Children’s packed school lunches have a tendency to get pretty boring, especially when it’s the same old peanut butter and jelly sandwich, drink, chips and a Twinkie. Children are naturally curious – and they naturally bore easily which can end up in exasperation on the part of their parents as those lovingly prepared lunches end up in the trash instead, of in tummies.
Luckily, there are plenty of ways to liven up children’s school lunches. Making lunches more interesting doesn’t have to include loading them up with junk food, however. In many respects, parents are finding themselves fighting an uphill battle against the preponderance of junk food these days. Our children are inundated with it at every turn – especially by television advertisements and the ubiquitous vending machines found on so many school campuses. The task of eliminating junk food from kids’ diets can be quite daunting.
Despite that, parents remain the single greatest influence in their children’s lives. Parents who teach their children about the unhealthiness of eating too much junk food and the importance of saving it for an occasional special treat, will open up a whole new world of delicious, nourishing foods that they can send off to school with their kids every day.
Start with sweet. Replace intensely sugary lunch snack with sweet treats from Mother Nature. Spring berries – fresh or frozen (which can thaw gradually before lunchtime), all natural fruit leather, 100% juice are all good ways to satisfy a sweet tooth at school. Then move on to crunchy. Look for baked or all natural chips and pickles to satisfy kids’ need to crunch. Finally, let ‘em dip. Kids love dipping foods – whole wheat crackers into peanut butter, veggies into salad dressing, baked tortilla chips into salsa – you name it, they’ll dip it. Finger foods with small containers of dips will make lunch a lot more fun.
Give the old, tired sandwich a modern facelift. Prepare lunchmeats, tuna, chicken salad, cheese and more on a bun, roll, bagel, in a pita pocket or wrapped in a tortilla for a change. Drop in a few sunflower seeds to add protein and texture. Slip a lettuce leaf and thin slice of tomato inside for a veggie kick.
Keep freshness and food safety in mind as you pack your child’s lunch. Invest in a lightweight, durable insulated lunch bag or lunch box. Use frozen gel ice packs to keep cold things cold, especially foods prepared with mayonnaise. Use a thermos for hot, hearty soups like minestrone and chicken noodle.
Last of all, don’t cut out sweets and treats entirely. The point of teaching our children good nutrition is to teach them balance and moderation – not restriction. Include a piece of candy, a few cookies or a small packaged cake as an occasional special surprise for your child to enjoy at lunchtime. The best surprise treat to slip in of all, however, is a thoughtful love note, wishing your child a good day and telling them how much you care.
Author: Pablo Maiorino
