. Reminds me of the coke/pepsi machines in our high schools because of their funds' deal. Do you know the reason given for this?

BarbL

I've had lots of experience with trays like these, and there's not a better tray than easylunchboxes.com. I've gone through the cheaper ones (crappy) and trust me, these are worth the investment. I've had mine for over 6 years and still going strong. And they can go on the bottom rack of the dishwasher. They have 3 compartments instead of 2, and she has a ton of ideas on her website. I use silicone cupcake holders for dividers in the big part, if needed, and they work great. Trust me - buy them! The only drawback is that they are not liquid-tight, but you can put other small containers inside it for sauces, etc. Our church's dayschool sells them as a fundraiser (the kids have to bring their own lunch every day) and the teachers LOVE them for the kids to use (easy to open, etc) and I still pack my 9 & 12 year old's lunches in them for school every day, and have had them since they were 3 years old, and they're going strong. I pack my lunch in them all the time, also. Great for all ages!

Angie M

The school gives no reason for foods like pre-packaged apple slices. The sent home a list of acceptable foods, and crackers, cookies, and such are listed by brand name and have to be in commercially packed, single serving packs. It's similar to Halloween safety "rules," and I think the school does not trust parents to pack foods without traces of peanut.

Susan McAuliffe

I've also been making these for my kids for a while and call them our 'homemade lunchables.' My motivation for putting them together sprouted from the kids continually asking for lunchables, and me not liking the contents of them. So I make my own, sometimes including kolbassa or ham rolls, often with cubed cheese, crackers, and I also use the silicone cupcake/muffin cups as dividers. (My kids aren't so crazy about hard-boiled eggs but I love them.)

Aside from knowing and controlling what goes in these creations and being more cost effective, the other benefit is the environmental consideration in not purchasing a container that you use once and throw away.

Carla D.