A bit of planning in the early morning will keep you from having to run back and forth to the kitchen all day whenever throats get parched or tummies start rumbling.

Make lunch easy to serve by stashing it in individual containers; make it fun by getting a tad creative in the prep. Use large cookie cutters in fruit or animal shapes to add zing to a PB&J — a trick that will go over especially well with the crust-averse among your brood. Throw a few different snacks (crackers, nuts, grapes) into small Ziploc bags, which can be resealed and revisited as needed. Thermoses will keep cold soups and iced drinks refreshingly chilly (you could even pretend you’re off to the beach and pack a cooler for the day).

Although the fare may be the usual, picnicking in the backyard under a favorite tree makes it much more special — and sets the scene for a heavenly siesta.