How To Pack School Lunches

How To Pack School Lunches Your Kids Will Actually Eat

Summer is over and school is about to start if it hasn't already started where you live. That of course means it’s time to get back into a school year routine. If packing a school lunch box is part of that routine in your family then you may need a few tips on How to Pack School Lunches that your kids will actually eat.

Back to School Lunch Tips

Packed lunches are a great option when your child isn’t too fond of what the school has to offer or if you want a little more control over what your child is eating while their at school.

Of course if your child has dietary restrictions or food allergies, packing lunches is a must to keep your child healthy.

One of the most important things you accomplish with packing your child's school lunch is that it allows you to include healthy foods your child will actually eat and it doesn’t have to cost any more than what you would be paying for lunch at school.

Of course the time and expense involved in packing a lunch box every day doesn’t do any good if your child doesn’t eat what you pack or ends up trading most of it away for the foods you don't want your kids eating. The trick then is to find the foods that your child loves and enjoys eating.

How To Pack School Lunches Your Kids Will Actually Eat

The best place to start is to get your child involved. Depending on the age of your kids, you could even put them in charge of making their own lunches. Not only do you know that they’ll pack something they will eat, being in charge of packing lunch will teach them responsibility. Kids love to be in charge! It will make them feel all grown up.

Start by talking to your kids about what they want in their lunch box. Ask them what they like in their lunch box. You might be surprised to find out that some of the foods you thought your kids loved is not so loved by them any more. Just like us their tastes and food choices change as they get older.

Sit down with your kids and make a list of lunch box options and then head to the store so you have all the lunch box items you need for the first week of school. Getting the kids as involved as possible will make sure that they end up with lunches they will eat. For older kids that may mean making their own lunches (under your supervision of course).

Your younger children can also help pack their lunch box. Even a kindergartner can wash grapes and put them into a container, or pick a snack option for his lunch box. Get in the habit of making lunches together the night before so you aren't rushing around in the morning just throwing things in the lunch box.

Over time you can give the kids more responsibility for packing their school lunches. This alone will help make sure they eat what they’ve packed. After all, it’s the lunch they made. Along the way you’re teaching them independence and important life skills. Your teaching them to make good food choices.

Teaching Kids to make healthy food choices

Of course you want to encourage your kids to pack and eat healthy foods. Insisting on all healthy, organic food options every school day may not be your best strategy.

Strike a balance and make compromises. If your kids pack and eat a healthy wrap or salad for example, let them have some cookies for dessert.

Teach them to make good choices, but don’t freak out if they decide to pack some Cheetos or a pack of Oreo cookies. Even adults will overindulge if they feel like they are depriving themselves an occasional treat.

Your goal is to get them to eat fairly healthy and make smart food choices as much as possible. Try not to restrict them completely from junk food, causing them to trade with friends for forbidden Twinkies.