Home made School Lunches Simplified!

Chances are that if you follow my blog or have met me you know how passionate I am about children’s health. Us grownups have the ability to make our own informed decisions about what we feed ourselves but our kids don’t have the same power. They rely on us to make the best decisions for them, to teach them about good nutrition and what food, either good or bad, does to the body.

What we feed our children directly impacts their health, concentration, immunity and even their school performance. So taking a few extra steps to make sure they’re getting the best nutrition you can offer is totally worth it!

I know it sounds like a daunting task but if you’re ready to take on the challenge it’s really just a matter of prioritizing and getting organized. I know a lot of daycares and preschool programs offer snacks so you don’t have to worry about it but for us being able to bring our own food, and not being told what food groups we’re required to pack (yes that happens) is a non-negotiable. Here are some tips and tricks to make packing a school lunch, and snacks fun for everyone!

Get your child involved! The younger your child the easier it is to make decisions without input, but as they get older they are great at offering input. If they have a say in what goes into their lunchbox they’ll feel empowered and usually more than happy to eat what they’ve chosen.

Ask for a menu. Most daycares or schools have some sort of snack or lunch menu. Having an idea of what the other kids will be eating makes it really easy to pack a similar, but nutritious version of the same thing.

Cook once, eat twice. Having a meal plan that helps you know what you’re having for dinner comes in especially handy for school lunch. Dinner leftovers make fabulous school lunches. If your child is having lunch at school and there’s a menu using their menu and adapting it to fit your needs make it super easy – that’s what we’ll be doing this year.

Be prepared. Having the right lunchbox and packing supplies is essential. Here is one of my posts on my favorite lunchbox necessities. Back to School Must Haves for preschool and daycare. We are still very much in love with our lunch bots!

Even more tips. Fore even more tips on how to pack a healthy school lunch check out this article I wrote for Fox News at the beginning of last school year!