This post brought to you by Dollar General. All opinions are 100% mine.
I can’t believe it’s already time to start thinking about back to school snacks! It seems like just yesterday we were all doing the happy dance because school was out for summer. I just looked at the calendar, though, and it’s coming up in a little over a month. That time goes super fast!
My son is still in elementary school, so they get a snack during the day. His school has very strange lunch times to accommodate all the students. Next year. he’ll be eating lunch pretty much before I’m even done with my morning coffee! Last year, we had major issues with snacks: namely a last-minute rush to find something in the cabinet that he likes before we miss the bus!
Organize your back to school snacks with a grab & go snack box!
This year, I’m going to be more on the ball with everything, including snacks. I want to make sure Jacob is taking appropriately healthier snacks, especially if he’ll be going extra hours between lunch and dinner. I headed to Dollar General to see what they had to offer.
I was happy to see a nice selection of both brand name and store brand healthier snack options. They had everything from raisins and mixed nuts to granola bars and animal crackers! I chose several different items that I know my son will eat, then headed to the back to school supplies section to grab a bin for $1. I also got some fun-colored duct tape and Sharpies markers (you can never have too many of those!)
Back home, I emptied the boxes into the bin, then made snack bags with the items that didn’t come in individual servings. I labeled the bin “brain food” just for fun, and so it stands out in my cabinet. While I’m sure my son will eat everything before school starts, I’ll just need to replenish the stash when he goes back!
The great thing about a grab & go box is that kids can choose their own snack. Take your kids to Dollar General with you to pick out a few mom-approved healthier snack options. Enlist their help in filling the grab & go box with back to school snacks. Then, every night, have them choose their snack for the next day. That way, you don’t end up with a book bag filled with baggies of crushed snacks that your child was just oddly too polite to tell you he no longer liked.
One final word of advice, though: be careful with the nuts. Make sure your school allows nut products and that no one in your child’s class suffers from allergies. Some years, Jacob wasn’t allowed to bring anything with peanuts in it. I wouldn’t want to inadvertently hurt another child, so we were always extra cautious about asking first.
What healthy back to school snacks would you put in your grab & go box?
We have a similar set-up in our home. So handy for the kids to have a designated spot to pick out snacks!
I just made a few of these with different types of lunch box treats or snacks to help my kids choose for their own lunches. It is such a great idea! I have one just for different apple sauce pouches and another for fruit cups or dried fruit snacks.
I just set one of these up this last week. They get to pick one package from the box and one piece of fruit for their snack (husband included!). I don’t have nuts in mine but I the boys would enjoy some almond pouches.
I think this is a great idea! I love the idea of putting healthy options in a bin like this!
I love this idea. I use this for my husband when he goes to work but I think I will fix one for my kids now.
I like the idea of a grab and go box. Makes it easier for kids (and parents) to get a snack and go!
I did a snack bin like this last year and it was awesome! My kids really appreciated it too! It helped them to grab a snack whenever they were hungry and to grab one for school too! It was really convenient.
Awesome! Glad to hear it works, as this is my first year attempting it. You’d think I would have figured it out years ago, lol.
I put raisins & other dried fruit, low-sugar cereal bars, and individual servings of snacks in my grab & go box. It makes our mornings so much faster.
I am definitely going to add in some variety with some other dried fruits, thanks for the tip!
What a GREAT idea!!! love it–going to do this in our kitchen. My son loves to snack and honestly what 6 year old doesn’t but this gives him choices and me control! thanks for sharing
Thank you! I think it will definitely make the school year easier.
This is a really good tip. My sister in law does something like this with her lunchbox choices. It’s so organized!
That’s smart, I didn’t think of doing it with lunchboxes too! Thanks for that tip!
Nicole this is such a great idea. I can’t believe that it is time for school, too! We love to include popcorn and pretzels in the snack basket.
Thank you! Those are great ideas too! My son loves popcorn especially.