As summer comes to an end and back to school season begins, I’m sure you’re starting to think about getting back to your normal routine. For me, that means starting to think about my daughter’s school lunch and gathering ideas for what I’ll pack. We tend to start off well, but since she tends to be a picky eater, after a while, it seems like I’m packing the same thing every week. Packing her school lunch tends to be a bit of a stress point for me because I want her to eat well while at school, yet I also don’t have a ton of time to create elaborate lunches. It is rare for her to go to school with cute characters or figures made from her food; that’s just not my style.
My school lunch packing style tends to be more on the simple side. As long as she has enough food to eat and gets some of the basic nutritional requirements, I’m satisfied. And honestly, so is she! If you’re like me and are looking to pack a simple school lunch for your kids, then check out these few tips that have helped me feel more relaxed about school lunch.
3 Simple Tips for Stress-Free School Lunch Packing
1. Make it easy
Packing your child’s school lunch doesn’t have to be complicated and time-consuming. I commend the parents who pack fancy lunches full of cute food creations, but I let go of trying to do that a while back. I realize it’s just not for me and that if my daughter doesn’t like the food, she won’t eat it even if there’s an adorable food kitty staring at her. So, why bother? The important thing is that my daughter is well-fed.
Since my daughter doesn’t have a long lunch, I pack only what I know she’ll eat. I normally pack a main entree, some type of snack or side (often a fruit or vegetable), and a juice drink. I love Capri Sun 100% Juice because they’re easy to pack in my daughter’s lunchbox and if I put it in the freezer for a bit, it also helps keep other food cold. Plus, they’ve now replaced high fructose corn syrup with sugar in the original Capri Sun Juice Drink line!
2. Ask your child for help
Asking your children for help in either planning their school lunch menu or in actually packing their school lunch, will ease some of the burden for you! After all, it’s better for your children to tell you exactly what they want to eat, rather than food coming back home uneaten and wasted. If they’re old enough, they can also help you pack their school lunch! They’ll feel independent and learn about proper food techniques along the way!
3. Plan ahead
I find that planning ahead goes a long way with school lunches. Whether that means simply planning a school lunch menu over the weekend, pre-packing part or all of the school lunch the night before, or even pre-packing the entire weeks’ worth of lunches, anything you can accomplish ahead of time will save you time and stress in the morning!
I hope these simple tips get you thinking about ways to reduce the stress of school lunch packing and making things easier for yourself and your family! Remember, the important thing is that your child eats and has energy for their day at school.
What is your school lunch style? Do you go simple or fancy?
All photos © Melanie Edwards/modernmami™
Disclosure: As a Capri Sun Ambassador and member of the #CapriSunCrew, I am compensated for my time and effort. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Leave a Comment Below!