What’s inside your lunchbox? If you don’t eat lunch packed for the road, what is on your lunch plate? What’s inside your child’s lunch box? More importantly; if you sat down at a table and was presented your child’s lunchbox for lunch would you want to eat what is inside? As adults we spend time preparing food, making sure it is nutritious, portioned correctly, and that it looks appetizing. We plan meals, pair foods that go together well, and generally enjoy variety. Think for a moment about what you are thinking as you pack your child’s lunch. Are you considering nutritional value? Portions? Are you making sure the meal looks appetizing? Or are you thinking “Crap! I’ve gotta leave in 5 minutes and Sally needs a lunch!”
There is no shame in a lunch that has been quickly thrown together - every parent has been there. However, a little extra effort can go along way when it comes to creating lunches for your children that are nutritionally balanced, appetizing, and maybe even fun.
Let’s break it down:
Nutrition: Children’s diet’s should contain the same nutrients as adults - vitamins, minerals, protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Every lunch should include fruits, vegetables, protein, fat, and carbohydrate. Please consider researching more detailed guidelines.
Portions: Most often children’s lunches are way to big. Parents pack extra because they are worried that they child might go hungry, but what they end up doing is overwhelming their child with too much food, and too many choices, then so much goes to waste. It can be difficult to understand how much food a growing child needs but most often it is a little less than you think.
Appeal: Make it fun if you like, make it beautiful, but most importantly make it appetizing. Our entire classroom is built to call out to the children; their lunches shouldn’t be any different. Is the lunch box clean? Are the carrots bright orange or dried out? Is the sandwich sloppily folded or cut neatly? Is the fruit bruised? Would you eat it?
Need some ideas or examples? Here you go!
Salami, Cheddar Cheese, “Soupa” (basically a homemade version of spaghetti-os ), Broccoli, Carrots, Ranch Dressing, Grapes.
Banana, Baby Goldfish, Applesauce, Chili with Rice, Red Pepper
Apples with Peanut Butter, Red Pepper, Cheese Crackers, Turkey Sandwich (the face is made from candy eyes and a cheese slice)
Hummus with Pretzel Chips, Broccoli and Carrots with Ranch Dressing, Spinach Pizza Pockets, Grapes
Zucchini Chocolate Chip Protein Muffin, Yogurt (with a very tiny amount of sprinkles in the yellow container to the left), Grapes, Broccoli, Salami with Cream Cheese Pockets
Cucumber, Banana Chips, Broccoli with Cheese, Chicken Nuggets with Agave Nectar, Strawberries
By no means are these perfect lunches, but they are real, and really didn’t take much time at all to make. Consider it a challenge - step up your lunch box game just a little bit. Our guess is your children will love it.