I am excited to be teaming up with O Organics® (available at Jewel-Osco) to talk about our lunch prep essentials and our new work from home routine now that baby Gwen has arrived!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Jewel-Osco. All opinions are 100% mine.
It’s that time of year when people have back to school (or back to remote learning) on their minds. At my house, we are transitioning into a new routine as Charles’s paternity leave ends. While Charles works from our home office, I juggle watching Gwen, feeding Gwen every few hours, creating content for this website, household chores, and preparing our meals. I am constantly being pulled in several different directions.
Before Charles went back to work I tried to come up with ways to make my day easier. One thing that I realized right away is that lunchtime is a tricky time. Usually, Gwen is awake, alert, and wanting attention during this time – making lunch is a challenge. This is especially true now that I am watching Gwen solo.
In order to accommodate Gwen’s desire for attention around lunchtime, I have learned it’s best to prepare lunch for me and Charles in advance. It’s so much easier to do this the night before when Charles can be on Gwen duty.
Here is what I do: I make sandwiches for both me and Charles. I use products like O Organics Provolone and Open Nature meats. Then I pack them up in separate containers and add in some of our favorite snacks. When it’s lunchtime we just grab our packed lunch! Usually, I am multitasking and feeding Gwen while I try to eat my lunch so having it ready to go is a huge help.
I add different snacks to each of the lunchboxes. I love snacks like Sailor’s Loot (White Cheddar Baked Corn & Rice Puffs), hummus with pita chips, and animal crackers. Charles prefers beef jerky and nuts. We both love cheese so I put some string cheese in the lunchboxes too!
I also prepare my breakfast in advance. Mornings are hectic since I am running around trying to sneak in a shower, feed Gwen, and dress both of us – it’s harder than it sounds. I learned that if I can’t easily grab breakfast, I might not find the time for breakfast. I love O Organics Greek Yogurt drizzled with honey and topped with granola. It’s easy to prepare in advance and it keeps me full until lunchtime.
Another thing that has been making our lives easier is the snack bowl! Years ago I placed our largest bowl in the corner of the kitchen and started to fill it with grab and go snacks. I strategically placed it in a spot where Charles can grab a snack without even entering the kitchen – this system works really well for us and helps to prevent messes in the kitchen. Our friends are familiar with the snack bowl too and know that they can go there to pick out snacks when we are hanging out or settling in to watch a movie. The snack bowl makes it easier for me to pack up snacks for myself before we go to the park – it prevents me from hunting through cabinets to try to find something.
Luckily, O Organics® has a very wide range of essential products that we can use to fill our lunchboxes. Did you know that the O Organics line includes over high-quality 1,500 products? I have been a longtime fan of O Organics because the products are both budget-friendly and USDA-certified organic. O Organics products are available at my neighborhood Jewel-Osco, but you can also find O Organics® products exclusively at the Albertsons Companies family of stores, including Albertsons, Safeway, ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Vons, Randalls, Shaw’s Supermarket, Star Market, and Tom Thumb.
We can find them at the local Jewel-Osco just a few blocks away! If I am feeling overwhelmed or too busy, I use their delivery option to have our groceries delivered to our doorstep. The store also offers a Drive Up & Go™ option.
Whether you are sending your kids back to school, starting a new remote learning schedule, heading back to the office, or working from home, these O Organics essentials can help to make your life a little easier!
