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GeneralOrganizing, Strategizing, Planning

Controlling the Controllable

By November 30, 2011October 2nd, 2013217 Comments

Do you know this phrase? Controlling the Controllable. Or should I say, have you heard of this condition? Symptoms include:

-Adding tasks to your to-do list even after youโ€™ve completed them, just so you can experience the satisfaction of crossing that task off the list.

-Having a sudden irrepressible urge to rearrange your sock drawer or color-code your bookshelf or clean the living room blinds with a toothbrush after reading a terrible story in the newspaper.

-Recording what will be for dinner or what has been for dinner every night for going onย fourteen straight years, even when those dinners consist of a pasta-potato-buttered-biscuit starchfest (picky toddlers) or a microwaved Boca Burger, which was as imaginative as it was going to get after a long day at the office ย (picky bosses).

-Organizing your grocery list by supermarket aisle.

-Mentally spreadsheeting the time your children spend with you versus the time they spend in childcare or with a babysitter or nanny. (And hoping you will come out ahead.)

-Having the fleeting thought If I could make all corners of my life look and feel as orderly as this compartmentalized lunchbox byย PlanetBox, then I can accomplish anything.

A little more about this PlanetBox, which is the first in a series of DALS holiday giveaways. The above photo is the lunch my daughter took with her to school this morning, and when I packed it last night after dinner (it was my turn) I employed the same lunch-packing formula I always employ when itโ€™s the end of the day and thereโ€™s been some Pinot Noir and not one more brain cell is available for functioning. It goes like this:

Something Crunchy (crackers) + Something Fresh (edamame, clementines)ย + Something Leftover From Dinner (crazy delicious Trader Joeโ€™s buttermilk biscuit โ€” stuffed with ham and cheese)ย + Something Sweet (iced gingerbread cookie) = Lunch!

And yes, in case you are wondering. Employing formulas to complete basic everyday household tasks? Another grave symptom of The Condition.

Your kid can customize the PlanetBox with his or her choice of magnet decals. This one is โ€œModern Artโ€ฆ.โ€

โ€ฆAnd this one is โ€œUnder the Sea,โ€ but they have over a dozen more to choose from. PlanetBoxes are made from non-toxic stainless steel and come with a carrying case (with thermos pocket) and two smaller steel containers. FREE PlanetBox goes to a DALS commenter chosen at random, with special consideration going to those who have inspired lunch ideas. Winner announced on Monday.

Update: The winner of the PlanetBox goes to Ingrid. Thanks to everyone for playing and especially for the fantastic ideas.

PS: The next giveaway will be announced very soon and will be for newsletter subscribers only.

217 Comments

  • Avatar Renรฉe says:

    I pack a little-of-this-and-little-of-that lunch for my 3-year-old. She uses the Lock-n-Lid box, which has 4 compartments and I like to put together something thatโ€™s aesthetically pleasing in terms of color. (Ha! Can you tell I only have to pack for one kid?) I really love packing her dried fruit (especially apricots and whole pitted dates), sliced mini cucumbers, and a hard-boiled egg made into little bear or bunny shapes using one of those bento molds. (Reference earlier comment about only having one kid in school so far.) The hard-boiled egg shapes are so adorable.

  • Avatar kb says:

    My formula is protein+fruit+veggie+snack=lunch. Water bottle always. Sometimes I blow my daughterโ€™s mind and put in a juice box. Or a cookie for her snack. I like to keep her guessing.

  • Avatar Cay says:

    Oh, AND a question for you pack-the-night-beforers: do things get stale or soggy sitting overnight in the fridge? Esp sandwichesโ€ฆ

  • Avatar Kelsey says:

    Here is the deal: I do not have children. I have nobody to pack a lunch for, but that has included me these past two years of grad school. I feel like an inspiring lunch box such as these would encourage me to do something beyond โ€œI will just drink a bunch of tea until it is time to go home, oh wait here is the vending machine, hurray peanut butter crackers).โ€ When I was a kid, my Momโ€™s inspired packed lunches always included a handwritten note with a lipstick kiss on a napkin. And if I canโ€™t replicate that, I can at least make the most of leftovers and will maybe even spring for some string cheese and pomegranate seeds to pack.

