National Pack Your Mom’s Lunch Day

The National Pack Your Mom’s Lunch Day, observed annually on November 15, is a heartfelt occasion to turn the tables—by you preparing a packed lunch for your mom.

History of National Pack Your Mom’s Lunch Day

The day was launched in 2011 by Lola’s Diner as a way to highlight the care and effort mothers put into making meals for their families.
While the act of preparing lunches goes back to everyday family routines, this observance transforms it into a special moment of appreciation and reversal of roles.

Why is National Pack Your Mom’s Lunch Day important?

Mothers often carry the invisible weight of caregiving, including meal preparation and nurturing through food. This day offers a tangible way to say “thank you” and to recognize those everyday acts of love that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Additionally, it invites reflection on how simple gestures—making a lunch, packing a snack—can become acts of connection and gratitude. When the roles shift, the recipient becomes the giver, and the familiar becomes meaningful.

• It honours the unseen work that many mothers do in feeding and caring for families.
• It encourages intentional appreciation through a concrete act rather than just words.
• It creates a moment of shared care: you caring for her.
• It helps build a memory around food and service, strengthening familial connection.
• It reminds us that small acts can carry big meaning.

How to Celebrate National Pack Your Mom’s Lunch Day

Choose one thoughtful way to observe the day: prepare a lunch box for your mom with her favorite items—sandwich, salad, snack, note—and deliver it to her with a genuine message of thanks. The simplicity of the gesture is its strength: your time, effort, and care make the difference.

• Assemble her lunch with favorite foods (savory or sweet).
• Include a handwritten note or card expressing your appreciation.
• Use a lunch bag, box, or container she can reuse.
• Deliver the lunch in person if possible, or arrange for it to appear at her workplace or home.
• Consider sharing a photo or story of the gesture to inspire others.

National Pack Your Mom’s Lunch Day Dates Table