Today we are dishing out parent tested tips & ideas that will help make your school day routine easier. Mission: Help school age kids learn to pack their own lunch. Yes, with a little time invsted up front, you can take this daily chore off your plate.
- Ask them to help! Do they enjoy helping in the kitchen when you are cooking or baking? Get their buy in by offering them some new choices for lunch and showing them how valuable they can be to the process. Many kids will agree to pitching in more when they feel like they are part of the decision making.
- Brainstorm for 20 minutes with your child(ren). Use this idea sheet w/ your child(ren) to make a list of foods they like to eat for lunch. We used the guidelines from choosemyplate.gov to include Fruits,Vegetables,Grains, Protein foods & Dairy. Adjust specifics for your childs diet as necessary. Don’t forget to consider the time constraints for their lunch period.
- Find reusable containers that are the right sizes to fit in their lunch box or bag and ensure they are dishwasher safe. Consider color coded lids for multiple kids to keep foods organized. Fun sandwich containers are always a hit too!
- Preparation is crucial to making sure lunch gets done. Mornings can be rushed so use an evening if possible. If there is a grocery “day” in your home, consider preparing or storing food in containers for the week that evening. Highlight on your cheat sheet what foods can be prepared or stored in their containers ahead of time.
- Morning of to do list. If a food must be made in the morning, give your child an idea of the extra time they will need to make it happen. Writing the number of minutes it will take to make a food on the idea sheet might help them see how much extra time to allow.
- Practice. Plan a time when you can do a practice run through together. Pick a non-school day when you have more time. Help them walk through the process start to finish. Show them how to include a cold pack if needed and don’t forget a water bottle or other drink. Bonus- their lunch is done for the day!
- Don’t forget clean up. Teaching them to unpack their lunch & wash containers is important if they want to bring their lunch again tomorrow!