  • Avatar roselee says:

    I am a middle school teacher and have to eat lunch in 30 minutes, sometimes with students coming in for help during lunch. My husband is always looking for new ideas to keep me interested. He does great salads, fruit, and something from last nights dinner. I like having some sweets to share with the kids.

  • Avatar Dawn says:

    Iโ€™ve been wanting one of these PlanetBoxes since my son started school two years ago!

    He always has been an adventurous eater, having whatever we have from American, to sushi, to curry.

    He loves maple yogurt with anything and seaweed snacks which come in prepackaged sizes great for a snack. We will reuse small juice bottles or jelly jars (well-packed) to fill with lunch items.

    Love all the ideas on your site!

  • Avatar Danica says:

    My son is not quite at the โ€˜lunch at schoolโ€™ phase yet as he is only in half day kindergarten but I have been staking out awesome lunch ideas already and am lookingat getting him a planet box for Christmasโ€ฆyeah, Iโ€™m a little crazy! lol
    Right now our lunches always involve a main course, a fruit, something sweet as a treat and milk. I have so many cool ideas I want to try once he is in schoolโ€ฆbut will have to try them out soon!

  • Heather says:

    for dtr: goldfish, trader joeโ€™s granola bar, raisins, clementine, ham samโ€“carrots if I remember
    for son: ham sam, hummus and pita, granola bar, triscuits baby bel cheese

  • Avatar Dawn says:

    Iโ€™ve been wanting a PlanetBox since my son started taking a lunch to school two years ago!

    He has always been an adventurous eater since my husband and I always feed him whatever we are having. He eats everything from American, to sushi, to curry. He loves maple yogurt with anything, and likes to take prepackaged โ€˜seaweed snack chipsโ€™ for his school snack. We reuse small juice bottles and even glass jelly jars (well-packed) to fill with lunch items.

    Love the ideas on your site!

  • Avatar Andrea says:

    I would love to win thisโ€ฆI am just starting the lunch packing years with my kids in preschool and could use all of the help I can get!

  • Avatar Ingrid says:

    Damnโ€ฆthere are 148 comments on here already! How will I distinguish myself for this fabulous giftie?!?!? Jenny โ€“ here is the deal โ€“ if you recall B-dorm, you will always remember that I inspired lunch ideas like it was nobodyโ€™s business. Who could ever forget my salads with raisins and fruit on it??!?! It is clear that the lunch you made for your daughter is an exact replica of my model, circa 1992-1993. Admittedly, I did not have TJโ€™s to work with โ€“ so no fancy biscuits for me, but still โ€“ it was INSPIREDโ€ฆI mean, come on Jenny โ€“ give it up for Bdorm ๐Ÿ™‚

  • beth lehman says:

    I donโ€™t have great ideas, although investing in a thermos for hot lunches (soups, pasta) has been perfect for one of my kiddos. We stick with basics, a sandwich, fruit, veggie, snack bar. Boringโ€ฆ. but predictable!

  • Avatar Jocelyn says:

    Would love to win a planetbox! We use silicone baking cups to further divide up any containers/compartments. There are ones in square and triangle shapes that work great in any squarish tupperware or compartment. They fit in the planetboxes very well. Itโ€™s colorful, safe and flexible

  • Avatar Jocelyn says:

    my picky eater sometimes gets sick of sandwiches. but he still likes the sandwich components so we then give him deconstructed sandwiches โ€“ rolled up pieces of deli meats, cheese and a healthy bread-like option such as cut up pita bread or something like that

  • Avatar Sara says:

    I donโ€™t have any kids, so I can get away with uninspired leftover lunches. My mom was really good at packing surprise hidden notes though!

  • Avatar Elizabeth says:

    Goodness, do I love that lunchbox. Sadly, I do not have any creative lunch ideas โ€ฆ however, if I had that box, I would certainly be encouraged to โ€œthink outside of the boxโ€ โ€ฆ ๐Ÿ˜‰

  • Avatar Annmarie says:

    OK: THANK YOU!! Even if I donโ€™t winโ€ฆI have been tryingt to reacll this brand and track one down. I spied it when serving a harvest lunch at my kidsโ€™ elementary school. Cute twin kindergarten brothers had them and I alsmot DIED!! Everything is yummier when presented that a-dorable way!

