Back-to-school time is basically upon us. Are you ready?

Need some inspiration for packing lunch for your back-to-school kids? We’ve got a bunch of ideas to help you save time, money and sanity.

First, check out some smart tips from Hip2Save to learn how to make your own lunchables, preserve your cut fruits, show your kids some extra love and make your own crustless sandwiches (without waste):

And here are some more life-saving tips for your school lunches:

1. Freeze Your PB&J: here’s a great time-saving trick (mentioned in the video) for those mornings when there’s just no time. You can actually make a bunch of PB&J’s ahead of time and freeze them for up to 4-6 weeks in Ziploc bags. On a busy morning, just grab on out of the freezer and pack it. Your sandwich should thaw by the time lunch rolls around.
2. Use a Sponge as an Ice Pack: just throw a wet sponge into a Ziploc bag and freeze it. You can use this as an ice pack for packed lunches. Then you can also use it for clean up if necessary.
3. Hard Boil Eggs: try hard-boiling a bunch of eggs at the beginning of the week. You can then use them in your kids’ lunch or your own lunch. They can act as a protein-rich snack with a little container of salt and pepper for dipping. Or you can chop them up and add them to salads.
4. Use Cookie Cutters to Add Fun: want to make your kids smile when they open their lunches? Try using cookie cutters in fun shapes to give sandwiches, fruits (like melons) and cheese more pizzazz.
5. Try Skewers: kids love when food is fun to eat, so why not try skewers? You can put a variety of things on skewers, from grapes tomatoes and mozzarella balls to fruits and cheeses.
6. Give Them Dippers: kids (and adults) are suckers for things that can be dipped. So send your kids to school with small containers of hummus, peanut butter, or yogurt dip. Then you can send them with fun things to dip like cut fruit or veggies, crackers, or homemade pita chips.