Let’s Do Lunch!

Author: Shannon Miller

Are you concerned about what your kids are eating while they’re at school?

If your family does packed lunches, of course you know what you’ve packed, but maybe you’ve been noticing leftovers in their lunchboxes or you’re suspicious that they are trading their vegetables for cookies!

Fear not, Mom.  With a few helpful hints,* your kid won’t want to trade his/her lunch for anything!

• Let your little one be a part of the process, so that they can take pride in what they are eating! One way to let your children help while still making sure that they are getting a well-balanced meal is to make a list of optionsfor the different types of foods (i.e. fruits, vegetables, sweets) that will be included in the lunch and then agree on certain foods for each day.
  • For example, the vegetable list might include items like
    • carrots with ranch
    • or celery with peanut butter, but each could be packed for different days.
• Picky Patty. If you have some picky eaters in your household, nip that issue in the bud by creating a list of alternatives.
  • For example, if your children don’t like sandwiches, some alternatives might be
    • wraps,
    • cracker sandwiches,
    • or meat and cheese roll-ups.
• Easy on the eyes. Something as simple as the packaging of the lunch can influence your child’s decision to eat it (or not)…something we all can fall victim to.
  • Try using a fun lunchbox or if you use paper bags, you could even let your child draw on it!
  • Shapes and sizes of foods can also make foods more appealing; you could use cookie cutters for sandwiches or pack mini muffins as a snack.

TIP:  Make lunch fun and healthy for your kids, so they can re-fuel and get through the rest of the day!

*American Dietetic Association website – http://www.eatright.org/