As a stay at home mother over the past few years, I’ve loved nothing more than making my children good meals and snacks. It’s comforting to have “mom” take care of everything. The problem is, is that it’s also important to teach your children certain things like packing their own lunches themselves. It’s our job as mothers to prepare our children for the real world and that starts now, not when they are 18 and ready to leave the house. Making a lunch sounds easy, but it does take some practice. Not only will this teach your child the importance of a balanced diet, but it will build self confidence as they begin to appreciate and enjoy their meal even more because they made it!
Even though I can do this simple task for my children, I choose not to. Do you know what the result is? My children 5, 7, 10, & 12 years old now take pride in themselves each and every morning by making their own lunches and they’ve learned a little responsibility doing so too!
So where do you start? How do you get your children excited about making their own lunch?
In our house, I use a simple checklist that we hang on the inside of our cupboard that lists the “must have items” to pack each day, along with a few options so they can pick and choose a bit.
This cute and simple Checklist is available for you to Print HERE.
If you want to make sure your kiddos are getting a well rounded meal everyday, you have to make sure your kitchen is stocked with fresh fruit, vegetables and wholesome options for your children to choose from.
You are also going to have to physically show them how to prepare their sandwich and how to pack certain items. Don’t just assume they know how to do something. Once they are shown how to do it though, you’ll be amazed at how good your children will do and how proud they will be of themselves!
Main Entree. Usually this is any type of sandwich they like, whether it be PB&J, turkey or ham on whole wheat bread or a whole grain wrap. They can also make a salad if they wish too. * I purchased colorful, reusable containers for easy packing at the beginning of the school year to help make packing more simple.
Fruits & Veggies. The rule in our house is 1 fruit and 1 vegetable. This can be any fresh fruit like a banana or apple, but can also be grapes, unsweetened applesauce or berries too. For a vegetable, my children love baby carrots and mini cucumbers, which are easy to pack.
Crunchy Snack. Pretzel sticks are a great crunchy snack, but almonds, pistachios, or pita chips are a nice alternative as well.
Drink. You don’t want to forget this one! Your kiddos are going to be thirsty at lunchtime! We are really enjoying NEW Capri Sun Organic Juice Drinks! These convenient 6-oz. pouches are available in Fruit Punch, Tropical Punch, Apple, & Grape flavors and are only Sweetened with fruit juice, contain no added sugar, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives and provide your child with 100% of their recommended Daily Value of Vitamin C! Now that’s a drink you can feel good about!
Dairy. This can be a slice of cheese on their sandwiches or in their salads, a string cheese or a yogurt.
Dessert: I always allow my children to pack one small treat in their lunch each day. This can be 1 homemade cookie, a small piece of chocolate or a small brownie. You can also have them pack a special treat only on a special day too like Fridays if you wish.
Napkin & Utensils: Make sure they don’t forget any utensils they may need! Even though I am not packing my children’s lunches anymore, I still sneak in a little note or drawn heart on a napkin to brighten up their day & let them know I care and that I am thinking about them! 🙂
I love to watch my children really think about what they are putting into their lunches. They really take their time and sometimes get pretty creative with what they pack. They take pride in themselves and that’s a wonderful, amazing gift you can give to your children. You are teaching them how to care for themselves and their bodies by being aware of what they are putting in them, every single day! It’s never too early to start!
Start a “Pack Your Own Lunch Challenge” at your house this week!
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
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