A lot of parents–especially those who've seen the horrid state of so many cafeteria lunches or those who have picky children–start off the brown bag lunches with a bang. But, as the weeks pass by and preparing lunches becomes more of a chore they start to notice that their child is rejecting some of the items they've lovingly chosen and prepared, it can be easy to lose steam. Here are some tips to help you keep your kids' school lunches inspired, healthy and fun, all year long.
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1. Limit processed foods. Sugary, chemical-laden processed foods may seem like the easy option, but they are actually one of the worst values for your money considering that they have almost no positive effects on your child. When you send healthy unprocessed or minimally processed foods, your kids will feel better and have plenty of energy to sustain them throughout the rest of the school day. I suggest sticking with things like whole milk string cheese, plain yogurt mixed with honey or maple syrup, whole grain pretzels, breads made with as few ingredients as possible and nut butters made with just nuts and salt.
2. Shop together. Shopping with kids in tow is undoubtedly more difficult than shopping solo, but if you can bring your kids along without going crazy, do it. It's a good opportunity for you to show them the beautiful options in the produce department and get them excited to select and try some of them. And, of course, they'll look forward to seeing them in their lunch boxes during the week. Even better if you can head to a farmer's market or dedicated produce market where you don't have to worry about avoiding the cookie aisle.
3. Have the right supplies. Make sure you have appropriate serving containers and utensils for fresh and homemade foods. When you use packaged foods, you don't have to worry about this as much, so you might not be stocked with single serving size reusable containers or cold packs or reusable spoons and forks. So before the school year even starts, you should have all your supplies ordered and ready to go. That way, you won't be compelled to throw in a packet of cookies because you can't find a container for the cut up pineapple your child requested.
4. Switch it up. Try not to get in the habit of sending the same thing every day. It might be easier, but frankly, it's boring. If you want your kids to be excited about eating nutritious food, you need to present them with exciting options. Plus, sending different lunches every day of the week, or only repeating a lunch a couple of times a week, is a great way to expand your child's palate. Chances are, once you accept the challenge of coming up with fresh lunch ideas, you'll be a whole lot more excited about preparing that lunch as well.
5. Menu plan. Take five minutes during the weekend to sit down and plan the week's lunch menu. You may already be doing this for dinners, but doing it for lunches as well is a great way to save time and stay organized and inspired. I actually prefer to meal plan after I shop because I try to shop based on what looks good and what's on sale at the market the day I'm there, but you can also grab a circular and do your planning before you shop.
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