Packing Wholesome Lunches Kids Will Love

With the back-to-school season upon us, parents may be thinking about what to pack their kids for lunch this year. When they bring lunches that are wholesome, delicious and unlikely to be tossed or traded away, students reap both nutritional and academic benefits. It's therefore in educators' best interest to help ensure that kids have "the right stuff" when it comes to lunch.

It might sound like a tall order, but packing great lunches is easier than it seems. Here are a few tips that teachers and administrators can share with parents via newsletter, email or take-home flyer:

1. Get your children involved.

• When kids help grow, prepare, or pack their food, they enjoy it more. Even a toddler can help prepare lunch, so get your kids into the kitchen as soon as they are able. Start them young, keep it developmentally appropriate, and build on what they know each year. If you do it right, they’ll be ready to take over when the time comes.

2. Pack the right stuff.

• Photo courtesy of LaptopLunches.com.

  Children who eat well experience less fatigue, have more energy and have better concentration. They’re more fit for sports and other physical activities, and they have a lower obesity rate.
• Be sure to pack plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and water.
• Avoid foods that are highly processed and are high in fat, salt, sugar and other additives.

3. Make it appealing.

• Children like bright colors, so carrots, sugar snap peas, green beans, strawberries, kiwifruit, blueberries, sweet potatoes and watermelon are all good choices. Opt for seasonal items whenever possible.
• Pack dips and toppings. Try a variety of vegetables with dips and dressings. Cherry tomatoes, celery, bell peppers and cucumbers are all delicious options. “Make your own” baked potato, pocket sandwich or tacos can be a big hit as well.

4. Plan ahead.

• Leftovers can make great lunches. Prepare extra for dinner, and save the rest for lunch.

5. Change it up.

• Packing a variety of whole foods, served in different ways, is not only more interesting but can be more nutritious.

6. Make it fun.

• Consider using a bento box. Ideal for portion control and for keeping foods separated, they’re waste free, and they’re fun.
• Use cookie cutters to transform boring sandwiches into cool shapes. Use hearts for Valentine’s Day, pumpkins for Halloween, snowmen in winter, and flowers in the spring.
• Use bento dividers to add color and to maintain separation between foods.
• Include a sticker, a personal note, a drawing, a joke or a cartoon.

7. Keep the lines of communication open.

• Talk with your children about their lunches. Outline your family goals and expectations.
• Provide them with a list of “acceptable” foods so they can circle the ones they’d like to see in their lunchboxes.
• At the end of the day or week, talk briefly about what they liked and didn’t like, and make ongoing adjustments.

Article by Amy Hemmert, guest contributor for EducationWorld
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Amy Hemmert is an educator, mother of two, and co-founder of Laptop Lunches. To learn more about packing wholesome, earth-friendly lunches your kids will love, visit www.laptoplunches.com.