The chore of packing school lunches always presents a challenge: parents want to provide nourishing meals kids will actually eat, and kids want to show up with lunches that are the envy of all their friends (and that they can eat quickly enough to have time left over for the playground). There must be a way to make everyone happy.
Get the Kids Involved
- It's important to let your kids have some say when it comes to lunches because you won't be there to lay down the law with "three more bites before you can leave the table." It's your children who will ultimately decide if they're going to eat it or toss it, so it's better to pack something they like.
- Most kids love interactive food experiences--dipping fruit, vegetables, crackers, or bread in sauces; assembling bite-size cheese and cracker sandwiches; or making tiny fruit kabobs on toothpicks. Fruits and vegetables should be small and easy to eat, like grapes, cherries, small plums, blueberries, melon cubes, baby carrots, cucumber slices, bell pepper strips and lightly steamed or blanched broccoli florets.
Variety is the Spice of Lunch
- The perfect bag lunches should include enough range to keep your kids from getting bored, but don't be surprised if they settle on a few favorites and request them week after week. Kids like to have a few familiar, comforting things nearby when they are away from home. Give them some choices from each food group, and allow them to mix and match for a nutritionally balanced lunch.
- Beyond sliced bread, try crackers, pita bread, naan, corn bread, English muffins, tortillas, baked tortilla chips, mini bagels, or lettuce wraps. For protein, there's good ol' peanut butter, but the kids might also enjoy hummus, bean dip, sliced cheese, yogurt, cold cuts, tuna salad, pasta salad, egg salad, or a thermos full of chili. When serving tuna, egg, chicken, or pasta salad, mix in shredded carrots, apples, zucchini, bell peppers, raisins, nuts--anything to add nutrition and fiber without adding lots of empty calories.
Brown Bag Lunch Tips
- Just a note on food safety: lightweight, freezable cold packs or frozen juice packs enable you to send the kids to school with perishables such as pasta salad, egg salad, meat sandwiches, yogurt, tuna, etc.
- Get your kids into the habit of washing their hands before eating. Include antibacterial hand wipes if that's what it takes.
- Make lunches the night before to ease the morning rush out the door.
- Reusable lunchboxes are earth-friendly and save the expense of brown bags, but be sure to wash them out frequently.
- Pre-packed individual servings are convenient but expensive. To save money, buy in bulk and fill small sealable plastic bags or reusable containers for baked chips, veggie bites, dips, puddings, etc.
- You've heard this one before, but a little note from you tucked into a lunch once in a while is a comfort. Keep notes small enough so kids don't have to haul out a long, loving letter from home in front of the rest of the lunchroom.
- When you pack nutritious lunches you know your kids will love, you might even feel okay about slipping a cookie or a brownie into the bag!
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