It’s that time of year: the kids are going back to school! After a summer of camps, road trips and lazy days on the deck, some may be struggling to get back into the groove of planning, shopping for and preparing school lunches. If that sounds familiar, here are three tips and some lunchbox suggestions that will help with lunch success.
1. Get the kids involved
Kids who are more involved in meal planning and preparation are more likely to try new foods. Not only that, but it’s also an opportunity for kids to learn healthy habits and kitchen skills and to learn more about where food comes from, as well as cultural food traditions.
2. Create a lunch checklist
Checklists are helpful! They’re not hard, fast rules, but they can ease decision-fatigue day to day. A checklist helps to ensure your child’s lunch bag contains a balance of nutrients. Create a template with four main food categories (example below), or use this one, and have your children fill in the blanks. When packing lunches, choose one or two foods from each category to help ensure enough variety for lunch and snacks.
3. Prepare
Now that you have a checklist that your children helped to put together, the final and most important step is to plan how this is all going to come together.
- Step 1: Prior to grocery shopping, have the kids choose just a few foods from each category that they want for lunches that week. You may then decide how you’re going to create these meals: sandwiches, finger foods, baked items or mixed meals.
- Step 2: Check your inventory. What is already in your fridge, freezer and cupboards?
- Step 3: Update or create the grocery list. This will help save you time and money in the store.
- Step 4: Decide when the best time is for lunch preparation: the evening before? The morning of? Try packing lunches when you’re not so rushed.
Here are some lunch ideas to help get you started:
- Pasta salad with chicken pieces, grapes, cheese
- Chicken and cheese quesadilla triangles, apple slices, raw veggies with dip
- English muffin pizzas, oranges slices, cucumbers
- Tuna sandwich, edamame, cherry tomatoes, dried apricots
- Egg salad sandwich, yogurt, strawberries, sliced peppers
- Leftover chili with shredded cheese and whole-grain nacho chips, dried fruit
- Hard-boiled egg, salad with dressing, melon with yogurt, brown rice crackers
- Pressed avocado ham sandwich, carrots, banana
Don’t let back-to-school take you by surprise. Start planning and getting the kids involved with their checklists a few weeks prior. These simple tips will help you make the school year a success!
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