![]() You can also stick with the same main dish every day: If your child wants a cream cheese and raspberry jam sandwich on sliced wheat every day, you can simply vary the rest of the food and you are still covered for nutrition.įruits and Veggies: This is a common point of contention. You can choose to have a five-dish rotation or you can get really fancy with more options to switch in and out. When it's broken down like that and easy veggies like cucumbers and snap peas are kept on hand, the only thing to worry about is the main dish. Another great way to get kids involved in their own nutrition is by letting them pick out their own snacks. This is the self-sufficiency every kid needs. By setting up a system where they can help, they get the message that their adult trusts them. Invite your child to join in the process. ![]() We can enjoy sweets right alongside other foods and we don't have to put them on a pedestal. Being proactive with sweets sends a message that there isn't anything special about them. Make an event out of new foods by trying them together at home. It's wonderful to expand the child's palate, but the cafeteria might not be the ideal location to try brown rice, and vegan mac and cheese for the first time. ![]() It's also okay to send familiar foods every day.Most of a child's nutrition happens in the home, so it's okay if you fall into a rut. In fact, it's usually just one meal and a snack or two each day. Remember that school nutrition isn't the whole picture.Tips You Wouldn't Expect from a Dietitian If you're interested in lunch box hacks, there are plenty more out there.Individual food items can be kept separate by using plastic lunch box inserts or silicone muffin liners.Make it fun by packing a pre-scored mango half–just pop and eat!.Or go for a whole banded apple if it will fit in the lunch box! Cut apples into slices and soak in lemon water for a few minutes before packing.Cut off the very top of an orange and cut slits down the sides, at least halfway (or pre-peel it altogether).Cut a slit down the length of the banana for easier peeling.Also consider the foods that are naturally packaged: the banana, for example. Make sure to buy a lunch box that is easy to open so your child can more effectively reject the food you so carefully packed.Īfter assessing the actual lunch box situation, look at any wrapped foods (i.e., string cheese). Teachers are there to help, but the child who needs help accessing their food will have that much less time to fill their belly. The number one problem kids have at lunch is being unable to liberate their food from its oppressor (they can't open their lunch box or food containers). You can even increase the fun factor tenfold with a note or a hidden treat. Lunch doesn't have to be very exciting, but there are plenty of ways to get creative with school lunch ideas if that's your jam (pun intended). But for now, let's work with what we've got. Given the amount of evidence to support how beneficial these ideas are for children, this is a future reality. Children would take their time eating and begin recess all at the same time-a recess not beginning at the last bite. There would be extra fruits and veggies available at a salad bar. Kids would sit at family-style tables and truly enjoy communal meals. In a perfect world, school lunches would be longer, not attached to recess, and appropriately timed-sandwiched between well-timed snacks. ![]() None of this is conducive to the appetite, but the traditional lunchtime setup persists. The cafeteria is usually full of chatter, the smell of their own food mixes with the aromas of other lunch boxes, and the room is usually brightly lit with fluorescent lighting. Lunch can be a challenging time for kids at school. ![]()
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