  • Avatar Jenn says:

    So many comments! I share your affliction; however, I do not organize my food store list by grocery isle ๐Ÿ™‚ Iโ€™ve not seen this brand of Bento box โ€” lovely. My girls (ages similar to yours) would love them. However packing soup in a thermos would be a challenge here (another leftover I like to pack). If the thermos isnโ€™t packed in their lunchbox, they somehow canโ€™t โ€œfindโ€ it. Love your blog ๐Ÿ™‚

  • Avatar olivia says:

    only lunch my little guy has ever hoovered up before he came home: a toaster waffle sandwich with sunflower butter and jam. great ideas from these comments though! i will try.

  • Avatar Jennifer says:

    I was just proclaiming my love of the Planet Lunchbox the other day โ€” it is our first year using it and I love cleaning only one thing versus lots of little containers and the different compartments make it more interesting to make lunch! Also, my daughter rarely requests the magnets anymore for those thinking of buyingโ€ฆ.And, if you live in the Bay area, you can go to the company in San Rafael and pick it up. They are super nice.

    Crackers or tortilla slices in one compartment, veggies and/or fruit in the second, a protein of some sort or sandwich bites in the third, and yogurt in the fourth is a pretty standard. Dried fruit pieces in the mini-compartment โ€” no cookies allowed at pre-K!

  • Avatar Maya says:

    Both my kids love when I make homemade โ€œlunchablesโ€ for them. A little meat, a little cheese, a fruit and something sweetโ€ฆ.I also throw in their gummi vitamins โ€“ they love telling their friends their mom gave them two pieces of candy at lunch!

  • Avatar Sara says:

    I so wish I could organize my life like that bento box. Luckily for me, so far I havenโ€™t been in charge of lunches. My son is only 18 months and my husband is in charge of the lunches he needs on his two days of day care. Iโ€™m dreading the daily need for lunches.

  • Avatar Deb says:

    I love the magic variety of the bento box, but not as much as I love the crunchy + fresh + leftover + sweet formula โ€” thatโ€™s morning magic! And Iโ€™d like to share an inspired lunch idea, but all I have is this Mondayโ€™s actual lunch, which was inspired by panic โ€” Rice pasta? Check. Veggies? Check. Sauce? Sauce? No sauce (no butter, no broth, no milk, nothing sauce-y)โ€ฆ Wait โ€” leftover Sunday morning hollandaise?! We have a winner. โ€œBest pasta ever, mom!โ€ The secret, apparently, is the delicious heart-stopping butter sauce ๐Ÿ™‚

  • Avatar Eliz says:

    Love the Planet Lunchbox but I donโ€™t know that it would hold enough for my 9 year old โ€“ he eats big lunches now. My inspiration is Trader Joes โ€“ various frozen TJโ€™s meals make it into their lunchboxes most days โ€“ potstickers, fried rice, edemame, tamales, even burritos. And sushi, not TJโ€™s โ€“ Iโ€™ll pick up avocado or cucumber roles when I see them for the next dayโ€™s lunch.

  • Avatar cg says:

    My formula for packing the kiddo (and sometimes for myself) is super simple. I pack what I cooked (or ate, if we ate out) for dinner for the next dayโ€™s lunch. Since Iโ€™m pretty good about the foods we eat, I am almost always ensured that the formula runs like this: protein/carb (added abt 90% of the time/veg/fruit/water to drink.

    In fact, at home I will portion off our lunches (packed in a snap loc container) before I serve dinner. That way weโ€™re ensured a tasty meal. On those nights where there isnโ€™t enough or we went out without leftovers to bring back I go into my freezer and fry up a handful of potstickers, wash off a carrot or celery stalk and cut those up. The next morning I add sliced fruit.

    It works for us, I know what the kiddo is eating, and it gives me peace of mind to know sheโ€™s eating real food. Donโ€™t get me wrong we like our hot dogs and spam, and what not. But I need to be in control of that frequency. BTW, as a slight aside I never pack a sweet treat in a school lunch. Her sweet comes in the form of fruit. Sweet treats in our household is for special occasions, or weekends, etc.

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