🥔 Food People, Parent Picks: Jane's Favorite Things
The lunchbox expert shares her go-to bento setup, the pantry staples that save hectic mornings, and the Korean flavors she uses on repeat.
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Food People, Parent Picks: we ask our favorite chefs, food writers, and industry insiders who we interview in our Order Up! Series to share the products, books, and bites they can’t live without.
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Earlier this week in our Order Up! conversation, Jane Nicholson talked about raising adventurous eaters, blending Korean flavors into everyday meals, and keeping lunch realistic for modern families. If you missed that interview, go back and read it; it’s full of perspective on exposure, balance, and removing pressure from feeding kids. And if you want a great resource for packing those lunches, pick up Jane’s cookbook: More, Please! Food Kids Love [Bookshop, Amazon]. With recipes and favorites curated and expanded from her well-loved Instagram.
Today, we’re getting into the practical mechanics: the exact lunchbox she recommends, the appliance she uses constantly, the pantry staples that bail her out, and the flavors she thinks every parent should try.
The best lunchbox setup?
Bento box. Always. The compartments make everything easier. You think in components instead of one big meal. It helps you plan faster, pack faster, and it keeps food from getting soggy.
One kitchen tool that saves you time?
My mini air fryer / convection oven — from Our Place.
I use it constantly. To reheat leftovers. Toast bread. Crisp things quickly. It’s probably my most-used appliance. If I’m packing lunches, it’s on.
Three pantry staples you always keep on hand?
Peanut butter and jelly. My emergency backup when I truly don’t have time.
Rice. It’s a constant, especially with seaweed.
Boxed mac and cheese, saves those super busy days. No shame.
A store-bought snack your kids always grab?
Crackers and cheese. And fruit, especially freeze-dried fruit.
A Korean ingredient you think more families should try?
Sesame oil, sesame seeds, and furikake seasoning. I use them constantly. They instantly add flavor to rice, veggies, eggs, anything really.
And if your kids tolerate a little spice, a tiny bit of gochujang goes a long way. It’s a Korean chili paste that’s great in something like kimchi fried rice. You can always adjust based on your child’s spice level.
Advice for introducing new flavors to young kids?
Start early. Offer the item consistently. Even if they don’t like it at first, keep offering. Don’t give up. Exposure matters more than pressure.
A lunch your kids always eat?
Rice and seaweed for sure. They love wrapping the rice themselves. It’s interactive, and they’re more likely to eat it.
We also make what we call “epic sandwiches.” We load them with their favorite fillings — turkey, cheese, pickles — and make it feel fun.
And breakfast for lunch is always a hit. Pancake bites, a hard-boiled egg, fruit, veggies. It feels different enough to be exciting.
Final advice for One Potato parents?
Keep it doable. You don’t have to pack elaborate lunches and you don’t have to be perfect. I always want the food I share to feel approachable and nonjudgmental. It should work in real life.